America's Cup- Jimmy Spithill and the NZL Sailing Team - AC45 launch

by Richard Gladwell on 8 Feb 2011
America's Cup winner Jimmy Spithill was on stage this morning at the Viaduct Harbour for the launch and blessing of the AC45 prototype.

The spot on which he was standing was not too far away from where his America's Cup career began as a 20year old, aboard the Young Australia, which was berthed on the opposite side of the harbour (the budget didn't stretch to a base, so they worked off a barge), and the rest, as they say is history.

In the first clip Spithill recalls the early days and looks ahead to the next era of the America's Cup in the AC72.

In the second clip Spithill makes a presentation to four members of the NZL Sailing Team who are focussed on the 2012 Olympics rather than the 2013 America's Cup. But after that who knows.