Toyota Dockside in Bermuda: Watching Spithill work the room

Jimmy Spithill (Oracle Team USA) - 35th America's Cup - Opening Media Conference, May 24, 2017 Copyright photo: Richard Gladwell / Sailworld / www.photosport.nz

Pre-race press conferences at the America's Cup have served up some gems in the past, so the question being posed before the latest edition was would Jimmy "The Pitbull" Spithill take a pop at "Pistol" Pete Burling?

The answer was a slightly disappointing no, not really.

Sure, Spithill as usual served it to the media, this his opening gambit: "First of all it's great to be back here. I've really missed you guys over this past couple of weeks as you can imagine. All those brilliant questions..."

But he immediately changed gear and spoke glowingly of the Kiwi challenge: "I'd like to congratulate Pete and Team New Zealand obviously getting through a really, really tough qualifying series.

"It's been tough sitting on the sidelines watching the racing. But man, I think it exceeded all of our expectations and I think we are going to see it go to another level - if that's possible."

Spithill reckoned it had been very much to the Challengers advantage to have such a highly competitive regatta while the Defender could only look on.

"You do what you can in training but as athletes there's nothing like real competition," said the 37 year old skipper.

Not that Oracle hadn't benefitted from monitoring the racing: "We put in a lot of work. We've been watching and learning from these guys as they've been out there. We've tried a lot of different stuff on the boat - techniques and sailing - so for us it's been a great period."

While Spithill danced around questions about Oracle's alleged second boat he was more forthcoming on the issue of support for Oracle Team USA and its primarily Australian crew. He reckons they have two countries pulling for them, the United States and Bermuda: "It's pretty obvious who Bermuda wants to win so home field advantage can really play a part."

For his part Burling played the staunch Kiwi card: "The fans back home are unbelievable. It just makes us proud to be New Zealanders and representing a country I've grown up in, and really love sailing in, and living in, with all it has to offer," said the 26 year old helmsman. "To be here racing for our country with them behind us just gives us the extra bit of motivation."

One point both helmsmen agreed on was that nobody at this stage can pick a winner. And that, of course, is the most compelling aspect of this 35th America's Cup. As ever, we won't know until we know.