Jimmy Spithill Joins United States SailGP Team
Champion sailor Jimmy Spithill has signed on for the United States SailGP Team, which will compete in the SailGP Bermuda Grand Prix presented by Hamilton Princess, which will be held in April 2021 in Bermuda.
The announcement said, “SailGP today announced champion sailor Jimmy Spithill has signed on to become CEO and helm of the United States SailGP Team. Spithill will lead the U.S. team as it fights to claim the sport’s largest monetary prize of US$1 million when the global league returns for the start of its second season, April 24-25, 2021, at the Bermuda Grand Prix presented by Hamilton Princess.
“Rome Kirby, who previously led the team from inception as helm, will shift to the flight controller position, making the U.S. the only team to have a former F50 helm flying the boat. The remainder of the U.S. team roster will be announced in the coming months.
“Spithill is widely regarded as one of the sport’s top athletes in high-performance racing, having spent the last two decades competing in the America’s Cup. He served as skipper of Oracle Team USA for more than 10 years.”
SailGP CEO Sir Russell Coutts said: “We couldn’t be more excited to have not only an amazing sailor, but also one of the greatest competitors, join SailGP. Jimmy brings a massive amount of experience and skill to the U.S. team and even further cements our position as the sport’s pinnacle league. Make no mistake – we have the best sailors in the world competing in the most exciting format.
“We’ll have eight incredibly competitive teams, each racing in identical, high-speed foiling catamarans in nine different countries around the world. Season 1 produced some great racing, and Season 2 will take this to a whole new level. It’s shaping up to be some of the most thrilling racing the sport has ever seen.”
Spithill is the latest high-profile signee for SailGP, joining Season 1 frontrunners and Olympic champions Tom Slingsby [AUS] and Nathan Outteridge [JPN], as well as 2020 additions Sir Ben Ainslie [GBR/four-time Olympic champion], and Peter Burling and Blair Tuke [NZL/Olympic and America’s Cup champions]. There are four Olympic champions among the league’s eight helms, who have combined for 10 medals in 14 Olympic appearances.
Spithill said: “It’s obvious that SailGP is one of the pinnacle events in our sport that combines cutting-edge technology with exciting, dynamic racing in iconic venues spread around the world. As a competitor, an annual championship that draws in the world’s best professional sailors is where you want to be. I am extremely honored to have the opportunity to represent the United States once again.”
The organisation noted, “Additional updates from the United States SailGP Team will be announced after the first of the year. The team is currently slated to begin pre-season training in April 2021 on Bermuda’s Great Sound prior to the start of SailGP Season 2 at the Bermuda Grand Prix presented by Hamilton Princess [April 24-25].”
