Jimmy Spithill has signed on as CEO and helmsman of the U.S. team in SailGP, giving the global league another former America’s Cup champion in its stable of stars.
Spithill is an Australian who sailed in three America’s Cup campaigns for Oracle Team USA, winning the first two. His wife, Jennifer, is from San Diego, where they make their permanent home with their two sons.
With Spithill taking the helm for the American team, Rome Kirby will shift to flight controller aboard the 50-foot foiling catamaran.
FILE - In this Sunday, June 25, 2017, file photo, Oracle Team USA skipper and helmsman Jimmy Spithill, right, crosses the boat during the eighth race of America's Cup sailing competition against Emirates Team New Zealand, in Hamilton, Bermuda. Spithill has signed on as CEO and helmsman of the United States team in SailGP, giving the global league another former America's Cup champion in its stable of stars. (AP PhotoGregory Bull, File)
The second season of SailGP was delayed from 2020 until 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic and will start April 24-25 in Bermuda.
That will be a month after the 36th America’s Cup finishes in Auckland, New Zealand. Spithill is competing in his seventh America’s Cup campaign, this time with Italy’s Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team.
SailGP was founded by New Zealander Russell Coutts, a five-time America’s Cup champion, and tech tycoon Larry Ellison after Oracle Team USA was defeated by Emirates Team New Zealand in the 2017 America’s Cup in Bermuda.
“I get along well, good mates with both Russell and Larry, and sort of been in touch and watched from afar and was really impressed with what they did in season one,” Spithill said from Auckland. “When the opportunity popped up I jumped at it. I love that style of racing and it’s something I want to be a part of."
Spithill had two memorable America’s Cup victories with Oracle Team USA. As a 30-year-old in 2010, he became the youngest skipper to win the Auld Mug when he steered a 90-foot trimaran to a two-race victory against a Swiss crew in a one-off showdown that was the result of a bitter court fight.
In 2013, he led Oracle Team USA to one of the biggest comebacks in sports. After Oracle fell behind Team New Zealand 8-1, he steered the American boat to eight straight victories on San Francisco Bay.
Also on that Oracle crew were Tom Slingsby, who skippered the Australian SailGP team to victory in the inaugural $1 million, winner-take-all championship in 2019, and Britain’s Sir Ben Ainslie. Ainslie joined SailGP for the second season and dominated the opening regatta in Sydney in late February, but that regatta was declared void after the season was postponed by the pandemic.
Ainslie is leading INEOS Team UK in the America’s Cup.
“I’m thankful for the opportunity to get back out there and go against, let’s face it, the best guys in the world,” the 41-year-old Spithill said.
Peter Burling and Blair Tuke announced earlier this year they will head a New Zealand team in SailGP. They led Emirates Team New Zealand to victory against Spithill and Oracle Team USA in the 2017 America’s Cup and look to defend the oldest trophy in international sports in March. Burling and Tuke are also Olympic gold and silver medalists.
“It’s going to be awesome, the rivalries in a whole lot of different ways, and just knowing how competitive a lot of these individuals are and what’s at stake,” Spithill said. “Oh, mate, I just can’t wait for that first event coming up in Bermuda. We’re living in a different world now, obviously, but it’s just cool to see that this event is going ahead next year.”
Spithill “was keen to join the fray,” Coutts said from New Zealand. “A guy like Jimmy wants to race against the best in the world and it’s pretty clear that we now have the world’s best sailors committing to SailGP. It’s going to be a fantastic lineup.”
The first season was dominated by Slingsby and fellow Aussie Nathan Outteridge, who skippers Team Japan.
The United States had the youngest team in SailGP’s inaugural season and finished last out of six teams.
“This is going to be an incredibly competitive championship," Coutts said. "The U.S. didn’t perform as well as it could, but I think overall Rome did a really good job with that team and he’s still going to be involved. I think there’s no respect lost from Rome. He did a good job but there’s no question Jimmy Spithill is going to ramp things up."
Kirby also was on the winning Oracle Team USA crew in the 2013 America’s Cup.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Patriots coach Mike Vrabel talked to his team about being prepared to bleed as New England entered its first playoff game since the 2021 season.
Then, shortly after Milton Williams sacked the Chargers' Justin Herbert on Sunday night to secure the Patriots' first playoff victory in seven years, Williams celebrated with a head-butt of Vrabel.
It knocked the first-year coach backward and bloodied his lip.
“The big dogs come out in January. I think Milt took that to heart,” Vrabel said. “He came over and got me pretty good. But that’s what happens.”
Drake Maye threw a touchdown pass to Hunter Henry in the fourth quarter, and New England's defense roughed up Herbert as the Patriots beat Los Angeles 16-3 in an AFC wild-card playoff game.
Andy Borregales kicked three field goals for the Patriots (15-3), who hadn't won in the postseason since their Super Bowl victory to cap the 2018 season. They’ll host the winner of Monday night’s game between Pittsburgh and Houston in the divisional round.
In his playoff debut, Maye completed 17 of 29 passes for 268 yards and ran for a team-high 66 yards.
“We made plays when we had to do it,” Maye said.
He also threw an interception and lost a fumble, but the Chargers (11-7) couldn't capitalize on those turnovers.
New England held Los Angeles to 207 yards of offense and sacked Herbert six times, with one of those resulting in a lost fumble that set up the Patriots' TD.
“It's on us, what we do. I've been saying that all season,” Williams said. “We can control the game. If we do what we need to do up front, we're going to win.”
This is the second straight season in which the Chargers have lost in the wild-card round. Herbert finished 19 of 31 for 159 yards and was his team's leading rusher with 57 yards as he fell to 0-3 in the playoffs.
Herbert was just over a month removed from surgery to repair a broken bone in his nonthrowing hand.
“There was no issue,” Herbert said. “I just have to do a better job holding on to the ball.”
Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said his quarterback wasn't 100 percent.
“He’s a warrior. He just gives it everything he has, all the time,” Harbaugh said, acknowledging that Herbert was limited by his hand injury. “It’s an issue, but he doesn’t flinch, like a warrior would.”
The last time the Chargers failed to score a TD in the playoffs was their 21-12 AFC championship game loss to the Patriots during the 2007 season.
The Patriots drove into the red zone on their first possession of the third quarter, but the drive ended when Maye was strip-sacked by Odafe Oweh and De'Shawn Hand recovered for the Chargers.
After Los Angeles punted, Maye connected on a pass to Kayshon Boutte that went for 42 yards to set the Patriots up on the Chargers 27. But New England settled for a 39-yard field goal that stretched their lead to 9-3.
Early in the fourth quarter, Maye used a 16-yard pass to Boutte and a 13-yard burst by Rhamondre Stevenson to set up his precise 28-yard TD toss to Henry that put the Patriots in front 16-3.
The Chargers picked up back-to-back first downs to open their ensuing drive. But when Herbert dropped back to pass on the next play, linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson strip-sacked him and fell on loose ball.
Los Angeles had one final possession, but it ended with Herbert getting sacked by Williams on fourth down.
“It’s playoff football. It’s going to get ugly. It’s going to get nasty. But you’ve got to keep going,” Williams said.
The opening quarter had lots of action, but it took until early in the second quarter for the Patriots to end a scoreless stalemate.
With New England pinned inside its own 10 after a Chargers punt, Maye had a pass intended for Austin Hooper tipped by Teair Tart and intercepted by Daiyan Henley.
Los Angeles started with the ball on the Patriots 10 but was stopped on fourth-and-2 when Herbert misfired a pass to Keenan Allen.
The Patriots took over and got some breathing room via a 48-yard catch-and-run by Stevenson.
Thirteen plays and a fourth-down conversion later, the drive ended with Borregales' 23-yard field goal.
Patriots: CB Carlton Davis left in the first half with a toe injury but returned. ... CB Christian Gonzalez left in the second half with a head injury.
Chargers: End of season.
Patriots: Host either Houston or Pittsburgh next Sunday.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
New England Patriots linebacker Christian Elliss celebrates after recovering a fumble by Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry, left, catches a pass next to Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James Jr. (3) and carries it in for a touchdown in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
New England Patriots defensive end Milton Williams (97), linebacker Christian Elliss (53) and linebacker Robert Spillane (14) celebrate Williams' sack of Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, left, avoids a tackle by Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack (52) in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) passes in the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the New England Patriots, in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
New England Patriots linebacker Anfernee Jennings (33) celebrates a tackle in the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) is sacked by New England Patriots linebacker Anfernee Jennings, rear, in the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) avoids a tackle by Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack (52) in the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
