The Hulk and The Pitbull go to war in bid to reach America’s Cup

Louis Vuitton Cup final promises to be a fascinating duel between great rivals Ben Ainslie and Jimmy Spithill to reach the America’s Cup

While the America’s Cup is a team sport, in many respects the ultimate team sport, a unique combination of man and machine doing battle both with the elements and the opposition, there is no doubt the Louis Vuitton Cup final, which begins on Thursday, will be reduced in many eyes to simply Ben Ainslie v Jimmy Spithill.
They are, after all, two of the most famous and successful helmsmen in the world; both alpha-male types, both known for their aggressive match-racing tactics.
Ainslie, the most successful Olympic sailor of all time, is a former match-racing world champion who won the America’s Cup as a tactician aboard Oracle Team USA in 2013. A shy and somewhat diffident character off the water, Ainslie was famous in his dinghy days for transforming into a beast on it. He was once disqualified from a world championships for boarding a media boat and threatening a photographer.
Most famously, at the London 2012 Games, Ainslie morphed into sailing’s version of The Incredible Hulk when he felt rivals Jonas-Hogh Christensen and Pieter-Jan Postma ganged up on him by calling him for a penalty he did not warrant.
“They’ve made a big mistake,” Ainslie memorably growled at reporters. “They’ve made me angry and you don’t want to make me angry.” He duly turned a tricky week into a winning one, going on to claim his fourth successive Olympic gold on home waters.
Australian Spithill, meanwhile, was handed the nickname ‘James Pitbull’ by Italian fans when he was a young helm on Luna Rossa in 2007 due to his aggressive tactics during the pre-start phase of races.
A mongrel from Sydney, and like Ainslie a former match-racing world champion, Spithill became the youngest ever skipper and helmsman to win the America’s Cup when he guided the United States to victory in Valencia in 2010. He then defended that title in 2013 in San Francisco. Ainslie, of course, was instrumental to that success, joining the American boat midway through an incredible series against New Zealand, helping them to overturn an 8-1 deficit to win 9-8.
“We have got a really good understanding of each other,” Ainslie admitted to the Telegraph on Wednesday, on the eve of the first-to-seven challenger series final, which will determine who goes through to face defenders New Zealand in next month’s America’s Cup match. “We have sailed with or against each other for 20 years now. Obviously, we sailed together in arguably the most intense Cup match ever in 2013. I have a huge amount of respect for him. Jimmy is ruthless on the water but a great guy off it.”
Ainslie, naturally, baulked at the suggestion that this clash was about any two individuals. As the head of a team which employs hundreds of staff, which has joined forces with an even bigger one, Mercedes F1, to produce a boat which he hopes can lift Britain’s 173-year curse in the America’s Cup, he preferred to stress the importance of teamwork.
“I’m sure it will be made into a bit of a ‘Ben v Jimmy show’, but it really is about the team,” he said. “I feel ours is growing all the time. My partnership with [co-helm] Dylan Fletcher continues to improve, while Bleddyn [Mon] and Leigh [McMillan], our trimmers, have really stepped up in recent weeks, becoming more and more integral in terms of our communications and tactics on board. It has been largely organic and hugely pleasing to see the way they have stepped up.”
All of that is undoubtedly true. There is no way Ineos will be able to progress unless the afterguard on Britannia works together in perfect harmony. The British AC75 is undoubtedly quick but if Ineos had a weakness in their semi-final against Alinghi it was in their manoeuvres.
There is no doubt, though, that it is Ainslie who will ultimately be calling the shots on the British boat. He will set the tone. It was no surprise to see him opt for starboard entry for Thursday’s first race, which if the forecast is accurate is due to be held in fairly lively conditions. The starboard boat enters 10 seconds after the port boat. Ainslie wants to be the hunter.
Ainslie said the team had made a “few tweaks” to the boat since their 5-2 semi-final win over Alinghi. “Mostly under the bonnet,” he added. “We are talking millimetres of adjustments here and there, small changes to the HMI [Human Machine Interface] controls. But they can make a really significant difference to performance. We feel confident we have taken another step in the right direction.”
Time will tell. Britain, famously, have never won the America’s Cup. It is 60 years since they last reached a Cup match. This feels like their best chance in a long time. “We can all sense what is at stake,” Ainslie admitted. “But we cannot allow ourselves to look beyond this week. We are going to give it everything, I can promise you that.”
Born Macclesfield; Feb 5, 1977 (age 47)Career highlightsMost successful Olympic sailor of all time (4 gold, 1 silver)America’s Cup winner as tactician on Oracle Team USA in 2013
Known forComing back from the brink to win his fourth Olympic gold in 2012 after accusing rivals Jonas-Hogh Christensen and Pieter-Jan Postma of ganging up on him. “They’ve made a big mistake,” Ainslie famously said. “They’ve made me angry and you don’t want to make me angry.”
BornSydney; June 28, 1979 (age 45)
Career highlightsYoungest helmsman in the America’s Cup in 2000, aged 20.Youngest winning helm and skipper on BMW Oracle Racing in 2010, aged 30 (since beaten by Peter Burling)Defended America’s Cup in San Francisco in 2013.
Known forPunchy personality whose aggressive tactics in Valencia in 2007, when he sailed with Luna Rossa for the first time, resulted in the nicknames ‘James Pitbull’ and ‘Jesse James Spithill’ by Italian fans and broadcasters.