“We’re in a holding pattern” – why uncertainty in the America’s Cup is hurting women’s sailing

Helen Fretter sat down with Saskia Clark and Hannah Diamond to get insight into last summer’s Women’s America’s Cup, and what the current stasis in the Cup means for women’s sailing, in this weekend long read:

The Puig Women’s America’s Cup in Barcelona last autumn was a game changer: there had never before been a dedicated women’s competition, or even a dedicated female athlete role, in the America’s Cup.

Forty-eight female sailors took part in the Women’s America’s Cup, while well over 100 were involved across the 12 Women’s and Youth sailing squads and shore teams.

But after that last race in Barcelona on October 12, when Italy’s Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli defeated Britain’s Athena Pathway in a single match-race shoot out, what has changed for the female sailors who represented their country in Barcelona?

I sat down with Athena trimmers Saskia Clark and Hannah Diamond at an event hosted by Musto at their head offices in St Katherine’s Dock, London. It was unusual in that the panel of athletes was nearly all-female – besides Clark and Diamond, there was Vendée Globe skipper Justine Mettraux, the first female and international skipper to finish the 2024/25 edition, and 49er FX Olympic Gold Medallist Odile van Aarnholt (NED). They were joined by fellow Vendée Globe skipper Jérémie Beyou (Vendée winner Charlie Dalin was understandably committed elsewhere).

Immediately after the Cup wrapped up, some teams, including Athena, announced that they were planning to retain bases in Barcelona, and there was chatter about getting the AC40s back on the water.

However, the current uncertainly about the future of both the America’s Cup – with venue and time scale yet to be announced – and any potential British entry, following the schism between Sir Ben Ainslie and backers INEOS, means that future plans for the Women’s and Youth racing are also in doubt.

Momentum lost

“There were some awesome initial plans when we left – well, kind of over Christmas – when we were going to get kick started again, which was really exciting. I guess, born of the leadership of Hannah [Mills] and Ben [Ainslie] together, really driving the project forward and not letting it go into that holding pattern,” explains Saskia Clark.

“Sadly, because of what’s happening, we are in a holding pattern.”

“But I think, hopefully, because under Ben sort of moving into that next phase of his career, thinking about his legacy, and then alongside Han [Hannah Mills], who’s obviously high performance in the woman’s field, hopefully, we’re in a good place so that when a button can be pushed, it will be.”

But the loss of momentum is a potential wasted opportunity to capitalise on the gains made by the Women’s teams.

“When we were there, it was amazing,” says Hannah Diamond. “There was so much buzz around the event, and it seemed like the sailors really enjoyed it. And also there was quite a big fan base behind it as well.

“I think for the America’s Cup, it was a successful event. And I guess now it feels like a few months on, we’re a little bit unsure where it’s going next.

“And one of the big issues with women’s sailing has been that there’s always a gap between these events. We’ve seen it before. And exposure to those kind of boats racing at that level, the gap gets bigger when you have a big time period.

“I think it’s a shame because the feeling around the event at the end of last year was really positive. It really felt like a step forward was taken. But until there’s something to back it up, the most important step was always that it was followed by something.

“And we still don’t know what that looks like.”

Weight of expectation

Before the event, Saskia Clark felt it was important the Women’s America’s Cup delivered a high standard.

“Lots of people thought it was some of the best racing of the summer. But don’t get me wrong, we were nervous the whole summer.

“I think probably one of the biggest weights on my shoulders that I felt, was as a whole collective group of women, all 12 teams, that we didn’t have a total disaster and basically put the project [women’s sailing] back for 10 years. I think all 12 teams stepped up and delivered a really good event.

“It was really interesting having it the week after the Youth event, which set a benchmark. I think it’s fair to say we surpassed that, and that was really cool.

“But I still maintain that probably the biggest shift that needs to happen, is the cultural bit of the sport. So that those awesome, amazing athletes, when they go into the big Cup teams, they’re set up to thrive.

“Rather than feeling the weight of the world is on their shoulder and they’re carrying the hopes and dreams of 50% of the population. That’s too much to ask of one woman, a generation.

“We need to build the numbers so that if for whatever reason it’s not possible for them to carry on – or, say, carry on for maybe a two-year period because of where you might be in your cycle of life – that there’s another person to step in and take over.

“Because at the moment, we just don’t have the volume of people at that level to be able to just throw someone in there. Hopefully, they thrive. Maybe they crash and burn, and then it’s a dead end. You’re waiting for the next generation superstar to come forward and for the whole cycle to start again.”

Putting the hours in

So while the Cup is in stasis, where else can female athletes break through? SailGP has the highest profile, currently mandating one female athlete on each boat.

“[SailGP is] 100% the right place to do it because of the regular racing,” points out Diamond. “And with the women’s events being so few and far between, one of Sail GP’s goals is to offer that consistency throughout the calendar year and back-to-back seasons where people can make a proper living – well, a very decent living – from racing.

“But there needs to be a training facility because currently just the exposure to the equipment is so small and it’s all racing. So I think it is the right environment for that to happen, but there needs to be a training facility, a training boat to be able to up-skill.

“I think Martine [Grael, Team Brazil ‘driver’ and sole female skipper in the league] is doing an amazing job. She nearly won a race at the last weekend, and no doubt she’ll win a lot of races this season. But she’s got a really experienced team with her, and she’s quite an exceptional sailor herself. For that momentum to keep building, the access to equipment needs to be a lot more.”

“To actually make the changes that need to be made, [women sailors need] to get the hours in, because I think it’s widely acknowledged that the F50 is not an easy boat to step into and then put you in a short boundary race course.

“We need to give the boats and the racing the respect that it deserves to give people the time to up-skill to actually make that change.”

Elite group of women sailors

The other problem with SailGP is that with one woman racing on each boat, the numbers remain very small.

“If you think about SailGP, it’s 12 women right now. I get it’s shifting minds and all that thing, but it’s not enough,” says Clark.

“The Olympic scene is slightly the same. If you think we’ve got 10 classes going to Games, five of them are women. But I did three Olympics, so I took up that [slot].

“It closes out the pathway or the pyramid for a period of time. Trying to keep that pyramid broad and get people in is important.”

Inshore racing route

Both Clark and Diamond see the pro-am keelboat and inshore fleets as areas where women sailors can make a real impact.

“I felt like the 48 women in Barcelona made a good show for themselves and everyone put their best foot forward to get those [future] opportunities – whether they’re coming through or not, I don’t know,” says Clark.

“One of the really key areas to get more women involved in is that pro owner-driver side of our sport.

“If you think of men in our sport, that is where 70% of the men are working. Through to things like J/70 inshore racing, where you’re paid a day rate to go sailing. Whether it’s in the Solent or the Med or Garda or wherever.

“The America’s Cup, SailGP, Volvo, Vendee etc – that’s a very elite section of our sport that are earning a living. The lion’s share of people are earning their living in the owner-pro side. That’s where you make a lot of networks, a lot of connections.

“I guess for the younger ones, that’s also where you can earn some money to buy a foiling boat, buy a Moth or whatever it might be, to upskill yourself, to then have some skills to transfer maybe into the super-elite side of our sport.

“And there’s a whole load of roles that are really not strength-specific. Obviously, on the decision-making side, but also trimming or mid-bow or bow. Really in terms of strength and skill requirements, it’s accessible.

“We just need to get in there because that’s where you build up your network of recommendations for jobs.”

Diamond agrees. “I live in Warsash. And in classes like the Cape 31, there’s a lot more female sailors. There’s female sailors on pretty much every boat; people from a strong dinghy background.

“There’s a total weight limit, so having a range of weights can be really useful. That’s organically become like that. It doesn’t need a [women sailors] rule.

“At that pro-am level, I think that’s really positive because the professional end of the sport is still only a small percentage globally of the people that are taking part. It’s really important that the opportunities filter down as well.

“The way those small keelboat classes are allowing those opportunities to come about organically is really important. Those sailors are there on merit and they’re a really valuable member of the crew. Those people will stay involved in the sport.

“But it’s hard when we want things to change really, really fast.

“Actually, it’s going to take a generation to come through before you see people who plan for their career. I still don’t think that many female sailors think of a career outside of Olympic sailing as a viable option – when I can vouch that it is.”

Offering value

Diamond’s career and skillset is particularly divers: from Olympic campaigning, to short-handed offshore racing, fully crewed ocean racing in the Volvo Ocean Race, through to SailGP – both as a sailor and coach, and the Women’s America’s Cup.

She pointed out that they were not contractually obliged to be at the Musto press event, but she sees sponsor relationships as part of that important skillset.

“100% we’re seeing a lot more sponsors want to be involved with female sailors and seeing the value of what we bring.

“One of the things we don’t speak about a lot as female sailors is actually you have to have so many additional skills more than just being a sailor, because in the back of your mind, you’ve got the fact that actually not a lot of people before me have done this.

“I look at some of my male counterparts, they wouldn’t maybe engage so much in the feedback, whereas to me, that’s a connection that I can make.

“To see the product development, that’s been quite personal to me because I’ve seen such a difference in the kit that’s come back, which is made for me. That’s a really cool process to be involved with. Whereas when I started, it was a lot more ‘one-size-fits all’.

“I think we see a lot in other sports where [female] athletes are using their voice or their feedback to say, actually, I’ve got this knowledge and this skillset. I can give this back to you and it’s worth something to you. It’s worth something to me.

“So you’ve got that exchange of knowledge and you add value to the industry in that way as well.”

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