SAN DIEGO — Jimmy Spithill, having wrapped up a distinguished career in the America’s Cup, unveiled the new Red Bull Italy SailGP Team on Thursday in Dubai, just ahead of the kickoff of the fifth season of the global sailing league.
The team’s founder and CEO, Spithill, made headlines by recruiting his former crewmate from the America’s Cup, Australian wing trimmer Kyle Langford. Langford previously contributed to the Australian team, which dominated the SailGP during its inaugural three seasons. The new Italian team, now the 12th in SailGP, took its foiling 50-foot catamaran for its maiden voyage on Thursday, ahead of practice races set for Friday. The opening regatta is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.
“It’s certainly been quite a push,” Spithill commented in a video chat. “Everything has come together swiftly. We’re nearly ready.”
After parting ways with the U.S. SailGP team in November following two and a half seasons, Spithill turned his focus toward launching the Italian team while also participating in this year’s America’s Cup. He was part of the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team, which faced elimination at the hands of INEOS Britannia in the finals.
At the helm of the Italian team will be double Olympic gold medalist Ruggero Tita, while Giulia Fava, a two-time bronze medalist who recently won the Women’s America’s Cup, will serve as the strategist. The flight controller is Andrea Tesei, an Italian national champion. Additionally, Alex Sinclair joins Spithill, with grinders Matteo Celon and Enrico Voltolini, both of whom bring substantial experience from high-performance sailing and the America’s Cup.
“In our crew, we have some remarkable next-generation stars from various backgrounds, including the Olympics and America’s Cup,” Spithill remarked enthusiastically about Langford’s addition.
Spithill, now 45, indicated he would only join the team on the water in case of injury or illness among the crew. “These young talents are excelling at this,” he said. “The emerging talent in Italy speaks for itself in terms of their results.”
There is a noticeable shift in talent across teams in SailGP, co-founded by tech mogul Larry Ellison, making Langford’s signing particularly significant for Spithill’s new unit. Notably, Langford’s career took a pivotal turn shortly before the 2013 America’s Cup when he stepped up to Oracle’s race crew in the absence of wing trimmer Dirk de Ridder. This was during a historic comeback where Spithill led Oracle to eight consecutive victories, averting defeat at 8-1 against Emirates Team New Zealand.
“The chance to create and hold a significant position on a fresh team, particularly with emerging talents, was incredibly appealing to him,” Spithill explained. “He could have easily remained in his comfort zone with the Aussie team, but he chose to challenge himself at this stage of his career.”
Despite their skills, the Italian crew has the least cumulative experience aboard the high-performance F50 catamaran. Spithill emphasized that Langford’s expertise will be crucial in accelerating the team’s performance. “The F50 is arguably the most challenging boat to maneuver,” he noted.
Having sailed for Luna Rossa across three of his eight America’s Cup campaigns, Spithill has witnessed first-hand the fervor of Italian sailing fans. “Italy truly represents an exciting market for the sport,” he affirmed. “The country has a vast following for sailing and a deep cultural connection to it.”
Following Luna Rossa’s defeat in early October, Spithill felt it was time to step back from the America’s Cup scene. “We didn’t achieve our objectives, and I take full responsibility for that,” he stated. “I’ve observed this new wave of talent coming up, and they deserve their opportunity.”
Spithill believes SailGP holds the key to the future of the sport, praising the regular season format that promises an exciting series of competitions. The Dubai event marks the beginning of a 14-regatta season, culminating in a $2 million winner-take-all Grand Final for the top three crews.
Additionally, it was announced on the same day that Rolex will serve as the first title sponsor for SailGP, entering into a ten-year agreement for collaboration.