Following the launch of the new identity of his British America’s Cup challenge, Sir Ben Ainslie, Team Principal of GB1, has shared how the team is building towards the 38th America's Cup in the first episode of the State of Play series this campaign.
“I’m really proud of the team for sticking together and getting ourselves through this transition and now being in a strong position with the support of Oakley Capital,” he said.
“I'm very positive about the future of GB1 in this new era. We are taking all of the learnings from the last 12 years, consolidating them, and making sure that we've got the fundamentals in place so that next time we get to the Final, we actually win.”
GB1 has made several significant additions both on and off the water and is preparing to return to training for the first time since becoming the most successful British challenge in 90 years, following its appearance in the 37th America's Cup Match in Barcelona in 2024. Among the key signings is Dylan Fletcher.
“Dylan has really proven his capabilities over the last couple of years and has grown into a leadership role within the sailing team. I’ve been really impressed with how he’s performed on and off the water,” Ainslie said.
The team has also appointed Ian Walker as CEO.
“Ian’s got a huge amount of experience across the board in sailing. In the couple of months he’s been with the team, he’s already had a great impact. He’s hugely intelligent, brings great energy, and has excellent people skills, exactly the kind of skill set we need for the future.”
GB1 will return to the water in March, training in Cagliari alongside the Athena Pathway Women’s and Youth America’s Cup teams as both prepare for the first racing event of the new cycle: the preliminary regatta from 21–24 May. During the camp, the Athena Pathway programme will continue to trial youth sailors as part of its mission to create a clear pathway for young British high-performance talent.
“The goals for the camp are really about getting operations on the water in the AC40s and testing different crew combinations. We’ll train alongside the Athena Pathway Youth and Women’s Team with Hannah Mills as they continue their trials. It’s great to see young sailors grabbing that opportunity with both hands.
Then we have the preliminary event, which will be fantastic, just to get racing again. The fleet racing we saw on the AC40s during the last cycle was compelling, so I expect some fantastic competition.”
Alongside AC40 training and racing, the design, development, and build of the AC75 race boat is well underway, as the team looks ahead to competition in Naples next year.
“We’re very much a dark horse for this next Cup. I’d say don’t count us out — we’re going to be in the mix. We’ve got some fantastic team members from the last 12 years and some new people coming in who will strengthen us further. I’m very positive about the future of GB1 in the America’s Cup.”