Chris Schirmer is the Boat Operations Manager for GB1, and he’s worked his way up to that position through five America’s Cups, starting as a sailmaker. “I had only done a very small amount of sail making,” admitted Chris, “but the team wanted a junior, and I was in the right place at the right time speaking to the right person, and I managed to get in.”
That first campaign was AC33 in Valenica in 2010, when Chris worked with the eventual winner BMW Oracle. It was a match held under the sparse conditions of the original 1857 Deed of Gift, the document that controls the America’s Cup match to this day. In this case, the Challenger and Defender could not agree on a Protocol to define more modern race conditions, despite repeated appearances before the New York State Supreme Court that adjudicates on disputes.
“It was my first campaign, so I came in at the deep end… We were dealing mainly with the sails, but we had chances to go on board… it was an eye-opening experience for me, that's for sure.”
Chris remained with BMW Oracle for their first defence, which was successful, but only after pulling off one of the greatest ever comebacks, going from 6-0 down to a 9-8 victory. It was held on San Francisco Bay in 2013 and was the first time that foiling boats were seen in the Cup.
“San Francisco was an amazing Cup to be a part of. The boats were great. The development, the progress that the team made—from where we left off with the previous Cup and then getting to the final. But it was enjoyable, stressful, but very rewarding.
“I was actually a spare sailor for the second boat… when we had two boats sailing out on the Bay. That was a great memory for me… actually being there in person, it was an incredible experience. Just seeing the boats foiling and flying out of the water, and where the sailing world was heading, it was great to be a part of.”
It was AC37 when Chris came home to a British team. “I am British, despite a funny accent. I got a call from a good friend of mine [Jeff Causey] asking me to join the team. This was back a couple of years ago now. He wanted me to come in as a boat captain and… I was ready to jump on board as soon as possible. Jeff and I have worked together for quite some time—prior Cups in Bermuda, San Francisco and with SailGP… It does bring me a lot of excitement and pride, it's nice to work for your home country.
“Last time I was a Boat Captain, and that was a great experience, being part of that side of the team. There were a lot of long days, bringing people together, bringing each department together. It set exactly what I wanted to do within an America's Cup team.
“Now, being a Boat Operations Manager, I'm not quite as in the thick of it as a Boat Captain would be, but I get to see a more overall view of how the team runs. It’s about how we can support everyone, and make sure that the safety side is correct, make sure that the boat rolls out [to go sailing] on time. There are more responsibilities that come with the role.
“My key responsibilities are making sure the shore team I look after is running well, that the boats are on track and ready to go sailing, and managing current and future projects—mainly for the AC40s that we're sailing here [in Cagliari in Spring 2026]. It’s about making sure that we are working as a team and that everyone has the support and resources they need to do their job efficiently and safely.
“On the shore team, we have the hydraulics and electronics engineers, boat builders, riggers, systems and data teams. There are also the facilities people, the chase boat drivers, and then you've got the boat captains as well who bring those teams together. I try to bring all of them together collectively. It's a perfect match of sport and technology.”