ORACLE Racing Spithill will race with an unchanged crew lineup from the Cascais and Plymouth rounds of the AC World Series. ORACLE Racing Coutts sees Darren Bundock take over skipper duties from Russell Coutts with Tom Slingsby also racing for the first time.
The regatta is a return to ORACLE Racing’s second home. The winner of the 33rd America’s Cup spent 16 months in San Diego from August 2008 to December 2009 getting the giant trimaran USA 17 ready for the contest she won in February 2010.
“That was a memorable experience,” said ORACLE Racing skipper Jimmy Spithill. “San Diego was ideal for us to put in the hard yards preparing for the Cup. The hospitality and support we received locally was great for our team spirit. We’re really looking forward to a return.”
San Diego is a former America’s Cup host city (1988-1995). The racecourse was situated three miles off Point Loma in Pacific Ocean, but for the AC World Series it will be center stage in the harbor.
“San Diego is an awesome arena for this type of racing,” said Spithill. “People will be able to watch the action from their homes, offices, hotels and all along the harbor front. It’s going to be fantastic.”
ORACLE Racing Spithill is second overall after two rounds of the AC World Series while also holding second in the match and fleet racing championships. ORACLE Racing Coutts, is tied third overall, standing fifth and third in the two championships.
Bundock is a double Olympic silver medalist and Slingsby has recently been crowned Male Australian Sailor of the Year to go along with his 2010 ISAF World Sailor of the Year award.
Bundock is a pure multihull sailor while Slingsby is new to the double-hulled experience, but together they bring a wealth of talent to join the America’s Cup winners Murray Jones, Simon Daubney and Simeon Tienpont.
“San Diego is going to be my first time on the helm for an America’s Cup World Series. I’m really looking forward to it,” Bundock said. “We have a nice team onboard so we should have no excuses going for a good result.”
Spithill’s crew is John Kostecki, Dirk de Ridder, Joe Newton and Piet van Nieuwenhuijzen.
America’s Cup World Series Overall Standings
Team (Country) Match – Fleet – Total
1. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL) 19 – 19 – 38 points
2. ORACLE Racing Spithill (USA) 16 – 18 — 34
3. ORACLE Racing Coutts (USA) 13 – 15 — 28
3. Artemis Racing (SWE) 16 – 12 — 28
5. Team Korea (KOR) 16 – 10 — 26
6. Aleph (FRA) 6 – 12 — 18
6. Energy Team (FRA) 10 – 8 — 18
8. Green Comm Racing (ESP) 8 – 9 — 17
9. China Team (CHN) 6 – 7 — 13
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