Italy names Spithill as helmsman
by Courtesy Foxsports on 25 Sep 2004
James Spithill - officiallly the helmsman for Luna Rossa Nations Cup Media
BREAKING NEWS
Australian James Spithill will be Luna Rossa's helmsman for the Italian syndicate's challenge at the 2007 America's Cup sailing race in Valencia.
Francesco De Angelis, the technical director of team Luna Rossa who skippered the Prada challenge in the two last America's Cup regattas, announced Spithill's appointment at a press conference in the port city of Genoa today.
The 25-year-old Australian, a former helmsman of challenger Seattle OneWorld in the last edition of the trophy won by Switzerland's Alinghi, is the world's No. 2 match-race sailor and heir to the crown of New Zealander Russell Coutts.
Coutts, who led Alinghi to the first victory by a European syndicate in the 153-year-history of the America's Cup, was recently sacked because of differences with Swiss biotech billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli, the Alinghi syndicate head.
Meanwhile Marco Tronchetti Provera, chairman of Telecom Italia and an avid sailor, announced that Italy's largest telephone company would support the Luna Rossa challenge by acquiring 49 per cent of the team from Prada, the Italian luxury goods group.
Luna Rossa, which finished second in 1999 and failed to qualify for the finals in 2003, has budgeted $146.64 million for the next challenge.
The terms of the Telecom Italia investment were not disclosed, but it was known that the Italian telephone company would also pay an undisclosed sum as commercial sponsor to display its logos on Luna Rossa's sails.
Prada's logo will be displayed on the boat hull.
Luna Rossa is among the top-ranked challengers for the 2007 race, along with Larry Ellison's BMW Oracle Racing.
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