America's Cup: Spithill joins Luna Rossa
by Luna Rossa Challenge/Sail-World.com/nz 13 Mar 2018 10:28 UTC
13 March 2018
Jimmy Spithill, now part of Luna Rossa again © Richard Gladwell
As has been rumoured in sailing circles for a couple of week, the Challenger of Record for the 36th America's Cup, Luna Rossa Challenge (Circolo della Vela Sicilia) has announced that two time America’s Cup winning skipper, Jimmy Spithill, has rejoined the team.
Spithill won the America's Cup in 2010 in the Deed of Gift Match in Valencia and 2013 in San Francisco.
He was previously helmsman for Luna Rossa in Valencia in 2007 placing third in a very close Louis Vuitton Cup.
"With multiple World titles in a number of classes and match racing, as well as two Sydney to Hobart victories on Comanche, Jimmy started competing at a very early age when living in a small town North of Sydney only accessible by boat," the team said in a written statement.
"With his huge sports and technical experience on high-performance sailing boats, Jimmy brings additional strength to team Luna Rossa," it added.
Under the nationalism requirements of the Protocol, Spithill must live in Italy for 380 days between September 1, 2018 and August 31, 2020.