Will we see women in the crew of America’s Cup yachts in 2017?
The Extreme Sailing Series continues to lead the way in getting the benefit of talented women sailors. Shirley Robertson (GBR), double Olympic gold medalist, skippered the J.P. Morgan Asset Management Extreme 40 for the full 2008 season, winning the Lugano event.
The 2014 season will see four teams with women on board Extreme 40’s.
35th America’s Cup hopefuls
Olympic gold medallist in Beijing in the Yngling, 27 year old Pippa Wilson (GBR) will sail with Ben Ainslie Racing in the 2014 Extreme Sailing Series. Pippa also competes in the Nacra 17 – the boat to be used for the mixed multihull event at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
Sophie de Turckheim (FRA) will be tactician on board Franck Cammas’s Team France Extreme 40. Besides racing in the Extreme Sailing Series, Sophie and Franck are training for the Rio Olympics in the Nacra 17. Sophie has won the Laser Radial Worlds and been runner up three times.
Two more Extreme 40s with women on board
Sarah Ayrton (GBR) won gold medals in the Yngling in Athens in 2004 and Beijing in 2008. She will be tactician aboard The Wave, Muscat, the 2013 series winner, racing against her former gold medal teammate from Beijing, Pippa Wilson, who is on board Ben Ainslie Racing.
US Olympic gold medallist – Laser, Beijing – Anna Tunnicliffe will be tactician aboard Alinghi for selected events on the 2014 Extreme Sailing Series. America’s Cup winner in 2003 and 2007, Alinghi was runner up behind The Wave, Muscat in 2013.