Hangin’ with Jimmy & Shannon in the BVI
What do winning America’s Cup racers do for fun? Take a well-deserved vacation in the British Virgin Islands, including some recreational kiteboarding — with foils, of course — and competing in a stand-up paddleboard race.
The Soggy Dollar Bar on Jost van Dyke provided a festive finish line for the annual HIHO Painkiller Cup SUP race, with three-person relay teams paddling the 14-mile downwind course from Trellis Bay, Tortola. A new paddler subbed in every half hour. Shannon Falcone of Antigua, Paula Lenny of Hawaii and Aussie Jimmy Spithill, who now calls San Francisco home, were up against some pretty talented competition, as they were passed by a trio of Hawaiians, all 19 years old.
Noa Ginella from Oahu and Kody Kerbox from Maui are both on the professional standup paddleboard circuit. Their good friend Lori Park filled in the obligatory one-female minimum requirement for the HIHO Painkiller Cup. From the smiles all around at the finish line, no one seemed to mind who came in first or last, but getting to compete in this ideal setting was a blast to professionals, novices and all in between.
For more information on the Painkiller Cup visit: www.go-hiho.com
Last Thursday, Jimmy and Shannon were featured guests at the America’s Cup Gala at North Sound, Virgin Gorda’s Bitter End Yacht Club. Prior to hosting a question and answer session, they mingled with the crowd. This reporter asked Shannon how his training was going for the SUP race. He laughed and said, "We are starting our training program tomorrow!" The plan was to paddle from Richard Branson’s Necker Island to George Dog, a few miles away.
When the conversation turned to the course for Saturday’s Painkiller Cup, Shannon laughed and said he wasn’t quite sure where it went. Both he and Jimmy seemed extremely relaxed after spending a week cruising the BVI on —get this — a power cat! Shannon told me he and his buddies just wanted to have a laid-back vacation to coincide with the SUP race, which they clearly were not taking too seriously. Shannon said he is not at all good at SUPing although we suspect he was being modest.
Neither Shannon nor Jimmy could confirm specifics for AC 35, as a deal has yet to be worked out with the city of San Francisco. They admitted, however, that other venues were being considered.
During the Q & A, Jimmy mentioned that team backer Larry Ellison is determined to make the next Cup more affordable so more countries can participate. They patiently answered questions that they have undoubtedly been asked countless times before, while being insightful yet jovial. At one point Jimmy said practicing against the other Oracle Team USA boat was like "dancing with your sister — just not the same as racing against the competition."
There was no real scoop regarding the next AC, just a really good crowd who were clearly enamored with these sailing superstars who were obviously happy to be on a BVI vacation.