Athena Pathway Reveals Sailing Team Prior to Historic Puig Women’s America’s Cup

by Athena Pathway 5 Oct 02:16 PDT


The Athena Pathway Women’s Team. Top row from left: Hattie Rogers, Anna Burnet, Hannah Diamond, Saskia Clark, Tash Bryant, Hannah Mills, and Ellie Aldridge © Athena Pathway

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Athena Pathway, the UK Women’s America’s Cup Team backed by Cobham Ultra, is set to shine this Saturday as twelve nations compete in the first-ever Puig Women’s America’s Cup in Barcelona.

This landmark occasion signifies a major advancement in the 173-year legacy of the America’s Cup, with the introduction of a women’s event and a renewed focus on empowering future generations. It illustrates significant progress for the world’s oldest sporting trophy towards achieving gender equality and enhancing the sport’s appeal to younger audiences.

Athena Pathway, representing the Royal Yacht Squadron, was established in August 2022 by Hannah Mills OBE and Sir Ben Ainslie, two of Britain’s most accomplished Olympic sailors, to accelerate development in high-performance sailing and increase diversity in the sport and the broader UK marine sector.

The British team’s lineup includes Olympic medalists, elite offshore sailors, and rising foiling stars, all committed to making history in this esteemed event. Leading the team is Hannah Mills OBE, a double Olympic gold and silver medalist serving as Starboard Helm, with her former Rio Olympic gold medalist partner Saskia Clark MBE as Starboard Trimmer. On the port side, Volvo Ocean Race and SailGP competitor Hannah Diamond takes the position of Port Trimmer, with SailGP strategist Tash Bryant as Port Helm. The squad also includes Ellie Aldridge, the Paris 2024 Olympic kite foiling gold medalist; Anna Burnet, the Tokyo Olympic silver medalist and Paris 2024 Olympian; and Hattie Rogers, the 2022 YJA Yachtsman of the Year and promising star in Moth and Waszp foiling classes.

Hannah Mills, skipper and co-founder of Athena Pathway, shared her enthusiasm for the upcoming event: “We are fortunate to have the challenging task of selecting the final three spots on the race team. The selection process was intensely competitive, as the squad’s talent depth is remarkable. We’re confident in the team we’ve assembled and excited to race in this historically significant event.”

Since April, the team has been training in Badalona, Spain, both on land using their AC40 simulator and at sea with the AC40 race boat. Saskia Clark MBE remarked, “Reuniting with Hannah and preparing for this historic event has been incredible. Racing at this elite level again, with such a talented team behind us, is truly unique. We aim to motivate the next generation and advocate for greater female inclusion in future America’s Cup teams.”

Athena Pathway is dedicated to development beyond the water, offering career advancement opportunities that foster long-term skills. Through this Pathway, many team members have joined the British America’s Cup senior team, gaining invaluable experience. Team members like Sophie Heritage advanced to the position of AC40 Boat Captain, while Suzy Peters utilized her engineering background to master the AC40’s onboard systems. Additionally, Youth Team Skipper Nick Robins collaborated closely with INEOS Britannia data analysts to enhance team performance.

Cobham-Ultra and Bain & Company are crucial partners in Athena Pathway’s campaign, supplying strategic and technical expertise that enhances the team’s performance and innovation. Along with Cobham-Ultra and the 1851 Trust, Athena Pathway is launching UK STEM roadshows to encourage young people to explore careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, reflecting their commitment to nurturing future talent.

The 12 women’s teams have been divided into two groups, with sailors representing the official America’s Cup teams competing in Group A and invited teams from Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden racing in Group B. The top three teams from each group will advance to a Final Series of four races to determine the top two teams competing in a winner-takes-all Final Match Race.

Racing in the Puig Women’s America’s Cup will commence on Saturday at 1100 CET and will be available for free viewing via the Sail-World.com and YachtsandYachting.com homepages.

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