Team Shosholoza has announced the appointment of a second top Italian America’s Cup helmsman/match racing coach just days ahead of next week’s start of the 2006 America’s Cup class racing season in Valencia, Spain.

Paolo Cian, 40 years old from Naples in Italy, joins the team as a helmsman and expert match racing coach in a further effort to fast track the skills of the South African newcomers to sailing’s oldest and most prestigious contest.

Cian was helmsman of the Mascalzone Latino America’s Cup Challenger in the 2002/3 edition of the America’s Cup in Auckland, New Zealand. As helmsman of the Mascalzone Latino Sailing Team he ranks fifth on the international match racing circuit. An Italian Olympic, European and World champion in numerous classes Cian launched his match racing career in the Soling Olympic class.

Cian comments: “It is great to be given another America’s Cup opportunity. The second time is always different from the first and with more experience I hope to be more balanced, more cool. My goal is to be useful and contribute all my energy to this team.”

Last month Team Shosholoza announced the appointment of 45-year-old Italian Tommaso Chieffi, as a helmsman/strategist and coach. Chieffi has been part of the afterguard of four previous America’s Cup campaigns.

Cian and Chieffi will share helming duties with Ian Ainslie, a three times South African Olympic skipper. Ainslie was at the helm of Shosholoza RSA 83 in Trapani, Italy last year when the team scored three match race victories and finished fifth overall in the fleet racing.

Team Shosholoza will be up against one of the giants of the America’s Cup, BMW Oracle Racing, in the first race of the week long Valencia Louis Vuitton Act 10 match racing regatta which starts next Thursday 11 May.