Grrreat Tiger test for Scott (From Dorset Echo)

Grrreat Tiger test for Scott

8:30am Saturday 18th February 2012 in Afloat News By Laura Kitching

Portland world champion dinghy sailor Giles Scott is celebrating an exciting twist in his career after being selected for an Amer-ica’s Cup big boat racing challenge.

The 24-year-old sailor, who narrowly missed out on 2012 Games selection to triple Olympic gold medallist Ben Ainslie, will be swapping his 14ft solo Finn heavyweight dinghy for a 45ft catamaran as part of the Team Korea crew.

Scott and Australian Olympian Nathan Outteridge have been announced as the newest members of the ‘White Tiger Challenge’ team for the 34th America’s Cup.

World champion 49er skiff sailor Outteridge, 26, has joined as the team’s skipper and helmsman, while current World and European Finn champion Scott will be the ‘tactician and float’ on the AC45 multihull.

The 6ft 5in Scott has been chosen for his ‘physical presence’ as well as his sailing talent.

He is currently combining his America’s Cup campaign with Finn sailing as a training partner for his Skandia Team GBR team-mate Ainslie, to ensure Great Britain has the best chance of winning Finn gold this summer when Olympic sailing events are hosted in Weymouth and Portland.

Scott, of Fortuneswell, said: “Join-ing Team Korea is definitely the most exciting step I've taken in sailing.

“It’s something I’ve always targeted as doing, the Cups need people with my attributes – being able to sail as well as being fit and strong.

“Team Korea approached me, which is quite nice, I’ll be their tactician and float through to September 2013 so I’ll look to do that and Ben’s build-up to the Games, I’m going to help him out as much as I can and also learn as much as I can.”

This week Scott has been ‘running around and getting the trailers sorted’ to go Finn training in Palma, Majorca with Ainslie and his coach David ‘Sid’ Howlett.

He added: “I’m combining Finn sailing with the America’s Cup stuff.

“It’s a bit of a change, a bit of a learning curve.

“Obviously it was a bit depressing not going to the 2012 Games, I hope to campaign for the 2016 Olympics but that’s a long way off so now’s the perfect time to branch out and do other types of sailing.

“I’m still going to be living around Portland, as the commitments are a week here, a week there.

“The big thing for me will be getting my head around the communication side of being part of a team after being a single-handed sailor, I’m looking forward to learning.”

Chief executive officer of Team Korea, Kim Dong Young said: “We have built a very strong bond within the team and I am sure that both Nathan and Giles will soon become part of our family.”