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America's Cup announces historic women's regatta

September 10, 2021

There's hope it'll finally provide a legitimate pathway to get more women competing for the Auld Mug.

As part of its 37th event, the America’s Cup has announced a historic women’s regatta. 

That means that for every male team entering the next series, they’ll also have to enter a team into the women’s event, where they'll race in AC40s with crews of four. 

With that experience, it’s hoped that it will provide a legitimate pathway to get more women competing for the Auld Mug in other America’s Cup teams.

“We hear the calls of diversity in all sports, particularly within our own sport,” Team NZ chief executive Grant Dalton said. 

“We felt this was the best way to create that pathway - mandate, almost, that pathway.” 

Dalton said he wanted to create a team for the future, whatever their genders may be. 

Jo Aleh, a 2012 Olympic champion, said women can fulfil roles like foil trimming as well as “anyone else”. 

She called the women’s regatta “groundbreaking”. 

“Maybe the first even feels a bit token. But, I hope in 10 years, in 15 years, you look back and you’re like, wow, that really changed the face of the game.” 

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