The Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (RPAYC) in Sydney and the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (RNZYS) in Auckland, have named Australia’s most famous sailor, James ‘Jimmy’ Spithill and one of New Zealand’s rising stars, Bianca Cook, as ambassadors for the inaugural Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race 2021.

Spithill, a product of the RPAYC Youth Development Programme, came to the attention of Syd Fischer. In 1998 he appointed the 19 year-old, who became the youngest skipper in the history of the America’s Cup at the helm of Young Australia 2000. Spithill’s aggressive pre-start and start tactics became his trademark, creating a demand for his services on the world stage. In 2003 he helmed One World and in 2007 Luna Rossa Challenge, reconnecting with the latter for the upcoming Cup.

In 2010, the Pittwater raised sailor joined Larry Ellison’s BMW Oracle Racing and at 30, became the youngest skipper to win the America’s Cup. ‘Jimmy’, as he became known, went on to defend the Cup twice against Emirates Team New Zealand.

In 2013 Spithill and crew came back from the brink against Emirates Team New Zealand (ETNZ). Oracle Team USA was at a seemingly unbeatable 1-8 deficit, but won the next 11 races to retain the Cup. In Bermuda for the 35th America’s Cup in 2017, ETNZ were on the warpath and exacted their revenge, defeating their nemesis 7-1.

In between, Spithill has won many other sailing events, including 2017 Rolex Sydney Hobart line honours and the race record, at the helm of LDV Comanche.

“I’m really honoured to be included with Bianca as an ambassador for the Sydney-Auckland Ocean Race 2021,” Spithill said from Sardinia.

“I think for a lot of competitive sailors between the two cities, we have flown over that piece of water many times. However, I imagine very few have actually sailed it, or ever had the chance to race Sydney to Auckland. What better chance than now, with the America’s Cup coming to Auckland in 2021?

“Having raced up and down the coast of Australia in the Sydney Hobart and Sydney Gold Coast races, along with New Zealand’s Coastal Classic, both coastlines offer really challenging, tactical racing. Combining a bit of both will make it a really fascinating event, with a great ending of watching the Americas Cup.

Spithill ended, “I hope to see a lot of Aussies on the water in New Zealand come 2021!”

On the weekend of 7-8^th December Australian 5.5 Metres were all at sea competing on the iconic Palm Beach Circle for the first time for a couple of decades. The RPAYC event was a Pre-Worlds Practice Regatta and also to select the 5.5 Metre to represent Australia in the famous inter nation Scandinavian Gold Cup.  The Gold Cup dates back to 1919 and has been competed in 5.5 Metres for nearly 70 years.  RPAYC will be hosting the 5.5 Meter Gold Cup and World Championships from the 4^th to the 13^th January 2020. 

Seven of RPAYC’s revived fleet of fourteen 5.5 Metres turned were towed out to be greeted by a 7-11kt ENE breeze with relatively choppy wave pattern.  Like the actual Gold Cup to win selection you would have to win.  The first boat to get 3 wins or win the 4^th Race would be selected to sail for Australia.  All the races were windward leeward, 6 legs with a distance of 6.6NM which is the minimum distance for the actual Gold Cup. 

After an hour and a quarter of Race 1 John Bacon’s 2019 World Championship winning pre-1994 Evolution KuRingGai showed strong speed for a 25-year-old boat.  Bacon narrowly took the gun ahead of the post 1993 Moderns; Martin Cross’s and Bob Stoddard’s Beta Crucis and Brothers Matt and Rob Crawford with Matt Visser in KuRingGai 2.  There was only 13 seconds between the three boats. The rest of the Modern and older Evolution and Classic boats finished in age order with Jason Antill’s, Damian Macey’s, Tom Spithill’s and Larry Eastwood’s remarkable Baragoola from 1968 nearly embarrassing the two other Evolutions the MacPhails’ Black Magic and Chris Handcock’s beautifully restored Rhapsody. 

The wind had declined for the 2^nd Race and unexpectedly veered to slightly to the East.  The Crawford Brothers showed their Australian Team experience to gradually pull out what proved an unassailable lead to take out the second race.  As “there is no second” and needing a win Beta Crucis gybed well left on the final run but to no avail.  Alpha Crucis helmed by America Cup legend Rob Brown took second ahead of Ku-Ring-Gai and Beta Crucis.   The second third and forth boats finishing within 11 seconds of each other after 86 minutes of racing.  With the win the Crawford brothers ensured there would need to be a 4^th race to decide Gold Cup selection.

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  wash your private boat for 10 minutes using a hose fitted with a trigger nozzle after the boat has been in seawater

  flush boat motors with a bucket or a purpose-designed flushing device connected to a hose

  fill water tanks on a boat using a hose, as long as you don't leave the hose unattended or allow the tank to overflow

  clean bilges using a high-pressure cleaning device or hose fitted with a trigger nozzle

  wash your trailered vessel and trailer using a bucket and sponge or at a commercial car wash

  clean essential safety components of boat trailers (e.g. wheel bearings or brakes) using a high-pressure cleaning device or hose fitted with a trigger nozzle.
 

  hose your car, trailer or boat with a hose, even if the hose is fitted with a trigger nozzle, except as described above

  clean your vehicle with a high pressure cleaning device if it's connected to the drinking water supply (by a hose)

  leave hoses and taps running unattended.

With boats belonging to international entrants arriving in Australia, the temptation to take part in the upcoming 5.5 Metre Class World Championship proved too strong for some big names on home soil, who have now signed on the dotted line for the event, to be hosted by the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (RPAYC) on Pittwater this summer.

To be held from 9-13 January, the Championship and its lead-in events are expected to attract around 27 boats; 13 Moderns, nine Evolutions and five Classic 5.5 Metre boats.

On noting the talent that would contest the Worlds, Phil Smidmore OAM and Rob Brown OAM, members of Australia II’s winning team at the 1983 America Cup, have put their hands up.  

Smidmore, a former winner of the 5.5 Metre Scandinavian Gold Cup the Worlds twice and mast man on Australia II, will crew on Skagerak for Steve Brajkovich. Brown, a former Australian Etchells champion, three-time 18 foot skiff J.J. Giltinan (unofficial Worlds) champion and multiple 18s Australian champion, is to helm Alpha Crucis.

“My experience in the Etchells will help. It’s just a matter of putting in the time,” Brown said. “I’ve had a go off Pittwater. We did alright, which got me excited, not to mention the overseas competition that’s coming.

Among the big names heading to Pittwater from overseas are the Worlds’ winners from the past three years and the top three from the 2019 Worlds: Kristian Nergaard from Norway (Artemis XIV), Mark Holowesko with his New Moon 2 and Gavin McKinney (John B), both from The Bahamas.  

Club Coach Tom Spithill will be finishing up in his position as Head Coach at the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club in Feb/ March 2020 (date to be announced).

Since commencing full time work at the Yacht Club in 2007, Tom worked as a sailing administrator, and was instrumental in launching the “Force 24 Super Series”, which helped encourage members of all ages to compete in an exciting format.

The position of head coach became available, and Tom seamlessly transitioned into that roll, overseeing the clubs extensive sail training program.

Tom was involved with developing the Carl Halverson Scholarship program and the implementation of the Green fleet. These programs helped to transition non-sailing families from learn to sail programs into regular club racing.

The Youth Development Program has continued to excel under Tom’s leadership. Some notable achievements whilst the squad have been under Toms Guidance have been:
*First all-female team to win the Harken Youth International Match Racing Regatta. (Milly Bennett)
* First Female helm and first all-female team to win the Hardy Cup international Match Racing Regatta (Clare Costanzo)
* 2016 Youth Match Racing World Champions (William Dargaville).

Tom has also been a driving force in the RPAYC award winning “Integrated Disabled Sailing Program”, working with organisations such as Soldier On, St John Of God and Homes for Heroes. Working with the participants who range from veterans, current serving and first responders and helping them in their recovery by organising sailing and family days.

Tom played a major part in the delivery of the Invictus games launch in addition to the Games itself in Sydney, taking on the role as Sports Competition Manger for Sailing. The Games was the largest Multi Sports games since the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Over the years Tom has been recognised state wide and nationally with Coach of the Year and Sports Professional of the Year Awards.