The 38th America\u2019s Cup Match will start on Saturday July 10, 2027; the first AC40 event takes place in Sardinia this May; and Dylan Fletcher confirmed as helmsman for new-look GB1 British America\u2019s Cup team. Helen Fretter reports\u2028\u2028 on a bumper crop of Cup newsThe new-look British America’s Cup Challengers, GB1
\nAfter months of tumbleweed, there has been a flurry of America\u2019s Cup news from both organisers and teams.
\nAhead of a gathering today between the five \u2018founding teams\u2019 of the new America\u2019s Cup Partnership in the host city of Naples, the British squad got their news out first this morning.
\nSir Ben Ainslie\u2019s team \u2013 the Challenger of Record, representing the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes \u2013\u00a0 revealed their new name GB1, complete with patriotic red, white and blue styling.
\nGB1 also confirmed that Dylan Fletcher, Olympic gold medallist, SailGP reigning champion helmsman and Ainslie\u2019s co-helm in the 37th Cup will return to helm for the 38th America\u2019s Cup.
\nNo surprises there \u2013 although also no word on who\u2019ll be sitting on the opposite wheel. Ainslie has mentioned in several interviews that he may not be back in an active sailing role \u2013 but equally nor has he definitively ruled it out.
\nEyes on the prize\u2026 Dylan Fletcher will helm GB1 in the 38th America\u2019s Cup. Photo: Ian Roman\/GB1
\nBritish America\u2019s Cup talent
\nAinslie, whose official job title now is Team Principal for GB1, said in today\u2019s news release: \u201cGB1 is delighted to secure Dylan as our helm for AC38.
\n\u201cHe has worked extremely hard to earn the seat, and his results on the water don\u2019t lie. Olympic and SailGP champion, and an America\u2019s Cup finalist all in the space of five years, these are no mean feats and highlight his absolute dedication to performance on the water.\u201d
\nFletcher said: \u201cI\u2019m buzzing to be back in the America\u2019s Cup with the British Challenger. Reaching the final last time out was a great achievement for the team, but getting so close drives us on even more.
\n\u201cI know how committed the whole organisation is to winning the Cup for Britain. There is a huge amount of work to do, and I can\u2019t wait to get stuck in.\u201d
\nFletcher, Ainslie and team mates celebrate winning the Luis Vuitton Cup as INEOS Brtannia in the 37th America\u2019s Cup. Photo: Ricardo Pinto \/ America\u2019s Cup
\nAinslie\u2019s phrase \u2018delighted to secure\u2019 is unlikely to be accidental. With the loosening of the nationality rule in the AC38 Protocol (the so-called \u2018Burling clause\u2019 which enabled the three-times Cup winning helmsman to move from New Zealand to Italian Challengers Luna Rossa), and the recent flurry of \u2018athlete transfers\u2019 in SailGP, locking key team members in will have been a big focus for all teams.
\nOne such transfer was Iain \u2018Goobs\u2019 Jensen \u2013 a key member of the INEOS Britannia British America\u2019s Cup squad, as well as wing trimmer for the season winning Emirates GBR SailGP team (also run by Ainslie and helmed by Fletcher). He has since departed the British SailGP team for Slingsby\u2019s Australian team.
\nBritish Youth Team applications open
\nAgain, no surprises that Hannah Mills has been confirmed as helm for the second edition of the Women\u2019s America\u2019s Cup and Team Principal for the British women\u2019s and youth Athena Pathway Programme.
\nToday in Naples Mills also opened the British application process for the Youth Team \u2013 they\u2019re looking for talented, high potential sailors born between 1 July 2001 and the 1 July 2008. See the application criteria here,
\nWho\u2019s backing the British Cup team?
\nThe fact that the two British squads have two different identities \u2013 GB1 and Athena Pathway, albeit both under the \u2018Athena Sports Group\u2019 \u2013 points to their different funding.
\nJust before Christmas, the team revealed that the America\u2019s Cup Challenge had secured majority ownership investment from Oakley Capital, a private equity firm headed up by businessman and yachtsman Pete Dubens \u2013 who was also one of the founding backers of Ainslie\u2019s first \u2018BAR\u2019 America\u2019s Cup challenge for AC35.
\nOakley Capital also own North Technology Group, which includes North Sails and Southern Spars, as carried by every AC75 and AC40.
\nIn November, former North Sails UK manager Ian Walker was appointed CEO of Athena Racing (as it was known then). This also raises the question of, whether freed from the conflicting demands of being CEO, team boss and skipper, Ainslie might find his role is once again back in the sailing team\u2026
\nIan Walker and Sir Ben Ainslie as Walker joins Athena Racing (now GB1)
\nIn an interview with The Times today, Ainslie revealed that he had personally funded the team for 14 months following the acrimonious fall-out with previous backers INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
\nWith the rebrand, GB1 is not currently carrying a title sponsor at all, but it\u2019s understood they are still very much looking for commercial partnerships.
\nInterestingly, the Women\u2019s and Youth seems to have been an easier sell \u2013 Ainslie told me months ago that they had secured funding for the Athena Pathway programme, and Mills\u2019s squad has backing from another private equity firm, Advent, and defence\/technology company Cobham Ultra.
\nNaples\u2019 impressive history was on show as organisers and teams gathered on January 21, 2026 to confirm the dates of the 38th America\u2019s Cup. Photo: Ian Roman \/ AC38
\nBringing in backers
\nDespite the oft-repeated message that the new ACP is all about financial security, the Brits aren\u2019t the only team who are yet to carry full title sponsorship.
\nToday Cup defenders New Zealand confirmed that their title sponsor will be airline Emirates, who have renewed their partnership for an impressive fifth Cup cycle. And the Swiss entry is titled Tudor Team Alinghi (having apparently dropped the Red Bull F1 tie-in from AC37).
\nHowever, the Italian entry is currently simply \u2018Luna Rossa\u2019 and the French \u2018K-Challenge\u2019.
\nAs part of today\u2019s official event at Naples, though, Louis Vuitton was confirmed as title sponsor for the 38th America\u2019s Cup event.
\nFounding members of the America\u2019s Cup Partnership (ACP) and title sponsor Louis Vuitton at Palazzo Reale in Naples. Photo: Ian Roman \/ America\u2019s Cup
\nWhen is the 38th America\u2019s Cup?
\nThe other major announcement in Naples was confirmation that the Cup Match will begin on Saturday July 10, 2027 and will be wrapped up by 17-18 July 2027.
\nThere is no word yet on the dates for the Challenger Selection Series.
\nThis follows last week\u2019s confirmation that the first preliminary regatta of AC38 will take place in Cagliari, Sardinia, on 21-24 May 2026 in the one-design AC40s.
\nThe \u2018shoulder season\u2019 prevailing winds in Cagliari at that time of year could make for some spicy sailing conditions. Up to 10 races are planned over four days, with the top two teams then racing in a deciding winner-takes-all single match.
\nUp to three Preliminary events may be held in 2026 \u2013 we\u2019ll report on any further date and venue announcements.
\nThe post 38th America\u2019s Cup Match dates set \u2013 and Dylan Fletcher back on the helm for British team appeared first on Yachting World.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The 38th America\u2019s Cup Match will start on Saturday July 10, 2027; the first AC40 event takes place in Sardinia this May; and Dylan Fletcher confirmed as helmsman for new-look GB1 British America\u2019s Cup team. Helen Fretter reports\u2028\u2028 on a … <\/p>\n