ORACLE TEAM USA skipper Jimmy Spithill and crew today clinched the inaugural America’s Cup World Series Season Championship.

Racing at the sixth and concluding event of the 2011-12 season, ACWS – Newport, Spithill, John Kostecki, Dirk de Ridder, Joe Newton and Piet van Nieuwenhuijzen won the championship with the high score of 102 points.

“Our goal was to come here and take the first America’s Cup World Series, so obviously we’re very happy with that,” said Spithill, who turned 33 years old during the regatta. “I would like to congratulate our teammates on Boat 5 who did a fantastic job in the match racing.”

Spithill and crew placed second in the ACWS – Newport match racing and fleet racing championships, and won the speed trials.

The team’s second entry, led by four-time America’s Cup winner Russell Coutts, won the ACWS – Newport Match Racing Championship and finished second in today’s fleet race finale.

The America’s Cup World Series was created to allow teams to compete in the new style of America’s Cup racing in venues around the world in their fast, wingsail catamarans and courses within close proximity to shorelines to maximize spectator appeal.

The series began last August in Portugal and has included stops in the U.K., Italy and the U.S., thrilling more than 1 million spectators with competitive racing. A total of 130 races were run with only one day lost due a heavy seaway. This reliability of racing and the Emmy Award-winning on-screen graphics have transformed how sailing is broadcast.

Each event features a mixture of one-on-one match racing and fleet racing, where all crews take the start line together. Match racing is the staple discipline of the America’s Cup, and fleet racing has provided great thrills for the spectators.

“As sailors, we’re really tested by these boats,” said Spithill. “They’re awesome to race and the crowds really respond to them.”

2011-12 America’s Cup World Series Provisional Overall Standings
Team (Country) Match – Fleet — Total

1. ORACLE TEAM USA SPITHILL (USA) 47 – 55 — 102
2. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL) 41 – 52 — 93
3. Artemis Racing (SWE) 50 – 32 — 82
4. Energy Team (FRA) 38 – 36 — 74
5. ORACLE TEAM USA COUTTS (USA) 39 – 29 — 68
6. Team Korea (KOR) 33 – 33 — 66
7. Luna Rossa Piranha 26 – 26 — 52
8. Luna Rossa Swordfish 15 – 16 — 31

(After six of six scheduled events)

ACWS – Newport Fleet Racing Championship
Team (Country) R1-R2-R3-R4-R5 — Total Points

1. Luna Rossa Piranha (ITA) 3 (8) – 8 (3) – 5 (6) – 5 (6) – 1 (30) — 53
2. ORACLE TEAM USA SPITHILL (USA) 1 (10) – 1 (10) – 1 (10) – 3 (8) – 5 (10) — 48
3. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL) 6 (5) – 2 (9) – 3 (8) – 1 (10) – 6 (8) — 40
4. Team Korea (KOR) 8 (3) – 6 (5) – 2 (9) – 4 (7) – 4 (12) — 36
5. Luna Rossa Swordfish (ITA) 7 (4) – 5 (6) – 6 (5) – 6 (5) – 3 (15) — 35
6. ORACLE TEAM USA COUTTS (USA) 2 (9) – 7 (4) – DNF (0) – DNF (0) – 2 (20) — 33
7. Artemis Racing (SWE) 4 (7) – 3 (8) – 4 (7) – 7 (4) – 7 (6) — 32
8. Energy Team (FRA) 5 (6) – 4 (7) – 7 (4) – 2 (9) – 8 (4) — 30

Tags on NauticNews: AC World Series – ACWS – America’s Cup – AC45

Photo Credit: Guilain Grenier/ORACLE TEAM USA.

– PR –