The Aussie sailor who broke Kiwi hearts at the last America's Cup expects the 2017 event to be the toughest yet – and he expects Team New Zealand to be there.
"I think they'll get there, I mean seriously, they always seem to play this underdog card all the time, but they'll be there, and to be honest I wouldn't be surprised to see another international team there as well," Jimmy Spithill said in Auckland yesterday.
Spithill, 35, skippered the Oracle Team USA yacht that roared back from an 8-1 deficit to beat Emirates Team New Zealand in the America's Cup final series off San Francisco last year.
This month Spithill was named 2014 World Sailor of the Year.
The next America's Cup will take place in 2017. San Diego is competing with Bermuda to host it, with an announcement due in early December.
The final call will impact on Team New Zealand – its sponsors need to know where the event will be held before committing to another campaign.
Spithill - as polished on land as he is on water – said both venues had their strengths.
"Bermuda, the images would be amazing, the water is crystal clear, it also works better for broadcasting time-zones. San Diego is an amazing racetrack right down town. To be honest I'm happy wherever we end up, I just want to get out on the water and go racing."
Spithill said the field was already "the strongest set of teams I've ever seen, a very very competitive group. This will be the toughest America's Cup to date."
He has strong connections with New Zealand, "Some of my best mates live in New Zealand, I own property here, I actually met my wife here, got married in Queenstown, do a lot of fishing here, so it's kind of ironic that I stopped the cup going here.
"I flew into Auckland not long after the cup and I was convinced that the customs guy wasn't going to let me through.
I walked up to the window and I got about 20 feet away and he goes "turn around, you're not coming in."
"It was a bit like that the whole time I was here."
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