Paul Cayard is arguably one of the most recognizable sailors in the world.  His beginnings in the sport that has defined his life and taken him all over the globe were coincidental – a school friend’s family sailed and they took Paul along for his first ride.  From there he moved on to a borrowed pram before his growing interest in sailing led his father to build him one of his own.  By the time Paul was nine years old he was winning local regattas; five years later the wins were at North American Championships. 

While he pursued a degree in Business Management from San Francisco State University, graduating in 1981, Paul was also getting an education in match racing from larger-than-life sailor Tom Blackaller.  Tom had Paul crew for him in the Star, and by 1984 Paul was ready for his first Olympic Team Trials.  He lost by six tenths of an Olympic point, under the scoring system used at the time, but got to attend the Olympics anyway – as an alternate on the sailing team that competed at the L.A. Olympics – where he watched Bill Buchan and Steve Erickson bring home the gold. 

He would wait four years for another chance to go to the Games as a competitor.  Paul, sailing with Steve Erickson, went into the 1988 Olympic Team Trials as the reigning Star World Champions.  The Trials, in San Diego, turned out to be a light air regatta, and Paul finished a disappointed fourth.  After missing the 1992 Trials due to America’s Cup commitments, he would once more finish out of the money:  in third overall at the 1996 Trials sailing with George Iverson as crew.

After the 2000 America’s Cup, for which had missed yet another set of Olympic Trials, he got back to Star sailing.  The Nautica 2002 Star World Championship was sailed in California and attracted 103 boats.  Paul signed on Star Olympic Medallist Hal Haenel for the event and the pair finished fourth overall and qualified the USA’s berth to the Olympics to boot.  He then teamed with Phil Trinter in 2002 and the pair put together a program that has finally put Paul in position to compete for an Olympic medal.

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