Whirling Dervish Duty Bound

“For the first time in 26 years, a team from New Zealand will make a bid for the Volvo Ocean Race without New Zealand legend Grant Dalton whirling dervishly around deck demanding more effort from his crew,” Kate Laven reports for the Telegraph. “Dalton, 51, is heading back home to Auckland where he is charged with turning Emirates Team New Zealand into a competitive America’s Cup campaign. There is little question where his heart lies, having completed seven round the world races, one as winning skipper in 1993-94 and one America’s Cup. ‘This race is my passion and the America’s Cup is a duty,’ he says ruefully. ‘It is really important to our Emirates Team New Zealand brand that we win. We are sponsor driven so our existence is predicated entirely on us being successful,’ Dalton said. Don’t bet against them.”