Australia will return to the America’s Cup for the first time in more than two decades after the Royal Prince Edward Yacht Club confirmed its challenge for the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup in Naples. The challenge, accepted by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, becomes the sixth official challenger entry and takes the fleet to seven teams — the largest America’s Cup line-up since Valencia in 2007.
Representing the Sydney-based club will be Team Australia, backed by businessman John Winning and family, who also supported Australian entries in the Youth and Women’s America’s Cup in Barcelona last year.
Team Australia’s AC75 concept for the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup in Naples
Olympic gold medallist and SailGP star Tom Slingsby joins the campaign as Head of Sailing, while three-time America’s Cup winner Glenn Ashby takes the role of Head of Performance and Design.
Grant Simmer, a member of the historic Australia II campaign, which ended the New York Yacht Club’s 132-year winning streak in 1983, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer. “For me, this campaign is both deeply personal and incredibly exciting,” Simmer said.
Australia II’s 1983 America’s Cup win remains a landmark moment in sailing history. Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget
“Over the decades, Australian talent has spread across teams all over the world. Thanks to John Winning and this new challenge, we now have the opportunity to bring that talent back together to compete again for Australia.”
Slingsby described the campaign as a career ambition, “The opportunity to represent Australia in the America’s Cup with an Australian team is something that genuinely means a lot to me,” he said. “There’s a huge sense of excitement around what we’re building together.”
Ashby said the project aimed to combine experienced America’s Cup talent with the next generation of Australian sailors, designers and engineers.
The 38th America’s Cup will introduce new AC75 rules requiring at least one female sailor in every race crew for the first time in the event’s history. Battery-powered systems will also replace traditional cyclors and grinders, increasing the emphasis on flight control and tactical decision-making.
Australian sailor Tash Bryant welcomed the changes. “This feels like an exciting new era for the America’s Cup,” she said. “The evolution of the boats and the competition is opening the door to broader opportunities and visibility for women in elite sailing.”
America’s Cup chief executive Grant Dalton welcomed Australia’s return, describing the nation as one of the sport’s traditional powerhouses. “We know they will be fierce competitors,” Dalton said.
The Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup is scheduled for Naples in 2027.
