Golden Opportunity: Britain's Youth America's Cup Team Kick-starts Selection Process Under Guidance of Hannah Mills

The sails are set and the selection process for Britain’s Youth America’s Cup Team is officially underway. The announcement comes from none other than Team Principal of Athena Pathway Programme (APP), Hannah Mills, at the America’s Cup Partnership event in Naples.

This marks the initiation for the Youth Squad to compete in the exciting spectacle of the Youth America’s Cup in Naples, slated for 2027. The programme, meritoriously backed by Cobham Ultra, nestles at the core of the team’s high-performance development blueprint. It aims at identifying, assessing, and honing British talent with the aptitude to contend in the grand Youth America’s Cup. It also nourishes progression into professional maritime careers.

Speaking about this blue ribbon event, Team Principal Hannah Mills expressed her thrill about the initiation of the selection process. Having almost reached the summit of the podium in the women’s and youth categories previously, she feels this is a ripe opportunity to tie up loose ends.

The published selection policy frames a transparent eligibility criterion, assessment processes, and expectations from the athletes. Open to male and female young sailors compliant with World Sailing Regulation 19 and born between 1 July 2001 and 1 July 2008, the programme promises high-performance levels, primarily catering to sailors with national or international sailing experience or crucial foiling experience.

Promoting inclusivity, the Athena Pathway doesn’t limit participation based on conventional pathways and encourages application from sailors who may have taken a nonlinear or unconventional route.

Their last campaign introduced several talents to the world including Matt Beck, Nick Robins, and Ellie Aldridge. Ellie Aldridge, an Olympic gold medallist, is now a full-time member of the APP Women’s Team and the Emirates GBR SailGP Team.

The America’s Cup’s fresh commitment to Women’s and Youth competitions shines a hopeful light, manifesting a future that is both inclusive and forward-focused. And it serves to inspire the next generation of exceptional sailors, a venture at which Athena Pathway Programme has been a driving force for the past five years.