CELEBRATING WOMEN IN THE LOUIS VUITTON 38th AMERICA’S CUP
For the first time in 175 years, at the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup, women will be an integral part of the AC75 yachts that will compete for the oldest trophy in international sports. The mandate that at least one crew-member of the AC75 must be a woman is a welcome change at the pinnacle of sailing and one that reflects the growing pathways of elite foiling. Furthermore, in Sardinia on 21-24 May, we will see three teams featuring mixed Women & Youth teams, split 50/50 and racing hard against the primary teams.
In Barcelona in 2024, the success of the inaugural Women’s America’s Cup was a lightbulb moment for the sport. The competition was noted for its intensity with the final between Luna Rossa (ITA) and Athena Pathway (GBR) being one of the stand-out races of the entire regatta. The Italians, led by Giulia Conti and Margherita Porro, defeated the British team of Hannah Mills OBE and Tash Bryant by a whisker and set their names into history.
For the ‘Road to Naples’ in 2027, competition is fierce for not only a space on the AC75 but also for the coveted sailing positions in the Women’s America’s Cup that will be scheduled right in the middle of the main event between races in the Match for the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup. Every team is now actively seeking not only established talent emerging from the Olympic Games but also classes like the International Moth, ETF26, Nacra 17, Waszp and Switch fleets that are burgeoning all around the world.
For Naples, the talent is extraordinary and looking across the teams, the women that are making a name for themselves and claiming the positions onboard both the AC75s and AC40s are set to ignite the America’s Cup regattas and be very much an inspirational focal point for the event.
Looking at the two teams that contested the inaugural Women’s America’s Cup in Barcelona in 2024, both Luna Rossa and Athena Pathway have maintained an impressive roster of women in their teams. Margherita Porro, the winning co-helm for Luna Rossa, is very much the stand-out name but is being pushed hard by the likes of Maria Giubilei, Maria Marchesini and Alice Linussi, all of whom have deep experience onboard the AC40 and in the simulator training.
For GB1, their women’s programme comes under the Athena Pathway programme whose CEO Hannah Mills contested the Women’s America’s Cup in Barcelona and is the most decorated British female sailing Olympian of all time. Joining Hannah is the gold medallist from Paris 2024 in the Formula Kite, Ellie Aldridge alongside Olympic silver medallist in the foiling Nacra 17 class, Anna Burnett. The GB1 women’s team also features 2024 International Moth World Champion, Hattie Rogers who is very much a coming force in the America’s Cup.
Elsewhere, Emirates Team New Zealand were quick to sign the highly experienced Olympic gold and silver medallist Jo Aleh, and have been trialling a large number of next generation women’s talent like Olympic bronze medallist and co-helm Erica Dawson, Aleh’s Olympic crew Polly Powrie and the coming talents of Serena Woodall, Stella Bilger, Helena Sanderson, and the hugely experienced Liv Mackay. Emirates Team New Zealand will be eyeing the Women’s America’s Cup as ‘unfinished business.’
For both K-Challenge and Tudor Team Alinghi, it is early days in their campaigning and team formation but expect announcements in the coming weeks with regards to their women’s roster. The French have a long association with Manon Audinet and in Barcelona in 2024 featured the likes of match racing world champion Pauline Courtois, alongside Amélie Riou, Aloïse Retornaz, and Audrey Ogereau.
Tudor Team Alinghi has an abundance of highly talented Swiss sailors to select from and it would be no surprise if the likes of Nathalie Brugger, Marie Mazuay, Laurane Mettraux, Maja Siegenthaler, Alexandra Stalder, and Anja von Allmen, who all competed in Barcelona 2024, are again in the spotlight. Speculation at this stage, but Swiss sailing is rich in accomplished and coming women sailors through a multitude of foiling pathways.
All around the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup there’s an air of positivity and rejuvenation. All the teams under the new America’s Cup Partnership are building for the long-term and putting women at the heart of not only their sailing teams but shoreside too.
As we mark International Women’s Day, we can look on the changes in the America’s Cup as a significant step and look forward to seeing not only the Women’s America’s Cup in 2027, but also women onboard the AC75s as they vie for the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup.
History in the making.