Yachting: Big command tipped for youthful skipper

By Suzanne McFadden

Today, James Spithill is the champion of teenage yachting on Auckland waters.

In October, he could be back driving an America's Cup boat.

The Australian 19-year-old yesterday led a class act to win the Coca-Cola Cup international youth matchracing regatta for the second year running.

The three-man crew from the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club in Sydney beat the home team from the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, skippered by Scott Beavis, 3-0 in the final.

Skipper Spithill is already being groomed for greater things. He is being touted as the helmsman for Syd Fischer's Holy Grail syndicate for this year's America's Cup challenger series.

He could be one of the youngest helmsman in Cup history.

"There are a few people saying I'm in line for it," Spithill said yesterday.

"They're spending a whole lot of money on me to sail at the big events around the world this year."

Spithill has been sailing much bigger boats lately - he was at the wheel of Fischer's yacht Ragamuffin in the ill-fated Sydney-Hobart race - and admits it was a shock to sail in the tiny Elliot 5.9m yachts on the Waitemata Harbour.

"I thought we'd fall over a couple of times. But it's so good for you - you can lose touch sailing in big boats that don't require as much physical effort."
Spithill and his crew, Nick Garland and Paul Montague, won every start in the final. But Beavis' team, Carl Williams and Mark Kroening, kept clawing back to within seconds at the finish line.

Beavis complimented his rival skipper: "He was able to put the boat where he wanted to much more easily than we were. It was tough going."
The Squadron Red team beat Squadron Blue, skippered by Nerida Boyle - the only yachtswoman in the regatta - 2-0 in the morning's semifinal.

Boyle's crew were beaten by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in the sail-off for third.

Spithill will be back racing on the Waitemata in three weeks, trying to qualify for the Steinlager-Line 7 matchracing regatta, which will feature most of the world's America's Cup skippers.