Californian professional sailor Dee Smith will leave the South African America’s Cup team – Team Shosholoza – on 1 October 2006.

Smith sailed with the team in 2005 and officially joined Team Shosholoza in February this year as general manager and tactician. Instead of extending Smith’s existing contract, Team Shosholoza and Smith have agreed to continue the American’s support of South Africa’s first America’s Cup Challenger as a consultant.

Smith commented: “It has been a tremendous experience working with Team Shosholoza. They are a young team with much talent and I’m glad I’ve been able to help them up their game. I am very proud to have been part of their success story.”

Team Shosholoza’s managing director Captain Salvatore Sarno thanked Smith for his hard work: “We needed a top professional to improve the boat and crew performance. Dee Smith has achieved both results. It is now up to the team themselves to utilise properly what they have learnt.”

One of the world’s top-ranked grand prix skipper/tacticians, Smith brought over 40 years of yacht racing experience and a wealth of sailing industry knowledge to the team. As well as holding victories in every major yachting event worldwide, Smith was a member of the afterguard of the America True Challenge in the 2000 America’s Cup in Auckland, New Zealand.