GB1 and GB2 Take Centre Stage at Cowes Week with Major America's Cup Announcements

Cowes Week provided the perfect backdrop for a landmark week in British sailing, as GB1 brought together athletes, partners and supporters for a series of major announcements ahead of the Louis Vuitton 38th America's Cup.

Representing the Royal Yacht Squadron, GB1 used the iconic event to celebrate the progress of Britain's America's Cup campaign while unveiling the next phase of its high-performance pathway programme.

The week began with a special reception at the Royal Yacht Squadron, attended by members of the GB1 team, partners, supporters and key figures from across British sailing, including Sir Ben Ainslie, Dylan Fletcher and Hannah Mills.

Royal Yacht Squadron Commodore Robert "Bertie" Bicket welcomed guests to the historic clubhouse, reflecting on the significance of hosting the team as preparations continue towards Naples 2027.

"It's always wonderful to see them here at the Royal Yacht Squadron," said Bicket. "They are, after all, representing this place in the challenge for the Cup."

For Sir Ben Ainslie, the event was an opportunity to bring together the people helping drive the campaign forward.

"It's really exciting to be at Cowes Week representing the Royal Yacht Squadron," he said. "To be here with friends, family and sponsors is a fantastic opportunity to give something back to the team."

GB2 unveiled as Britain's Women's America's Cup Team

One of the week's biggest announcements was the introduction of GB2, the new identity for Britain's Women's America's Cup Team.

While the Youth America's Cup team will continue to compete under the Athena Pathway banner, the women's squad will now race as GB2, creating a stronger alignment with the senior America's Cup challenge while establishing its own identity at the highest level of the sport.

"The women's team are going to be racing under GB2, really affiliating us with the senior team and GB1," explained Hannah Mills.

"This is a huge evolution of our Athena Pathway programme, which will still exist supporting the young men and women coming through and trying to get into this type of sailing on and off the water."

The move represents another important step in the growth of the programme, which was established to create more opportunities for young sailors and broaden access to elite competition.

Sir Ben joins Athena Pathway sailors on the water

Away from the announcements, Cowes Week also provided a valuable chance for experienced campaigners to share knowledge with the next generation.

Ainslie joined Athena Pathway sailors Ben Cornish and Kai Hockley aboard a Cape 31, racing alongside young talent and offering insight gained from decades at the top of the sport.

"To sail in a boat like this with a young team from our Athena Pathway programme is really rewarding," said Ainslie.

"Sailing with young talent coming through, that's how I started out. Doing that here in the atmosphere of Cowes Week is a really fun moment."

The week-long programme also included a dedicated GB1 Fan Zone at Cowes Yacht Haven, where fans had the opportunity to meet sailors, test themselves on a grinding challenge and see the Louis Vuitton Cup trophy up close.

Jemima Lines joins Britain's America's Cup campaign

The second major announcement of the week saw Jemima Lines officially join the British America's Cup sailing squad.

A former elite kite foiler and mechanical engineer, the 29-year-old brings a unique combination of sporting performance and technical expertise to the team.

"We're really excited to announce Jemima Lines as part of our sailing team for the America's Cup," said Ainslie.

"She's got a very good blend of sailing skills and engineering skills, and we're looking forward to working with Jemima and the challenge ahead."

For Lines, the opportunity represents the culmination of years spent pursuing both engineering and high-performance sport.

"I definitely dreamed of something in life that could combine engineering with sport," she said. "Extreme engineering in the outdoors was the dream for me, but I didn't know what that looked like."

Her appointment comes ahead of a historic edition of the America's Cup, which will see female athletes required onboard the AC75 race boat for the first time.

"It's incredible to be part of the next generation of women coming through into the sport," said Lines. "I didn't have that role model growing up, so to potentially be that for young kids is really special."

Looking ahead to Naples

As Cowes Week came to a close, attention quickly turned back to the America's Cup racecourse in Naples.

With GB1, GB2 and the Athena Pathway teams continuing preparations, the week served as a clear reminder of the momentum building across Britain's America's Cup programme.

"We're looking forward to racing in Naples," said Ainslie.

"We've got both the senior team, GB1 and GB2, the youth and women's teams. It's a really important part of the development of the sport and a really exciting time for the team.

"There's lots going on and we're working tirelessly behind the scenes to make the race boat as fast as possible."

As the countdown towards Naples continues, GB1 leaves Cowes with renewed energy, strengthened pathways and an expanded team ready for the next chapter of Britain's America's Cup challenge. 

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