Team Canada – First-Ever Women’s America’s Cup in 2024
Team Canada to Participate in the First-Ever Women’s America’s Cup in 2024
History will be made in October 2024 when Canada sends a team to race in the first-ever Women’s America’s Cup in Barcelona, Spain. After 137 years as a men’s-only sport, women will compete for their own America’s Cup trophy led by Vancouver’s Isabella Bertold, Canada’s top female racer who ranks second in the world.
Team Canada’s four-person crew will be skippered by Bertold, with the remaining three positions to be recruited from Canada’s best female sailors. The Canadian team organization is led by CEO Jim Turner, an Olympian, 15-time world champion, and three-time America’s Cup racer.
“Sailing is a unique sport in that men and women can compete head-to-head on an equal playing field. I know this because I grew up racing against the men. I went on to win multiple World Cup medals and achieve a world ranking of second.” said Bertold.
The Royal Vancouver Yacht Club (RVYC) is the only Canadian yacht club to be invited to participate in the 37th America’s Cup by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, who holds the Deed of the Gift as the last winner of the America’s Cup. Team Canada’s training centre will be at RVYC’s Jericho facility, where Bertold is a prominent member of the racing community.
In addition to the Women’s America’s Cup, RVYC will be sending a Youth team to the 37th America’s Cup in Barcelona, Spain. Team Canada Youth crew will consist of female and male sailors under 25 and will be captained by Andrew Wood, an accomplished sailor and RVYC member. This will be the third time Canadian youths compete in the America’s Cup, also sailing the four-person AC40s.
“This is an opportunity to gain worldwide recognition for the advancement of women and youth, for bringing prominence to Canada’s sailors, and to create a foundation for future generations of high-performance competitors.” Turner said.