It is interesting to note that Jimmy Spithill, being a New Zealand national, was skipper of Oracle Team USA this year when the team lost against Team New Zealand America’s Cup.
The tournament was held in Bermuda in the month of June. This kind of summarizes the versatile career of Jimmy and how he is driven to try different things. Even though his quest to defend the Auld Mug was an unsuccessful one in this tournament he has now decided to be part of the national team in the PIC Insurance Brokers Coastal Classic race that would cover a course from Devonport Wharf in Auckland to Russell that lies in the Bay of Islands. The race starts on October 20th and he would be on board the Orma 60 trimaran.
This is an interesting choice of him as the boat known as Frank Racing had been able to break a race record that had been set for 119 nautical miles, a drag race that lasted five hours 13 minutes. This particular race would feature about 150 starters.
The boats would be of different categories, from multi-hulls, mono-hulls of high performance to keel boats of small design. Spithill is being taken on as a tactician on the boat, but skipper Simon Hull also looks forward to using his driving experience.
There was a promotional event for the race as well. Spithill being part of the event has surprised many. He himself states that he has always wanted to compete in such an event and he is familiar with the race course that he has flown helicopters on. He looks forward to sailing the waters now and hopes that they would get a good breeze to begin with. Many are eager to know how he would take the experience of being part of a Kiwi crew after battling one and losing out to it.