Dalton wary as Spithill jumps ship to become Team New Zealand ally.
“The relationship between us and them won’t falter [if] he keeps his gob shut basically.
Grant Dalton has warned Jimmy Spithill to watch his words if he wants to maintain the strong relationship between Emirates Team New Zealand and Luna Rossa.
The former Oracle Team USA skipper, who has competed in the America’s Cup since 2000, was named as a new member of Luna Rossa yesterday.
Spithill was at the helm of Luna Rossa’s Louis Vuitton Cup loss to Team New Zealand in the 2007 America’s Cup, before he made the switch to join Oracle where he won the event in 2010 and 2013.
But Dalton said the fact one New Zealand’s of his greatest rivals — and nigglers — had joined Luna Rossa wouldn’t affect Team New Zealand’s relationship with the Italian syndicate, provided Spithill “kept his gob shut”. “The relationship between us and them won’t falter [if] he keeps his gob shut basically! But I think they will have that in control,” Dalton told Radio Sport.
“We have a really strong relationship with Luna Rossa and it goes back in history now, and particularly now with them as challenger of record for the next Cup, that relationship has only got stronger.” Grant Dalton, pictured, left.
Dalton and Spithill have been fierce rivals dating back to the 2013 America’s Cup in San Francisco when Oracle came from 8-1 down to win the final 9-8. The following year as TNZ struggling to get financial support and Dalton voiced his concerns at several of the protocols for the next event, Spithill said: “For nearly five years it's been the exact same thing over and over again, with Dalton continually talking down the America's Cup. So often, so aggressively, and apparently so successful that now they can't get the New Zealand people or sponsors to support them.”
When Dean Barker, sacked by TNZ after that 2013 disaster, joined Oracle’s training buddy Team Japan for the 2017 cup in Bermuda, Spithill posted a picture of himself and Barker to Instagram with the words: “Who would have thought...#mates #letsgetdalton”.
Despite Spithill’s grace in defeat after the Bermuda final, Dalton didn’t miss a chance to jab back.
Spithill told media after the loss: “It's no secret that Grant Dalton and I don't see eye-to-eye but what an effort to come back and get it done,” he said referring to TNZ’s rise from the ashes of their San Francisco loss.
Dalton replied: “Frankly I couldn't care less about Spithill to tell you the truth.”
And now, they have to work together.
America’s Cup-winning sailor Blair Tuke welcomed the news. “Kiwis love to hate him. It'll be good I think,” Tuke said. “He's been a big part of the America's Cup for a number of years now. Personality aside, he's a good sailor so that'll be good for that team and he'll take a lot to Luna Rossa.”
Following Spithill’s move, it seems unlikely Oracle will compete in the 2021 regatta, says yachting commentator Peter Lester “It really signals the end of Oracle for this next America’s Cup,” Lester said. “With Spithill walking and changing teams, I’d say that that’s the end of Oracle.”