6 Feb 2014

Spithill sticks with Oracle Team USA despite Australian approaches

6:38 am on 6 February 2014

The Australian skipper Jimmy Spithill will bid for a third successive America's Cup at the helm of Oracle Team USA after turning down an Australian offer.

The youngest skipper to win the world's oldest sporting trophy, Spithill led the challenger "USA" to victory in 2010 and helped the team successfully defend the trophy last year with the sensational comeback victory against Team New Zealand.

Spithill has been chased by the Australian challenger of record, Hamilton Island Yacht Club, but says he owes it to team principal and software billionaire Larry Ellison, and syndicate chief executive Russell Coutts, to remain.

Team USA hope the 35th America's Cup will again be sailed in San Francisco bay and have earmarked August 2017 for the regatta.