A 60 year wait is up – the British boat INEOS Britannia beat the Italians in the Louis Vuitton Cup, winning a long dreamt of place in the America’s Cup Match.

I caught up with Ben Cornish – Grinder and pathway ‘rebel’, turned Cyclor – on the British team’s greatest achievement so far…

With all eyes turned to the final of the 37th America’s Cup, it would be foolish to overlook INEOS Britannia’s history making Louis Vuitton Cup win. However the final plays out – this great British achievement wont be forgotten…

Ben Cornish Exclusive

I caught up with British Cyclor Ben Cornish on the competition so far, and how the Challenger of Record Team have prepared for the final against the Emirates Team New Zealand.

How are you feeling? 

Yeah it’s definitely been exciting. The excitement lingered a little while, but it didn’t take long for the attention to be drawn into the job which is coming up… Obviously last week against Luna Rossa was really quite an evenly matched battle, so much of that came down to the pre-starts as everyone saw, but now it’s about understanding how the Kiwis go about that – that big two minutes before the race gets underway. So, we’re trying a few new things and making sure we’re sharp and ready to go up against anything. 

Right: Ben Cornish – INEOS Britannia Cyclor

Were there any teams who surprised you throughout the round-robins or any other part of the last couple months?

Yeah, I mean Luna Rossa, when we first turned up here in Barcelona, were such a strong team. It would have been fair to say 2 months ago that they were the team to beat, even including the Kiwis, and I think that gives even more value to what we managed to do last week. It’s not like we managed to beat a team in the challenger final who weren’t really regarded as being great, but I mean yeah, it was certainly an exceptional team, we just did a really good job of eeking out performance out of Britannia.

I think If you look at our timeline from the first racing when we went into the round-robins, we were struggling in quite a few areas, but we knew the boat was capable of so much more. That was I guess really credit to the guys analysing performance, and people doing the work behind the scenes which you don’t normally see – eeking out the technique… [its about asking] how do we go about finding the extra five or ten percent that was available at the time? Which ultimately we managed to find most of…

Are there any hard days that particularly jump out at you? 

It’s sort of all blurred into one if I’m honest, the days which were challenging were certainly the ones where you came in… I mean the majority of the days which we came in having shared a point each. Those were always the days where I think most of the team members thought maybe we could have done something to get the break and gone two up. I think once we started to draw that rhythm of each team sharing a point per race, it certainly felt at that point that whichever team would get the break point and do a double race win, the momentum really went in their direction… Which as it played out, it certainly did in our direction…

I guess it was really nice to be able to go out on the Friday, with that one point needed, and get it done in the manner that we did. We almost, almost, sailed a perfectly executed race, with maybe one or two wobbles but certainly not many. Having watched it back, it was a really good one. 

How important is your background in cycling as well? 

It’s important… I mean, basically when we were racing the Finns, the bike training was basically how we supplemented that fitness. So it came far more naturally for me than grinding with the arms, and I’m a lot happier to be honest doing that. But it sort of depends on the roles, how we’ve divided the roles on the boat, and we’re in quite a fortunate position where we’ve got people on board, who are fit and understand these boats and can sail, so we can offload some of the work from the after-guard.

We’ve also got guys on board who’ve virtually never sailed before, but have come from the highest level of rowing, and competed at the Olympics. They really are our powerhouses, they are incredible athletes. 

How does the Cyclor communication work?

There is a lot, we’ve got a couple of comms channels on board the boat, so we’ve constantly got the voice of the helms and the after-guard about, painting the picture – what we’re going to do, what’s coming next… Then within that we’ve got our own loop of the four Cyclors, and we talk, mainly sort of talking people through when to manage their effort and talking people up into harder pushes, or backing off. 

The more racing you do with three other guys on board the more dialled in you get, and actually unless something out of the ordinary happens, there’s not a huge amount you need to give much warning of. 

How will it be different racing the Kiwis Vs the Italians? 

Since we raced them last, there’s quite a bit unknown in relative performance, I think that’s fair to say. I think where we left of, having raced Luna Rossa, we’re in a really good place, with not only the boat’s performance, but with the technique from the guys on board. The focus for the next few days is really making sure that we’re in a position that, whatever the Kiwis through, we’ve got something to fight back with. That comes from a huge analysis team, again behind the scenes – we send people out to watch the Kiwi sailing pretty much every single day they’re out there. So, we’ve got a real good record of what they’ve been up to and what they’re capable of, so it’s just putting that into practice…

How much communication is there between the Women’s and Men’s British teams – Does any of the strategy and training happen together? 

Yeah it’s been great following that action, and I’ve been hooked on it when we’ve not been on the water, I’ve had it on the phone, on YouTube watching.

In terms of how we’ve collaborated, I mean when we first started in these AC40s, we had quite a lot of the Youth and Women’s teams down sailing with us quite actively, and it was a massive learning hurdle for those guys to come and get thrown straight in the deep end, getting involved with the racing here. I guess once we started to ramp up into the action of the big boat, that sort of got separated a bit. But, I guess the tie between the team – the youth and women’s team – there’s so much more available, not only just from techniques and from a performance point of view, but from the hardware and the maintaining of the boats – it’s been a really nice period to watch. 

How will you celebrate and unwind as a team? 

It’s really hard when you’re in the bubble of the moment to actually think that far in front in all honesty. But, we’re all eyes down on the task and we know that each given day we know that we need to go out and sail to our 100% to be able to take away the points which we need from the Kiwis. We know that we need 7 race wins to be able to get across the line, and there’s not really been a huge amount of thought beyond that point if I’m honest.

More on the America’s Cup

• Puig Women’s America’s Cup: All-Female Crews Take Centre Stage
• 37th America’s Cup: Key Info, Dates & How to Watch
• America’s Cup Boats: What it’s like helming an AC75

The post INEOS Britannia’s History Making Win: Ben Cornish Exclusive appeared first on Sailing Today.

Richard Mille partners with an all-female crew competing for the Jules Verne Trophy, setting out on a non-stop unassisted circumnavigation, and daring for a new women’s record…

Vendée Globe racer, transatlantic veteran, and world-renowned sailor Alexia Barrier is set to circumnavigate the globe with an all-female crew, with hopes to achieve a new women’s record. Sailing on a 32-metre maxi-trimaran, the international crew of ten skilled female sailors, under the name The Famous Project, is guided by the mantra “dare, dream, share” – it’s a mission focused on empowerment, and equipping women with the same resources as men in competitive sailing.

With 20 years of experience and over 200,000 nautical miles sailed, Alexia Barrier, and her crew on the Ultim Trimaran IDEC SPORT (the fastest maxi-trimaran), are also daring to beat the current world speed record. 

Richard Mille X The Famous Project

In their continued dedication to high-performance challenges in various sports (motorsports, endurance sports, tennis, golf), Richard Mille has partnered with The Famous Project. 

“Richard Mille is taking a new step in its extraordinary commitments to adventure, combining excellence, technology, and performance—the three cornerstones of our brand,” said Amanda Mille, Brand & Partnerships Director. “The Famous Project represents our dedication to women’s empowerment and a clear desire to push limits.”

Pushing boundaries for the last 20 years this collaboration reflects Richard Mille’s passion for speed and innovation, and it’s a project that will certainly make waves throughout the sailing community. 

The Famous Project Crew

To successfully circumnavigate the globe, and set new and hugely challenging records (Previous Jules Verne record – Francis Joyon in 2017 – 40 days, 23 hours, 30 minutes, 30 seconds), the crew must adapt to the Ultim trimaran, requiring an unlearning of previous sailing experiences.

Meet the crew:

• Alexia Barrier: Skipper – 18 Transatlantic races

• Dee Caffari: Co-skipper – record-breaking circumnavigating sailor 
• Helena Darvelid: Water speed records expert & 12 world records 
• Sara Hastreiter: Mountain adventurer & circumnavigating sailor
• Elodie Jane Mettraux: Top multihull specialist 
• Joan Mulloy: Specialist in solo offshore sailing
• Marie Riou: Volvo Ocean Race winner
• Marie Tabarly: Pen Duick VI skipper (Ocean Glove Race)

The race is set to begin in October 2025. 

Show Me More:

• The WORLDSTAR 2026 Race: Circumnavigate in your Own Boat
• Women Sailing Vendée Globe: Pip Hare Racing Around the World
• South Atlantic Cruising: Sailing Cape Town to Brazil

The post Richard Mille X The Famous Project: Women Breaking Records appeared first on Sailing Today.

As the 37th America’s Cup final begins, Kiwi Grant Dalton tells us he’s nervous to race INEOS Britannia…

But what does that mean? Can the Kiwis hold onto the cup, extending their reign to three AC cycles, or will the confident INEOS Britannia team finally bring it home?

Grant Dalton’s Nervousness 

At the Yanmar (Official AC Marine Sponsor) Press Conference in Barcelona last week, Grant Dalton, the America’s Cup CEO and manager for Emirates Team New Zealand, spoke about his somewhat surprising pre-match nerves…

‘In Jim Radcliffe and Ben Ainslie we have amazing people. If we, as Emirates Team New Zealand, had been able to pick our dream final, for lots of reasons, a year ago this would have been the dream final – I think as much as anything because of the relationship we have with that team, with every other team it isn’t friendly, but with this team it is. But also because of the history. I think about the All Blacks playing England, and that great rivalry really.’

‘There’s a sense that maybe Luna Rosa could have been a better story in that 500,000 Italians would have descended on Barcelona, but I think the historical story… is a better story. And you know, win or lose, with that team it will always be respect between the people in the team, so as I say, I am delighted that it’s INEOS.’

‘We’ve got a very light forecast, which is giving us a problem with the women’s America’s Cup as well. We don’t really know yet how they’ve improved in the light weather… the final of the Louis Vuitton was obviously in a lot of breeze, and they were quick.’

‘We’ve certainly improved massively, massively, since the round-robins. I think with team New Zealand with 2021, there was nobody within the team that was happy about the way that we sail.’

‘This is a totally different team. This is a way, way, way stronger sailing team in terms of it’s focus, it’s drilling, it’s planing, and I hope, it’s execution. So INEOS has certainly got a formidable Team New Zealand… It’s a completely different team this time.’

‘So all in all I think we’re in for a great match-up. I’m nervous. I’m just that sort of person, I’m hugely nervous, I don’t speak during the races, particularly in that two minutes and that last 30 seconds into the start.’

Dalton ended saying:

‘Well, you’re not nervous… but I am.’

The British Camp: Calm, Confidence, Conviction?

While being shown round the INEOS Base by Britannia Cyclors Matt Gotrel and Neil Hunter, I didn’t hear any mention of nerves… quite the opposite. As these two America’s Cup athletes took the time to discuss their training routines, while giving a small group of us a behind the scenes tour, there was a calm and quiet confidence about the challenger of record’s camp. 

Watching the final checks being made to the INEOS AC75, before the last practice dock out, I asked Matt Gotrel (Olympic rowing gold medalist, British SailGP Grinder, and two time INEOS Grinder turned Cyclor) about the atmosphere in the team, and how they were feeling the day before taking on the Kiwis…

Winning the Louis Vuitton cup wasn’t a surprise, he told me, in fact they knew they had a high ceiling and a boat full of potential. Looking down the barrel of the 37th America’s Cup final, with the weight of the cup’s history behind them, he explained, with conviction, they know what their British AC75 can achieve.

Who Will Win America’s Cup?

There’s certainly a mixture of emotions in Barcelona as the final racing commences… Will Emirates Team New Zealand continue their reign? Or are we to believe Grant Dalton’s nervousness, and take on Matt Gotrel and the INEOS team’s confidence…

So who will win America’s Cup? Stay tuned.

Follow the Racing Live: Watch Online for Free

Watch the America’s Cup for Free online.

More on the AC

• 37th America’s Cup: Key Info, Dates & How to Watch
• INEOS Britannia Win: Ben Ainslie’s Team in Louis Vuitton Cup Final
• America’s Cup Boats: What it’s like helming an AC75

The post Kiwis Nervous to Race Brits: Who Will Win America’s Cup? appeared first on Sailing Today.

The INEOS America’s Cup team has built on it’s relationship with Mercedes Formula 1 engineers to develop it’s Britannia AC75. Andre Cotton reports…

The America’s Cup yacht race has long been associated with advanced technology. For the 2021 edition in New Zealand, Britain’s INEOS crew joined forces with the Mercedes Formula 1 team of engineers to help in its quest to win the coveted title.

The relationship was developed late in the competition, when the team was struggling to achieve the desired results. That meant the engineers had only limited time to step in, but the outcome was undeniable. The team recovered form and, although it didn’t win the competition, it certainly felt the benefit of the relationship.

That, then, was the cue to continue into the 2024 edition together. Starting earlier this time, and more carefully allocating resources from the beginning, the development path of the team, the boat and the project was extreme.

The design team of the 2024 boat moved close to the Brackley F1 headquarters, to an airfield with a hanger large enough to house the build of the vessel. That allowed the Britannia yacht designers to integrate fully with the Formula 1 designers and engineers, making full use of the latter’s available facilities. 

Test Boat

One of the decisions taken early, and as a result of this move, was to build a test boat, rather than adapt the previous competition boat, or work on an existing AC40 yacht (a smaller version of the AC75 that would be used in competition).

Using the Formula 1 team’s expertise in producing prototypes to a tight schedule, and now to a cost cap, played a key part in making that decision.

‘The famous saying in sport is that you can be over budget, or behind on your timeline; hitting both is pretty hard,’ says Sir Ben Ainslie, the skipper of the crew, team principal and CEO of the INEOS Britannia America’s Cup project. ‘In sport, you have to make the timeline, because they are not going to postpone the start of the race for us.

‘We had a big decision to make early on I the campaign, whether or not to build our own test boat. We could have had the same as the other teams, which is one design [the AC 40] and bolt on your open foils and control systems. That’s a much easier way of doing it.

‘However, we made the decision that we wanted to design and build our own test boat, given the partnership with Mercedes, because a lot of the designers there had never done that. It was well worth the process to go through because it highlighted a number of areas we needed to improve on for the eventual race boat.’

The test boat turned out to be more important than first realised. By the team’s own admission there was a lot of over engineering in it, so the second version, that which competed in the 2024 competition, was revised and much more effective. 

‘Last time around [in the 36^th edition of the Cup], we were supporting certain specific things, whether it was along the areas of controls, some specific engineering design and testing and some other software-related tools,’ says Geoff Willis, former Chief Technical Officer in Formula 1 who now holds the same position on the America’s Cup team. ‘This time, it’s been very much integrated.’

Skill Alignment

Many of the Formula 1 engineers that helped with the design and build of the INEOS Britannia AC75 have now returned to their regular jobs on the grand prix team. Before they did, though, they worked on all parts of the boat, alongside the experienced yachting design team, assisting in CFD, cell design simulation, software, materials, composite design and powertrain.

‘Clearly, there are experiences and skill sets that are different between the two groups, but I think it’s worth rewinding a little bit and re, emphasising just how impressively overlapped the F1 world and the yacht world is,’ says Willis. ‘Consider that we’ve got carbon fibre composite structures, mechanical systems, transmission systems and hydraulic systems, with electro hydraulic- control pumps. We also have lots of aerodynamics and hydrodynamics; let’s just call it fluid dynamics. It’s pretty much the same. 

‘Mathematically, there’s a couple of features that would be new to the F1 world, specifically hydrofoils with cavitation and ventilation. But for all the fluid analysis, all the aerodynamicists in the F1 world would have been well aware of that in their background, training and experience. So, you’ve got all these areas of technical expertise, which are amazingly well aligned.’

Grand Prix / America’s Cup: Cultural Differences

Grand Prix teams generally have a stable core that develop cars together and compete multiple times per year. To do this, they have teams of designers and engineers in the team HQ, but in the America’s Cup there is a small group that generally compete every couple of years, in regattas building up to the main competition, and then the competition itself. 

‘A difference in culture is that the Formula One teams, for the main part, have had lots of continuity and stability,’ confirms Willis. ‘Decades of it, and this has allowed the teams to build up an enormous base of team-centered IP capability and technology. People do move between teams, but the team doesn’t lose the stability.

‘With the possible exception of team New Zealand, [the America’s Cup teams] are much more episodic. Come together, work together, work out how to do it. And then a certain amount of that is dissolved at the end of the Cup cycle. Then the next one moves on.’

Using the stable core, the INEOS Britannia team started work early on the 2024 contender. The rules allow for one test boat to be built, and one competition vessel to be built, and that’s the route they chose to take.

‘The protocol allowed us to build three foils with the wings and flaps, with fundamentally the same design,’ says Willis. ‘You can have evolutions of them, but you can’t have completely different concepts of 80 per cent of your foils. The 80 per cent of the foil that goes on the boat must be from common stock, what’s called the immutable part. That put us in the situation of asking what are we going to do with the time we’ve got until we have to commit to design before manufacturer until we go testing on the water?

Maximising Opportunity

‘There’s clearly a lot of opportunity, so we wanted to make sure we best used that. We could either sail the old yacht, or there was the proposal for the AC 40s – this small class of single design foiling yacht, built by Team New Zealand – or build a test yacht ourselves. Given some of the uncertainties at the time about when the AC 40s would become available, and not knowing what sort of opportunity we’d have to experiment with them, we decided the best thing to do was to build a test platform, and use the knowledge we already had about the previous race boat.

‘As it turned out, it also proved to be a very useful tool for testing the whole team as an organisation.

It wasn’t all plain sailing though.

‘We got a number of things wrong with it. We were also late with it, and it was over complex. By the time we got some of the test systems in place on the boat, we pretty much already knew the direction we wanted to go, so it became sort of more confirmatory rather than exploratory. 

‘I don’t think any of that made it any less useful though. To be able to say, 14 months out [from the competition], in early April, we were going to put the boat in the water and go sailing in a sensible way. We achieved that, and I don’t think we would have been able to deliver on time, and with the level of reliability, had we not done the test boat in all its detail. We learned a lot as an organisation from a technical point of view, and exercised a lot of the test rigs that we built using the F1 culture.’

Stress Testing the Boat

America’s Cup rules do not allow boats to be tested in a wind tunnel, water tunnel or turning tank, so aerodynamic tests can only be carried out in open spaces. However, for such things as foil arm control, loading rigs, actuators and other mechanical parts, there is no such limitation. This testing was done at the base on the Western airfield, where the boat was put together. It was even stress tested there, turning the hull upside down and applying weight. Failures here are less stressful than on the water for the design engineers.

‘We took the approach where nothing goes on a car unless it’s been tested first,’ says Willis. Having built the two boats, the team developed its crew of data engineers to quickly and accurately analyse the huge amount of data coming from the competition boat. According to Ainslie, much of the development work is done between the start of the America’s Cup – this year in Barcelona in August – and the main competition at the end of October. 

With more than 700 sensors on the competition vessel and 30,000 data channels, there’s a huge amount of data coming from the boat that needs to be curated into information that can be analysed and used properly. 

Typically a Formula 1 car produces gigabytes of data per run, all of which needs to be downloaded, transmitted back to base and plugged into a simulator, so the testing can continue in a controlled environment. It’s a similar story in America’s Cup competition.

Support Act

‘We have what we call our Sailing Support Room, or SSR, similar to Formula 1,’ says Ainslie. ‘We have an SSR both at the base here in Barcelona and back in Brackley. The data that comes off the boat goes straight to Barcelona and Brackley and the analysis work starts immediately in terms of what are we seeing? If we are not hitting our numbers, why not? Then what can we do? It can be anything from straightline performance to the manoeuvres, so that’s incredibly useful in terms of our rate of learning and development. 

‘It’s not totally new. We had something similar in 2017 in Bermuda when we had a data stream back to our base, which was then in Portsmouth, but it was not on the same scale, or at the same level of resource we currently have at Mercedes.’

The Formula 1 cost cap regulation means a number of engineers and team members have to be found other programmes. These could be other racing series, such as the Le Mans Hypercars, or, in this case, working on yachting.

From an F1 engineer’s point of view, there are several attractive traits of America’s Cup competition, including more freedom to design, a different set of parameters that the boat faces, as well as interpreting data. Let’s not forget that, like F1, these are incredibly competitive teams, for whom winning is the only goal.

Mercedes X INEOS: Resource Management

One of the key challenges, then, is effectively managing the engineers in an unfamiliar environment. That’s one of the crossovers from racing to yachting that the Formula 1 team can help with. A Grand Prix team of the 1990s comprised tens of people, but today that number can be north of 1000. Scaling up is one thing, but to do it efficiently is another matter entirely. Although the America’s Cup team is split roughly evenly between the yachting engineers and the grand prix team, integrating the increased manpower into an effective team was one of the hurdles to overcome.

‘We certainly wouldn’t do anything within the Cup programme that was materially beneficial to a Formula One design, but it does two things,’ outlines Willis. ‘It allows you to take your Formula One designers out, give them a new challenge, and it’s quite a mentally refreshing challenge. People have to think through a different set of regulations, and that stimulates the how can I get around these rules? How can I explore these ones? It opens up new engineering problems, allows you to explore ways of dealing with them, maybe ways that you might not have thought of in a different environment, which might lead to a sort of reset on how you tackle problems in general. 

‘I think we found all of the people that worked. I wouldn’t say 100% of them, but the vast majority, and probably 90 plus percent have found it very positive. It’s also a way of retaining really good skill when we’re down to this cost cap, sort of micromanagement of the number of people we’ve been able to use, and to get them off the F1 books for a while.

‘We’ve been able to flood the Cup programme with F1 people when we don’t necessarily need them in F1, but desperately need them in the Cup, though not for the whole three years. So there’s been a lot of use there, and that’s clearly beneficial to the cost cap side.’

Platform Stability

One of the big challenges the engineers face is accepting the difference between a grand prix car that operates on a relatively stable platform, and a boat that does not. Sometimes the seas can be choppy due to wind, other times flat and calm, and each condition, each wind or wave profile, requires a different mechanical set up to remain competitive. 

‘They’re very difficult to sail,’ says Willis. ‘We’ve got an extremely noisy environment in which we’re doing measurements. So, unlike lap times, where although you see variability due to track conditions, you can pretty much say, if I put this front wing assembly on it’s predictably going to be a second a lap quicker, we just can’t pick up the relative numbers like that at all on the sea. There’s variability in current, waves, wind, which makes those sort of A-B-A back to back tests extremely difficult. 

‘The combination of that, and the fact they’re difficult [to sail], you need to build up a lot of statistical basis for your pulling these relatively weak signals of performance improvement. What we’ve seen is an underlying performance improvement, right from day one, when the boat has been on the water. More recently, that curve has taken quite a strong uptick.

‘I think what you do is explore lots of parts, of the sort of operational performance space, and then you begin to learn where the gains are. You go through that routine of understanding, exploring, updating your models, updating the quality of the hardware, because you find where you’ve got problems, and you fix that. There is clearly a positive feedback mechanism, both in absolute objective performance, but also your ability to extract that performance.’

Secret to Success 

‘You feel you’re not making huge amount of progress,’ Willis continues, ‘but then it starts gathering pace. I’m imagining everybody will be making huge gains [in the run up to the final competition]. So, the same as in F1, the secret to success here is to ensure your development slope is greater than your competitors, because if it is, you’ll get there.’

This attention to detail is one area Ainslie believes has been a big improvement compared to previous campaigns.

‘It’s a lot harder with an America’s Cup boat [than an F1 car] because it’s much bigger,’ says the four-time Olympic champion. ‘The rules are effectively more open than they are in Formula 1 so you can’t control it in the same way, but we have tried to do that and, in a lot of cases, it’s really paid dividends for us. In other areas, though, there’s a danger that it just complicates the whole thing, and we can’t be doing that.

‘The attention to detail, particularly in areas like fluid dynamics, are something we haven’t been able to match in America’s Cup to date, so that has been hugely instrumental.’

Having spent time in the development phase of the boat this year, the team is already working towards the next competition, possibly in Italy in 2027. The teamWherever it is held, the eam has already learned so much in this project that it is confident it can take even bigger strides in the future. Whether that will be enough to win the next title remains to be seen as others, including Red Bull, are also busy integrating their F1 teams into this extraordinary engineering challenge.

America’s Cup – the challenge

Two preliminary regattas were staged in 2023, using the single make AC40 design. A third regatta was then held in Barcelona, the first time the teams rolled out their AC75 monohull boats, designed specifically for the America’s Cup competition. 

Teams compete for the right to take on the defending champion team from New Zealand. There are two round robin competitions, after which the four semi-finalists qualify. The winning boat of the round robin has the opportunity to select its opponent to race, and then at the conclusion of the two semi-finals, the two challengers meet in the final for the Louis Vuitton Cup. The holder of that trophy then earns the right to challenge the champion team.

INEOS Britannia’s AC75

First introduced in 2018, the purpose-built, 75ft, monohull boats are capable of reaching incredible speeds on the water. The hull is constructed of carbon composite material to save weight, while at the same time retaining the strength needed to deal with the impacts experienced with water.

The foils for the 2024 edition were made later to promote quicker lift and faster flight. Weight has been reduced, partly by hardware advances in electronics, hydraulics and software systems, but also by reducing the crew number from 11 to eight.

Some of the boat is spec, including the mast, rigging, foil cant arms and cant hydraulics, but much of the rest of the boat, including the control systems for these cant arms, as well as the design of their trailing edge, is free.

The yacht measures 20.7m in length and weighs 6.5t. Its mast is 26.5m high and top speed is in excess of 50kn. 

Toto’s Legs

One of the big changes to the competition this year is that all the boats are using ‘cyclors’ to generate the energy needed to run the hydraulic power for the control systems for the sails. Cyclors are nothing new to the America’s Cup – they replaced the old generators that were powered by arms, before teams realised legs could produce more power.

The target for today’s boats is to generate 500kW of power in 20 minutes via the cyclors.

When the INEOS Britannia team took Toto Wolff and George Russell out on the boat (Lewis Hamilton skipped the water bit of the tour), they found Toto could generate an impressive amount of power on the bike. Not enough that they would consider him in competition but still notable!

More on the America’s Cup

• Puig Women’s America’s Cup: All-Female Crews Take Centre Stage
• 37th America’s Cup: Key Info, Dates & How to Watch
• America’s Cup Boats: What it’s like helming an AC75
• INEOS Britannia Team Profile: Royal Yacht Squadron
• INEOS Britannia Win: Ben Ainslie’s Team in Louis Vuitton Cup Final

The post INEOS Britannia & Mercedes F1 Partnership: British Tech Transfer appeared first on Sailing Today.

Pip Hare, the 8th woman in the world to complete the Vendée Globe, is all set for this year’s elite race, and she’s excited to show us what she can do. Milly Karsten catches up with Pip for a chat…

Out of the 40 skippers in this year’s Vendée Globe race, only 6 women are taking part, and we’re delighted to say, on the back of her sponsorship difficulties, the British sailor Pip Hare is one of them. This single-handed, non-stop, elite sailing marathon, raced in IMOCAs, sets off in November 2024, and Pip’s excited to show us what she can do…

Pip Hare’s Vendée Globe…

Tell me about your team and it’s development

So the big change really between 2020 and 2024 is the team. I very much went into 2020 as a one woman band supported by friends and volunteers, and then you know we got Medallia as the title sponsor in June 2020, and then I was able to kind of bring a team onboard. But it was less my team and more kind of, you know, a load of experienced people who could do the work that we needed. And so this cycle, part of what I wanted to do was build a team, so there’s been three areas of development. One is me as a sailor, the other one is the boat, and the third one is the team, and we are a core team of 7 full time, but we can expand up to kind of 10-12. In IMOCA terms that’s a small team still, but we’re really kind of punching above our weight I think, and we’ve kind of established ourselves now as one of the IMOCA teams…

In truth we absolutely are stretched to the limit and it’s hard, everyone works very hard, but we’ve also been really super critical about what we do and how we do it. We’ve had to make compromises and decisions, and streamline things, but you know one of the things that we do do, is if we do need a particular expertise, then we bring in a subcontractor… we do all the legwork… but it does mean we know our boat inside out, we know our campaign inside out, we know our business inside out, and I think there’s a massive strength in that. 

How were the sponsorship issues? How did it affect preparations? 

Yeah, it was a pretty low period at the beginning of this year, I think it was probably our lowest period as a team in the whole race, because you know we had planned and set out what we were going to do, we had made these big investments and changes in the boat, and to have the financial rug pulled out from underneath you is really difficult. There is a path where you just say, “oh well it’s happened we just have to stop moving forwards”… but that’s just such a disappointment, not just for us as a team – not being able to use our potential – but also for everybody else who was invested… not being able to finish that off. So, you know, we struggled, it was a lot of pressure on a lot of people, and it’s hard to stay positive when it’s like that, but ultimately I’ve always believed in what we have to offer, I’ve always believed in our potential on many levels, not just from a sporting perspective, but also in terms of what we can deliver to sponsors… We just kept trying, and kept trying, and kept trying, and that’s where this is this genuine synergy between how you run the business and sailing in itself, because if in the middle of the southern ocean you get knocked over, you must get up and you must carry on, and actually from a business perspective that’s what we had to do. We’re still not quite there, we’ve still got a tiny bit more funding to pull in, but we have turned it around so radically in the last 6 months, it’s pretty cool. 

Compared to your first race, is this a very different feeling? Is it different worries, or the same excitement? 

On the one hand I think I know what to expect, on the other hand I don’t know what to expect, because it’s never going to be the same. It’s totally different, there’s 40 boats in it, I’m in a high performance boat, the competition now is at the highest level it’s ever been, and I think there is more pressure on me. You know, in the last race I was a complete unknown, I had nothing to prove to anyone other than myself. In this race the expectations are higher and I’m super worried about encountering a problem I can’t fix, and not being able to finish the race. The odds are against me from that perspective. We’ve done as much as we possibly can, the boat is strong, you know, we’ve built resilience in, we’ve really worked hard, but I don’t know if I’m going to dis-mast or hit something, or… I know my tack line will chafe, and I have three new tacklines and a spare tack position (…) but the really big things, you just have to accept that, and know that it’s part of the race. If it happens I’ll have to deal with it at the time, so there is still that nervousness about it, and the feeling that I could have or should have done more… I don’t feel like I know what I’m doing and that this is going to be fine. I know what I don’t know. 

Women in Sailing: Pip Hare

How does it feel being a female hero?

I guess the first thing is, I don’t think I am… you know I am so normal. I started off as a sailing instructor, for years as a sailing instructor, I have done all of the jobs that all of the regular sailors do… I wasn’t on some performance pathway from the beginning, I wasn’t scouted. I had to make all of this happen for myself, and if I hadn’t made it happen for myself, I never, ever, ever would have been here. So in that respect I am normal, I am really normal. Nobody spotted me and went, “you’re amazing”.

 I guess from my point of view I want everyone, not just women – everyone, to understand that it’s only a tiny amount of people who get given opportunities, the rest of us, we know what we’ve got inside, we know how we can and can’t perform, we know how we want to do and sometimes we have to back ourselves. Something like the Vendée – there are 6 women in the Vendée this time – there are three women capable of top 10 finishes in this Vendée and I just think… I don’t feel like I need to be out there saying “I’m a woman, I’m a woman”, I just need to be out there sailing and show you what I can do. 

There’s 3 of us who are competing on equal terms, and we are absolutely willing to be judged on our merits, I think that kind of says it all. That is the subliminal message – give enough people a chance and they will show you what they can do, but also if i’m not good enough then fine I’m not good enough, but give me the chance to show you. 

Do you feel like it’s been difficult in this male-dominated sport? 

Yeah, it has been hard and it was harder… you know I started my career in 1992, you know it was a lot hard then, and I feel like now I’ve got my team… that’s why I am where I am now, because I’ve got my team, but let’s not be under any illusion, I wouldn’t be skippering anyone else’s IMOCA team right now. 

Now I am here I have the wonderful privilege of being judged on my merit, and I know that the other sailors that I race against just look at me and see a sailor, and that’s all I ever wanted. You know things are getting better now, but one thing we do need to remember is when you get up to these kinds of levels, experience matters… experience still matters, and there is a pathway that needs to be followed to gain that experience. 

The Challenges Ahead…

What are you most looking forward to… aside from finishing, what is the moment you are dreaming of, where you can take a breath?

Well it’s always after the start, and I probably don’t settle in until 24 hours or 48 hours after the start. For me, the further I go the longer my stride effectively. I love the length of the race, I love the endless opportunities to come back, to push hard, to put another target on somebody’s back. I love the problem solving. In the moment it is just like “ah, will this ever stop”, or “how am I going to get out of this”, or “this is utterly terrifying”… but i love the problem solving and the fact that I have to be the one to do it. I got off the boat saying that was the best experience of my life. Do I want to do it again? Hell yes. 

It’s dangerous though, because there is a tiny tiny part of me that says, what if I don’t enjoy it as much? And that’s why I’m super aware that this is going to be a totally different race, I cannot have any expectations of how this is going to feel, I just need to go into it with, almost like, the same willingness to learn from the experience as I did last time I think. 

Obviously it’s a hugely physical race, and difficult in lots of different ways, but mentally, is that another barrier you feel like you have to face? 

Yeah, I think probably the mental side of things is ultimately somewhere I have been really comfortable, and that’s because of my route through the sport, because I had to make my own way, from my first race which was the OSTAR in 2009, I’ve always been low budget, I’ve always been struggling, and so I’ve never had the luxury of SATCOMS. The first solo transatlantic I did I didn’t even have an EPIRB on board… let alone a SAT phone. I never had the opportunity to speak to anyone, and so, over the years I have learnt to manage myself, and manage my emotional and mental welfare, and resilience. And so, when shit does hit the fan, the first thing I want to do is not to ring someone, just get straight on and do it. Actually I’m super happy… I love not talking to people! 

What is your snack of choice to take? In a low moment… What do you need to take with you?

So, I really have to be careful about how I use these, they turbo me because I don’t drink caffeine (coffee) while I’m sailing… chocolate coated coffee beans…. The problem is I have eaten 6 in one go and then I couldn’t sleep for 24 hours! 

The Boat: Medallia

• Boat: IMOCA 60
• Foiling : Yes
• Length: 18.28m (60ft)
• Draught: 4.50m (15ft)
• Mast height: 29m (nearly 100ft)
• Sail area: 600m2 (6,500 ft2)
• Design: Verdier/VPLP
• Launch Date: 2015

Pip Hare’s New Book

Alongside following Pip’s progress in the race I’ll be reading her new book – In My Element: Life lessons from the world’s toughest solo ocean race – which she tells me is, “It’s all about the mental tools and techniques that I used during the last Vendée, so it’s kind of as a companion to this one. It’s for anyone who’s watching this one and wondering how the hell she does it… “

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The post Women Sailing Vendée Globe: Pip Hare Racing Around the World appeared first on Sailing Today.

With two new marinas on Lefkas alone, and several developments planned for the surrounding islands, Tom Fletcher looks at the future of the ever-popular cruising area…

As the Ionian goes from strength to strength as a cruising area, it is only natural that it must change with the times. Many long-term visitors and residents wish that it would stay the same as it was when they first came and retain its off the beaten track charms. However, the volume of tourism and yachts are increasing, and the region must adapt to continue to offer an attractive cruising area.

New developments and new marinas should go ahead. They will irrevocably change the areas they are situated in, but they will also help conserve nearby locations by accommodating a huge volume of boats in a well-designed modern way. They will take some of the load off the smaller harbours and bays. One marina will have a large catchment, leaving the rest of the area to a more natural future.

That does not have to mean losing the spirit of the past Ionian though. The charm of quiet fishing harbours and quiet anchorages ought to be protected. But the increasing volume of tourism is a hard problem to solve and is being played out in numerous locations across the world. The only responsible thing to do is to embrace progress and to try to guide it in a positive, sensitive direction. It is pointless to hide one’s head in the past and hope that change will pass us by.

The major concern is the environment. Whilst we all like to believe that sailing is an ecologically friendly activity, this is not always the case. The sheer volume of boats has a marked effect on our surroundings, and on wildlife. Ecological damage to the area from the constant use of anchors, holding tanks emptying black water into the sea due to a lack of pump out stations, pollution from engines and from service industries… the list goes on.

Responsible sailors and charter companies, like Sail Ionian, now rely heavily on solar power, reducing the use of generators. Electric outboards are also a major step forward. We try to improve every year, organising beach clean-ups, providing eco-friendly detergents on board the yachts and pushing new developments in green technology. We have been trying for years to find a cost-effective filtration system for the yachts’ water tanks to reduce the purchase of bottled water!

For the local municipalities, providing new facilities is a key contribution to improve standards. Marinas with modern facilities have a raft of benefits to the environment and to the local population. Collection points for waste oils, proper sewage disposal and adherence to many EU standards benefit residents as well as visiting sailors. To maintain that these developments are not wanted and will destroy the charm of the area is churlish and short-sighted.

As visitors to the Ionian, we must understand that this region, and Greece as a whole, is only just coming out of a major recession. The priority must be on a sustainable, profitable future for the region. Developers need to be held to account in this respect. Infrastructure must be invested in by the government, so that the islands can cope with the volume of visitors they receive.

Recently completed projects on Lefkada include the marina in Vassiliki and a new yacht harbour in Nydri. Unfortunately, neither is operational yet due to legal paperwork – a constant plague in Greece. The 100-berth marina in Vassiliki, which includes a substantial breakwater and new ferry quay has been held up by legal wranglings for 2 or 3 years now. When it finally opens, it will provide a much-needed facility convenient for Lefkada, northern Kefalonia, and Ithaca. The impact on the town will be beneficial, with new business and employment to support the boats and business the ferry brings. 

Nydri’s smaller 70-berth harbour should also start operating soon and will hopefully open the town to sailors. Previously the main town quay has always been taken over by large day-trip boats, leaving little space for visiting yachts. It was also badly exposed to swell and winds from the east which the new breakwater will provide shelter from. 

The mainland has its share of planned developments too, with a 400-berth marina planned for the area just to the north of the existing harbour in Palairos. There is also a large luxury hotel planned close by, near the beach of Varko. How many of these planned developments will come to fruition remains to be seen, as funding and legislation can be unpredictable.

Grand plans in Mediterranean: New Ionian marinas

One of the most contentious of the proposed developments is in Vliho Bay, Sail Ionian’s home. For many years now, a large marina has been slated for the south end of the bay. Recently, progress seems to have been made, with visits by various ministers and the publication of a 500+ page report and various architect’s drawings. The study goes into considerable detail about the environmental impact on the local area.

This marina is planned to accommodate over 800 berths, making it far bigger than Lefkas’ marina, and has a budget of €47 million! Local opinion is divided, and it is a subject sparking lively debate. The plan includes substantial redevelopment of the sea front in the village of Vliho, and dredging of the south of the bay. It is probably the most ambitious project in the Ionian and will make a huge change to the local area – if it actually goes ahead.

The mayor of Lefkada, Thannasis Kavadas, was quoted as saying “The Marina in Vliho, which with a capacity of 848 berths will be the 3^rd largest marina in the country, in addition to the development it will bring to the wider area, is part of the great goal we have set to turn Lefkada into a leading destination and maritime centre tourism in the Ionian. We continue, on the path of major investments, for the progress and well-being of our country and its people, with truth and work for Lefkada”.

Administration buildings and a 12-meter-high control tower are planned for the Vliho seafront, a new fishing harbour, and the south of the bay will be home to a hotel, swimming pool, and villa-style residences, as well as various support services and a boat yard.

Whilst this brave vision is an example of what the future could hold for Lefkada, it would be nice to see some more effort made to retain the character of the bay, with its history of fishing and shipbuilding. The striking modern architecture certainly does not blend into the current character of Vliho. Though it will at least replace the dilapidated hulks and sunken wrecks that persist in the corners and seem to be immovable to the municipality, despite the bay’s protected status!

Ionian marinas: Controversial development

Probably the most controversial development though, is planned for Atherinou Bay on Meganisi. The local municipality have been pushing since 2015 for a 90-berth marina in the bay, which many regard as one of the most beautiful anchorages on the island. As you can imagine, it is hotly debated with passions running high for many long-term visitors and residents. Three floating pontoons are planned to project out into the bay, with a length of 60 – 75m, anchored to a 200m floating walkway along the shore, and associated service buildings.

The Mayor of Meganisi, Pavlos Daglas, said: “A project that will spectacularly upgrade both the region and Meganisi as a whole, while it will be a driver of development as it will upgrade the tourism product of our island, it will create prospects and incentives for new investments in our place and, by extension, new jobs.”

The artist’s impressions show a sleek modern design, with low-lying buildings designed to blend into the bay’s natural landscape. 

Atherinou has always been a busy bay, with a beach bar, taverna, shop and quayside. In my opinion, a well-designed small marina would be an advantage to the area and stop the repeated environmental damage that occurs every day from countless anchors. The marina facilities will further help to protect the environment and the neighbouring bays of Kapeli, Abeliekie and Elia will greatly benefit too.

To safeguard the future of the Ionian for everyone progress must be made. Developments like these must be allowed to go ahead. But they must be held to high standards, with the vision being one of protecting the region, not of profit. The area cannot continue with the anticipated volume of boats and prosper without changing.

Facilities are as crucial to the future of yachting as the green technological development of the boats themselves. A vision for a future of electric propulsion, green energy, 100% waste recycling, and a policy of ‘leave no trace’ must be the aim, and new marinas are essential for that ambition.

Tom Fletcher is a hugely experience skipper and instructor at Sail Ionian. For more information, visit the Sail Ionian Website.

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The post Changes to Sailing the Med: How Ionian Marinas are Developing appeared first on Sailing Today.

There is a certain kind of sailor that I am always in awe of: the single-handers, Jess Lloyd-Mostyn tells us…

From the storybook-like tales of Joshua Slocum, the steadfast determination of Robin Knox-Johnston and the romantic adventuring of Bernard Moitessier to the gutsy female role models of Ellen MacArthur, Laura Dekker and Jeanne Socrates, the people who choose to sail solo are a constant source of inspiration for me. 

Those are the big-name heroes of sailing, known worldwide for their bravery, capability and strength. They are an entirely different world and another league from what I and my family are doing. But, closer to home, there are many single-handers who go out cruising like us. Not racers trying to win prizes or glory. Just ordinary folks with an unshakable curiosity about the world and a desire to go and explore it on their own terms.

In Tonga we met a pair of brothers from the United States, each with his own boat. Both had wanted to sail the world, neither wanted to answer to another voice as captain. They would sail along similar routes, at more or less the same time, sometimes making vague plans to reunite and at other times intentionally branching off in opposite directions. They had a lovely form of camaraderie; each appreciating and understanding the various challenges that the other must have faced and we listened to the two of them swapping stories for hours.

We met Charlie in the Komodo islands. He was from Australia and had little money but used it on the best boat he could. He had gradually and steadily made his way up the coral coast, into the Louisiades of Papua New Guinea, and island-hopped westwards through Indonesia. He hadn’t come from a sailing background but was taking things slowly, learning what he could, minimising his risk by taking a gentle approach to his voyages.

Tony befriended us in Malaysia. He traded his tips on Thai island anchorages for a cruising guide to the South China Sea. He was from a military background and had set his boat up extremely thoughtfully and deliberately so that it handled perfectly with a lone crew. Like us, many single handers grow to love their windvane setups as they can be depended on much like an extra pair of hands. They can be the key to a more enjoyable solo cruise, more periods of rest and a steady course held while you work on deck.

And, whilst these sailors were approaching their time at sea with a ‘give-it-a-go’ attitude, eager to meet new opportunities and the challenges of utter self-reliance, all of us cruisers should move past the sense of awe or intimidation we might feel when encountering them and instead ask for their suggestions, as you never know when you might suddenly be forced to be a single-hander yourself.

Importance of Single-handed Sailing

Starting our family and raising our three children afloat has meant there have been many times when we have taken turns to sail alone, while the rest of the crew slept on. Certainly, there was always another person there if really needed but it is surely a good thing to hone independent skills and techniques for handling a boat solo. A sudden squall on nightwatch, an encounter with a fishing vessel getting too close, or a decision to tack were all things that both myself, and my husband James, learned to attempt by ourselves, in order to try out our cruising competence. Sometimes we’d rise to the challenge of tackling these experiments. On other occasions we’d fall short and struggle, pulling the sheets clumsily, trimming the sails awkwardly.

But still, even if you’re surrounded by plentiful helping crew hands, it’s always important to at least try single-handed sailing and to manage alone. After all, if James fell overboard, I would need to harness the skills to safely manoeuvre the boat back to him and get him back on. This was so much on my mind in the early days that we incorporated it into our mile-builder courses and RYA sail-training; knowing that for a life at sea ahead of us, there would be times when each of us might be trusting the other one with our lives. 

Perhaps the most crucial gift that any experience of single-handed sailing can give us is the psychological strength to reflect on and analyse what we are capable of. Even the most stalwart lone sailor relishes the companionship of swapping stories with other cruisers at the bar; even the most jam-packed family cruising boat should be made up of several capable solo sailors. Ultimately, we are all single-handed, or should at least learn to be.

Have you tried single-handed sailing yet?

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The post Single-Handed Sailing: Importance of Learning to be a Solo Sailor appeared first on Sailing Today.

Ahead of the Vendée Globe, our Editor Sam Jefferson catches up with Sam Goodchild, whose Vulnerable is one of the top British hopes for this epic solo round-the-world race.

The 2024-25 Vendée Globe is right around the corner and we’ll be catching up with some of the top racers! But here’s a quick Q&A with legendary British solo off-shore sailor, Sam Goodchild.

What are you most looking forward to on the Vendée?
Looking forward to getting racing and achieving something I have spent the last 20 ears working towards

What goal have you set yourself?
To cross the finish line in Les Sables d’Olonne

What is the main challenge you predict you’ll need to overcome?
Finding the balance of performance vs risk!

What sets your boat apart from other Vendée competitors?
We have a great all around boat. We are never the fastest but never the slowest either. 

What three items of personal kit are you packing?
My daughter’s unicorn that has been with me on every race for the last 5 years. My North Sails Southern Ocean Smock. A spare pair of boots!

Favourite song to listen to onboard?
I’m more of a podcast guy! 

Favourite meal to have onboard?
Nomad Kitchen’s curried fish with rice. So good we eat it at home sometimes!

About the Vendée Globe Race

The Vendée Globe challenges the elite to sail single-handed, non-stop, non-assisted around the world. This epic race takes place every four years, and is contested on 18 metre IMOCA monohulls. Starting and finishing in Les Sables-d’Olonne, France, the 45,000 kilometre course around the globe, includes the three legendary capes (Good Hope, Leeuwin and finally Cape Horn). The international reputation of the Vendée attracts skippers from all over the world – this year we will see 40 boats setting sail.

Show Me More:

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The post Solo Racer Sam Goodchild: Vendée Globe Catch-up appeared first on Sailing Today.

Its time to vote in the British Yachting Awards 2024… Have your say, vote now!

It’s been an exciting year for the global marine industry and there is plenty to be celebrating. From design and innovation, to enthusiasm and commitment, we’ve seen evolution and success across the board.

This year we’ve got 11 categories, so whether you are choosing the best blue water cruising yacht, outstanding sailor, marine clothing, or high-tech equipment, take a look at the category shortlists, have your say, and vote now in the British Yachting Awards 2024…

The 2024 British Yachting Awards will be online-only. Voting closes on Sunday 10th November.

British Yachting Awards 2024 Categories

Cruising Yacht of the Year

Yachts for heading across the channel, hopping along Europe’s coastlines, or just weekends away with the family, these are the cruising boats that caught our eye this year.

Multihull of the Year 

Multihulls have had a stellar year. They are fast becoming the craft of choice for the cruising sailor wanting to get where they are going fast and with plenty of versatile accommodation options. Here’s our pick of the bunch launched in 2024. 

Bluewater Cruiser of the Year 

There are more sailors than ever who want to go further and challenge themselves with some true offshore cruising. These are the yachts that will best get you across the Atlantic, around a great cape or into the far north.

Performance Yacht of the Year

For the speed hungry, these are out and out racers, as well as some that would suit cruising too. What is your favourite performance yacht?

Event of the Year 

Boat shows, regattas, races and more – it’s been a year packed full of marine events, making it a tough choice! Get voting…

Marina of the Year 

The British Yachting Awards 2024 wants to celebrate the marinas which go above and beyond in their offering to the sailing community. We’ve picked out some with the best facilities, warm welcomes and plenty of options for sailors, what do you think?

Sailor of the Year 

There can’t be just one, but if you had to choose… From pros and amateur club sailors, who was the best?

Youth Sailor of the Year 

Coming up through the ranks are an impressive group of high-performing youth sailors, all deserving of praise. But who has out performed the rest?

Equipment Innovation of the Year

Technological developments in the marine world have been non-stop… What has been the best equipment you’ve seen this released year?

Clothing Innovation of the Year

We’ve seen some exciting gear and kit on the market this year. What has been the best clothing launched in 2024?

Outstanding Achievement of the Year

The British Yachting Awards 2024 wants to shine a light on those individuals or groups who deserve special credit for achievements on the water or ashore, have your say…

British Yachting Awards 2024: Vote Now

Voting is open, but not for long…

Take a look at the category shortlists and vote now!

Voting closes on Sunday 10th November.

Last Year’s Winners…

Check out the 2023 British Yachting Award winners.

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The post British Yachting Awards 2024: Voting Open appeared first on Sailing Today.

Hannah Mills’ British all-female team, Athena Pathway, are competing in the inaugural Women’s America’s Cup. Here’s everything you need to know about the team…

Team Profile

Nationality: Great Britain

Representing: Royal Yacht Squadron 

Key Sailors: Hannah Mills (OBE), Saskia Clark, Hannah Diamond, Anna Burnet, Ellie Aldridge, Saskia Tidey, Freya Black 

About Athena Pathway 

In 2022, Olympic champions Hannah Mills and Ben Ainslie co-founded the Athena Pathway Team to increase diversity in sailing and fast-track promising sailors. More than 300 athletes applied, with just 7 being selected to race in the AC40 boat for the inaugural Women’s America’s Cup. This boat reunites Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark since winning their Olympic gold (470 class) in Rio 2016, and the team is packed with world class talent, including Freya Black, aged just 22, who recently won Bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympics, and Ellie Aldridge, the first ever female gold medalist for Kitesurfing (Paris 2024). 

Athena Pathway Helm: About Hannah Mills (OBE)

• Most successful female Olympic sailing medalist
• Strategist (F50) to the Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team
• Leading the British Youth and America’s Cup campaign

About the Puig Women’s America’s Cup

The America’s Cup has a rich 173 year history, but this year, in Barcelona, is the first time it has included a regatta for all-female crews. They will be racing in the spotlight between the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup matches – learn more about the Puig Women’s America’s Cup, the teams and key dates. 

Dates & How to Watch 

The Puig Women’s America’s Cup is free to watch on land, water and screen! The qualification series runs from 5th-9th October, with the Final Series taking place on 11th October, leading to the Match Race Final on 13th October. So whether you’re able to get out there to watch the action first hand, or are tuning in from across the world, you won’t miss a thing. Race days start at 2pm (14:00 CEST) and continue until 4:30-5pm depending on the schedule – Watch racing online for free.

More on the America’s Cup

• Puig Women’s America’s Cup: All-Female Crews Take Centre Stage
• 37th America’s Cup: Key Info, Dates & How to Watch
• America’s Cup Boats: What it’s like helming an AC75

The post Women’s America’s Cup British Team: Athena Pathway appeared first on Sailing Today.