Auckland (AFP)

Eight years after depriving New Zealanders of the America's Cup at the end of one of the most beautiful "remountadas" in history, the Australian Jimmy Spithill once again challenges his best enemies, this time at home and under. Italian flag.

With two America's Cup victories, Luna Rossa's co-helmsman is one of the few sailors in the world whose record rivals that of the Kiwis, who have become the absolute benchmarks in one of the most prestigious nautical events in existence.

So if there was one person that Team New Zealand did not want to meet on its waterway, it is the native of Sydney who has been attached to the sweet nickname of "Pitbull".

For the 41-year-old sailor, there is no doubt that on the blue waters of Auckland Bay on Wednesday, the New Zealanders will clearly be the favorites to win this event in the best of thirteen rounds.

But now, Spithill likes nothing more than to lie the predictions.

"We are the underdogs. But that's the beauty of the sport: the label of favorite is never a guarantee of victory," he said, with history as a witness.

San Francisco Bay Area, September 2013: At the helm of Oracle Team USA, Spithill has just accomplished the unthinkable.

As the America's America's Cup defender is down 8-1 by Team New Zealand, he makes a fantastic comeback to win 9-8 innings, and throws New Zealand into amazement.

- The one "who sank a Nation" -

"Shit," tweets John Key, then Prime Minister, even announcing that the humiliation could push New Zealand to downgrade its aid to Team New Zealand.

Spithill, on the other hand, had been the butt of jokes before when he had been overheard saying to his crew, "It's not over."

New Zealanders were so optimistic that the media had already taken out the calculators to imagine the financial fallout of organizing the next edition and in Auckland, the crowds were preparing the party.

For their detractors, the Kiwis entered the Pantheon of the greatest "losers" in history, and the media across the Tasman Sea did not hide their pleasure.

Jimmy Spithill - "the Australian who sank a nation" according to the Sydney Morning Herald - was voted "Sailor of the Year" by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF).

In a sport where victory sometimes comes down to pre-firing maneuvers, Spithill is known for his limitless aggression before the start.

Which earned him his nickname "pitbull".

We saw it in Auckland when Luna Rossa beat American Magic 4-0 in the Prada Cup semi-finals, then when the Italian challenge knocked out Ineos Team UK 7-1 in the final.

"We keep our feet on their throats," he told his crew during a round against the Americans.

With his two victories with Oracle in 2010 and 2013, Spithill commands total respect from Team New Zealand helmsman Peter Burling.

But the New Zealander does not feel impressed by the talented Australian.

"What matters is what you do on the water and how long it takes you to complete the course," observes the barely thirty-something.

He especially wants to remember that the last duel between the Kiwis and Spithill turned to the advantage of the former.

It was in Bermuda, during the America's Cup 2017.

He steered Team New Zealand and the "pit bull", at the helm of Oracle, had completely taken the water.

© 2021 AFP