SAILING: British America's Cup team re-launches as GB1 with Fletcher as helm

LONDON — Ben Ainslie’s British sailing team announced on Wednesday that they will compete in the America’s Cup under the name GB1, naming Dylan Fletcher as helm for their latest campaign to win the coveted trophy.

GB1 did not name a second helm for Ainslie’s fourth consecutive attempt to “bring the Cup home.” The campaign is backed by Oakley Capital, an investment firm that recently acquired a majority stake in the team.

The British squad is set to unveil their new GB1 identity later on Wednesday in Naples, Italy, the host city for the 38th edition of the 174-year-old event. The five founding teams of the America’s Cup Partnership (ACP) will also announce the dates and details for the America’s Cup Match in 2027.

“GB1 is delighted to secure Dylan as our helm for AC38,” said team principal Ben Ainslie, 48. “He has worked extremely hard to earn the seat, and his results on the water don’t lie.”

Ainslie, who parted ways with INEOS after the last event in Barcelona, praised Fletcher’s achievements.

“Olympic and SailGP champion, and an America’s Cup finalist all in the space of five years — these are no mean feats and highlight his absolute dedication to performance on the water,” he added. Ainslie has not yet confirmed whether he will be onboard the team.

Fletcher, 37, served as co-helm with Ainslie in 2024 when the team lost to defenders New Zealand in the head-to-head final.

“Reaching the final last time out was a great achievement for the team, but getting so close drives us on even more,” Fletcher said. “I know how committed the whole organization is to winning the Cup for Britain.”

The ACP event in Naples marks the first time the five founding teams — Emirates Team New Zealand, GB1, Italy’s Luna Rossa, Switzerland’s Tudor Team Alinghi, and France’s K-Challenge — have gathered since forming the new framework last year.

“On the water we know the competition will be as fierce as ever, and the Bay of Naples is going to be a spectacular arena for these incredible racing machines,” said GB1 CEO Ian Walker, referring to the event’s high-tech AC75 foiling monohulls.

The winner of the challenger selection series earns the right to take on New Zealand to win the “Auld Mug,” first contested in 1851 off the southern coast of England. A British crew has never won the trophy.

GB1 also announced that Hannah Mills, team principal for Britain’s Athena Pathway Programme and helm for the second edition of the Women’s America’s Cup, has opened applications for the British youth team that will compete in Naples.

“The 38th America’s Cup will be the first time women will race on every competing boat, which is a hugely important moment for our sport,” Mills said. “It will create a pathway of equality for future generations of sailors.” -Reporting by Alexander Smith; Editing by Clare Fallon/Reuters