Champagne flows for 17, as the crew celebrate their RC44 Worlds victory. Image copyright Gilles Martin-Raget/BMW ORACLE Racing.
by Tim Jeffery
BMW ORACLE Racing team skipper James Spithill, guest helmsman Anders Myralf of Denmark and the crew of the yacht 17 today were crowned champions of the inaugural RC 44 World Championship for the Islas Canarias Puerto Calero Cup.
The overall victory wrapped up a banner week for Spithill, which saw him win the match racing portion of the regatta and also be named Australian Male Sailor of the Year by Yachting Australia for skippering the winner of the 33rd America’s Cup in February.
“It finally feels like I’m getting the monkey off my back,” said Spithill, 31. “It’s been a real struggle, to be honest. It would’ve been easy to walk away from this project, but the fact we hung in there and kept working at it and finally got the result, it feels good to come back from that.”
BMW ORACLE Racing win the fleet racing regatta in Lanzarote. Image copyright Gilles Martin-Raget/BMW ORACLE Racing.
Close on Spithill’s heels was team CEO Russell Coutts aboard the yacht BMW ORACLE Racing. With guest helmsman Jose Juan Calero, an organizer of this event, at the wheel, BMW ORACLE Racing won the fleet racing portion of the regatta and placed second overall.
“I’m reasonably happy. We would’ve liked to win overall today, but winning the fleet and taking second overall isn’t too bad,” said Coutts. “Jose Juan did a good job driving. The conditions were tricky, but he did well.”
Video reflections on the week in Lanzarote from BMW ORACLE Racing:
BMW ORACLE Racing
RC44
