James Spithill
Encyclopedia
James Spithill is an Australia
n yachtsman. He was born in Sydney
.
After some junior match race
titles, in 1998 he arrived third in the Sydney-Hobart and first in the Kenwood Cup.
He confirmed his ability by winning numerous races in the following years, including twice the Nations Cup
(2003 and 2004), and obtaining a second place in the 2003 Match Race World Championship
. In 2005 he was Match Race World Champion. In 2010, as skipper and helmsman for BMW Oracle Racing
, Spithill became the youngest ever winner of the America's Cup
.
, showing his precocious talent despite leading an antiquated boat. At the age of 20, he was the youngest helmsman in the America's Cup.
In 2003 he led OneWorld
in the America's Cup, reaching the semifinal of the Louis Vuitton Cup
, where he was beaten by Oracle BMW Racing.
Spithill was next chosen by Francesco De Angelis
, whom he had beaten in the 2003 Louis Vuitton quarter-finals, as his heir as helmsman of Luna Rossa Challenge
in the 2007 America's Cup
. Spithill was a mainstay of the team, which he led to the final of the Louis Vuitton Cup 2007 after beating one of the favourites, Oracle BMW Racing, 5–1 in the semifinals.
He earned the nickname of "James Pitbull" among Italian fans because of his aggressive tactics during the pre-start phase of the races. He is the main protagonist of what is arguably remembered as the greatest pre-start in the history of the America's Cup, forcing two penalties to BMW Oracle skipper Chris Dickson
in race 5 of the Louis Vuitton Cup 2007, causing Dickson's resignation a few days later.
Spithill went on to lose 5–0 to Emirates Team New Zealand in the 2007 Louis Vuitton Cup final.
Spithill was the helmsman and skipper for the challenging team BMW Oracle Racing 90
in the 2010 America's Cup. His yacht USA beat the defending yacht Alinghi 5
by a considerable margin and Spithill became the youngest ever winner of the America's Cup. Most observers stated that USA 17's rigid wing sail had given it a decisive advantage.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n yachtsman. He was born in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
.
After some junior match race
Match race
A match race is a race between two competitors, going head-to-head.The term may be best known as a race between two sailing boats racing around a course...
titles, in 1998 he arrived third in the Sydney-Hobart and first in the Kenwood Cup.
He confirmed his ability by winning numerous races in the following years, including twice the Nations Cup
Nations Cup
The Nations Cup is a rugby union competition that was first held in 2006 at Estádio Universitário in Lisbon with Argentina A, Italy A, Portugal and Russia taking part...
(2003 and 2004), and obtaining a second place in the 2003 Match Race World Championship
World Match Racing Tour
The World Match Racing Tour is a professional sailing series, featuring 9 World Championship events across the globe, sanctioned by the International Sailing Federation with “Special Event” status...
. In 2005 he was Match Race World Champion. In 2010, as skipper and helmsman for BMW Oracle Racing
BMW Oracle Racing
Oracle Racing is an American sailboat racing syndicate initially formed to compete for the 2003 America’s Cup. They competed again in the 2007 event before winning the 33rd America's Cup regatta in 2010 - representing the Golden Gate Yacht Club....
, Spithill became the youngest ever winner of the America's Cup
America's Cup
The America’s Cup is a trophy awarded to the winner of the America's Cup match races between two yachts. One yacht, known as the defender, represents the yacht club that currently holds the America's Cup and the second yacht, known as the challenger, represents the yacht club that is challenging...
.
America's Cup
He debuted in the America's Cup in 2000 with Young Australia2000 Louis Vuitton Cup
The 5th Louis Vuitton Cup was held in Auckland, New Zealand in 2000. The winner, Prada Challenge, went on to challenge for the 2000 America's Cup.-Details:...
, showing his precocious talent despite leading an antiquated boat. At the age of 20, he was the youngest helmsman in the America's Cup.
In 2003 he led OneWorld
Oneworld
Oneworld , branded as oneworld, is one of the world's three largest global airline alliances with its central management team, oneworld Management Company, based in New York City, New York, USA. Oneworld was founded in 1999 by American Airlines, British Airways, Canadian Airlines, Cathay Pacific...
in the America's Cup, reaching the semifinal of the Louis Vuitton Cup
Louis Vuitton Cup
The Louis Vuitton Cup is a yachting competition connected with the America's Cup. The Louis Vuitton Cup was used as the selection series to select the team to sail as the challenger in the America's Cup...
, where he was beaten by Oracle BMW Racing.
Spithill was next chosen by Francesco De Angelis
Francesco de Angelis (yachtsman)
Francesco de Angelis is an Italian yachtsman. de Angelis is the first Italian skipper to win a Louis Vuitton Cup, a feat he accomplished in 1999-2000 with Luna Rossa ITA45....
, whom he had beaten in the 2003 Louis Vuitton quarter-finals, as his heir as helmsman of Luna Rossa Challenge
Luna Rossa Challenge
Luna Rossa Challenge is an Italian sailboat racing syndicate, created to compete for the 2000 America's CupSponsored by Prada, and beginning from 2005 also by Telecom Italia.-2000 Louis Vuitton Cup:...
in the 2007 America's Cup
2007 America's Cup
The 2007 America's Cup was the thirty-second challenge for the America's Cup and was won by Alinghi in the 7th race. The Cup is the most famous and most prestigious regatta and Match Race in the sport of sailing....
. Spithill was a mainstay of the team, which he led to the final of the Louis Vuitton Cup 2007 after beating one of the favourites, Oracle BMW Racing, 5–1 in the semifinals.
He earned the nickname of "James Pitbull" among Italian fans because of his aggressive tactics during the pre-start phase of the races. He is the main protagonist of what is arguably remembered as the greatest pre-start in the history of the America's Cup, forcing two penalties to BMW Oracle skipper Chris Dickson
Chris Dickson (sailor)
Christopher Stuart Dickson, born 3 November 1961 in Auckland, is an internationally known sailor from New Zealand. He was world youth champion three years in succession and later became world match race champion three times...
in race 5 of the Louis Vuitton Cup 2007, causing Dickson's resignation a few days later.
Spithill went on to lose 5–0 to Emirates Team New Zealand in the 2007 Louis Vuitton Cup final.
Spithill was the helmsman and skipper for the challenging team BMW Oracle Racing 90
BMW Oracle Racing 90
USA-17 is a LWL, beam, sloop rigged one-off racing sail trimaran built by the USA sailing team BMW Oracle Racing for use in a Deed of Gift challenge for the 33rd America's Cup...
in the 2010 America's Cup. His yacht USA beat the defending yacht Alinghi 5
Alinghi 5
The Alinghi 5 is a LWL, beam sloop-rigged catamaran built by Alinghi for the 33rd America's Cup.It was launched on 8 July 2009 being lifted from the construction shed in Villeneuve, Vaud by a Mil Mi-26 helicopter and carried thereby to Lake Geneva. It was subsequently carried to Genoa, Italy...
by a considerable margin and Spithill became the youngest ever winner of the America's Cup. Most observers stated that USA 17's rigid wing sail had given it a decisive advantage.