Innerview
The Boss Speaks
Speaking of Dalton, Krispy Kreme is our gal on the spot at in Auckland and she had a chance to sit down with TNZ’s Grant Dalton for this video interview. Damn, we should have gotten a Peter Montgomery question or two in!
He is a titanium being, and much like the metal – rare, honed fine to take on the toughest jobs on the planet, and unbreakable. He is physically and mentally extremely fit, and has X-Ray vision that can see into the makeup of a man in a nanosecond. Perhaps he really is a genetic relation to Superman. He has taken on some tough tasks, feet first – and succeeded. The Louis Vuitton Pacific Series has brought the Viaduct back to life, brought racing to spectators on the shore, gotten AC boats out racing again, introduced a new racing coverage format, all of which have gone to show how viable the format of the LVPS can be, and how quickly such an event can be put together.
I’d been warned by his press officer that should I do something stupid with him it would only happen once. He is a precise man and will quickly correct any factual error you might make. Very self aware, you would need to be so as well to get on with him, because one thing that is readily apparent the second you meet him – he has a very sensitive bullshit meter. Only the passionate, convicted, talented, but humble need apply for a position in his organization, otherwise you would simply Darwin right on out.
He graciously took 30 minutes out of his jam-packed day to talk to us, about the new boat rule just published for the next AC, about the VOR, about practical realities driven by today’s global economy, and about Sailing Anarchy with which he is very familiar.
His office is spartan as you would expect. A large clock on one wall, no doubt donated, A couple of pictures of Sir Peter Blake, two simple chairs, and his desk with his laptop where when there is a moment to breathe, he checks his emails, and apparently has Sailing Anarchy as one of the favorites in his browser. As we sat down to talk he pulled up the SA site with a couple of clicks and started peppering me with questions about SA and some of its denizens – several handles of the more prolific posters in the AC forum he knew by name. He thinks a few folks on SA need to get a life! He’s not wrong…
A week or two before ETNZ takes delivery of their new TP52 coming out of Cookson’s, Dalton is excited about the prospects. The conversation wandered to the VOR and I asked him if he wouldn’t like to do just one leg on the VO70’s? His answer will surprise you or maybe not…
What would he choose for a new boat design for the AC? He’s quite happy with the rule the challengers and defender have come up with, and happy with the process. It’s all good.
Racing and the AC in particular are not immune from the draught down effects of the world’s current economic state. Grant Dalton takes a practical view on how to get on over the next year or two until the economy turns around. Maybe think twice before mothballing those V5’s.
