Jordi Calafat joins Doyle Sails as Grand Prix Designer.
Doyle Sails announced today that Jordi Calafat is the latest powerhouse addition to join the ever-expanding Doyle Sails Grand Prix sailing and design team. Jordi is synonymous with the America’s Cup, Volvo Ocean Race, 52 Super Series, Club Swan classes and a significant number of one-design fleets globally. With two TP52s already signed to Doyle Sails for the 2022 Super Series, Jordi has hit the ground running.
When asked what Jordi will be bringing to Doyle Sails, he comments, “I have been pretty successful in the Grand Prix classes – specifically the TP52, Swan 50 and Swan 36s and Maxi 72s, which is where I have worked the most. We have won the world’s in every one of these classes over the last few years. We’ve won the previous six Maxi World’s with the Maxi 72s and the TP52 Worlds twice”.
Working with Design Director Richard Bouzaid, the wider Doyle design team, and the global Doyle sailors, Jordi will instantly become an influential and integral addition to the group.
“There are many different reasons for me joining Doyle Sails, Doyle has the best lamination, which means the best membranes, so this gives me a lot of comfort as a sail designer to create custom designs. The other key thing is working with Richard Bouzaid, Doyle’s Design Director. That is a big plus for me to improve my skills and share my knowledge with the design team.
“As a designer, it is always important to learn from differing points of view and to be surrounded by great sailors. Doyle already has a team of good designers and great sailors. The company’s approach is that it’s managed by sailors who have been successful in the Whitbread, the Volvo, America’s Cup, etc. This view of the industry and approaching different projects was one of the key influences when I chose to join Doyle Sails. When designing sails, we have to consider the different philosophies that have different impacts on business – the key thing is to work out what the sailors and the trimmers want to see and consider other aspects of the sailmaking or the business”.
Part of the secret to the vertical growth and significant shift to Doyle Sails has been the development of an efficient and reliable communication loop between high-performance sailors and the Doyle design office. This loop allows on-water experience and development led by sailors to feed directly back into the design team—allowing the constant innovation of Doyle sails.
“Doyle Sails react and evolve so quickly and continue to develop new types of sails. They are full-on when there is an opportunity to bring more speed. In every single way, they are quick to innovate and develop the product and get it on the water”, says Jordi.
Jordi comes into full flight in early December 2021. No downtime is expected with first-hand experience in Structured Luff and Stratis technology. Jordi has previous experience through many Doyle Sails collaborations in the Maxi 72 campaigns and comments, “Doyle are the leaders in the Cableless or the Structured Luff technology – they started this evolution and are still the leaders. There are endless development opportunities, and in this case, so many other positive changes can be made to yachts because of it – rig structure and boat structure included. It is a matter of time now to see how far we can keep evolving this”.
Jordi will continue to sail at the same Grand Prix level, including the Swan 36 and 50 classes, the TP52 Super Series and the Maxi 72, but you can also expect to see Jordi onboard Superyachts, and entrenched in both the RC44 and Wally Cento classes. In 2022, Doyle Sails will be launched onto the 52 Super Series circuit with Jordi at the forefront.
“We have Platoon where the aim is to win the season for Harm and the team finally. We have been so close so often it would be good to achieve that. It is never easy, but Harm is very committed, and we work together with Dave Armitage, who runs the sail programme for Interlodge. Hopefully, we can have two successful TP52s in 2022”, says Jordi.
Doyle Sails International CEO Mike Sanderson comments, “We’ve always been about building the strongest group of people at Doyle Sails, and it is a pleasure to officially welcome Jordi to our team as both a high profile sailor and one of the world’s best sail designers. I am lucky enough to have actually been working with Jordi for the last five years with Bella Mente, and so it’s wonderful now to be part of the same sailmaking team officially! We’re proud to currently be ahead of the curve in innovation, technology and design, but now is not a time to be complacent, we are moving forward and fast, and Jordi will be a big part of our next phase”.
Jordi Calafat started sailing in 1980, and, in just three years, he won the Optimist World Championship. He was a naturally talented sailor; his success continued when he won the 1985 420 Junior World Championship, placed second at the 470 Worlds in 1989 and 1990, then took sixth at the 1991 470 Worlds. The lower finish didn’t deter him, it inspired him. In 1992, Jordi won a gold medal in the 470 class at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.
Jordi Calafat Career Highlights:
- Three Seasons with Maxi 72, Bella Mente
- Two Seasons with Maxi 72, Momo
- Two Seasons with Maxi 72 Cannonball
- 2021 TP52 World Championship, Platoon
- 2020 TP52 World Championship, Platoon
- 2021 Swan 50 World Champion, Hatari
- 2020 Swan 50 World Champion, Hatari
- 2011-12 Volvo Ocean Race, Telefonica
- 2008-9 Volvo Ocean Race, Telefonica Blue
- 2007 America’s Cup Winner, Alinghi
- 1992 470 Gold Medal, Barcelona Olympic Games
ABOUT DOYLE SAILS // For close to four decades, Doyle Sails has supported sailors, and while the world continues to change, our commitment to sailors who seek the same enjoyment, performance and adventure as we do, hasn’t. Doyle Sails is home to the best sailors and sailmakers in the world. In every sailing hub, you will find your local Doyle Sails loft nearby, where the quality, performance and customer service that you have come to expect from Doyle Sails can be found.
From dinghies, club racers and cruising yachts through to Grand Prix campaigns and Superyachts, we are your sailing experts.
CONTACT // Doyle Sails International Press // communications@doylesails.com