SailGP: Video interview with Terry Hutchinson on American Magic's SailGP team merger
by Richard Gladwell/Sail-World.com/nz 13 Feb 04:22 PST
14 February 2026
The F50 catamaran of the R Racing SailGP Team in the technical area in Auckland - February 13, 2026 © Felix Diemer/SailGP
The acquisition of the Rockwool Denmark SailGP team by the American Magic, a Challenger in the 2021 and 2024 America's Cups is a big step in the construction of a strong US sailing legacy.
It seems that Doug DeVos - backer of American Magic in the 2021 and 2024 America's Cups, is staying true to his stated intention not to compete in the next America's Cup scheduled for July 2027. However he seems to be keeping his options open to go again in the 2029 Cup.
At the same time DeVos and his Director of Operations, Terry Hutchinson seem intent on building a strong US team, that can compete in multiple sailing events, applies the experience from DeVos' other sporting investments, develops talent, and has a strong asset base.
"As we evolved and looked at these competitions (SailGP and the America's Cup Partnership), Sail GP was proving, in a resounding way, to be a beneficial way for us to maintain the high level of performance in the sport that we're after, but also build a valuation and a sports team and a professional sporting franchise that mimics what the family has done with the Orlando Magic," Hutchinson explained.
He describes the SailGP team acquisition as the "Rockwool American Magic merger".
In accordance with the SailGP Participation Agreement the SailGP team will remain sailing under the flag of Denmark.
"Nikolai and the team, have developed a really solid core group of sailors inside their four walls. And so our challenge really, is to help elevate them to the next steps," he explained.
Both Terry Hutchinson and Doug DeVos have a strong relationship with Harry Melges IV ("H4"), who was the helmsman of the American Magic Youth team which placed second in the 2024 Youth America's Cup, and in 2025 he helmed the DeVos owned American Magic Quantum Racing to win the Super 52 World championship and top the Season points table.
However the highly talented 24yr old is off limits for the Rockwool American Magic team under the transfer rules which apply in the SailGP League, which only permits sailors to swap teams in a window between the end of the Grand Final (at the end of November 2025) and a week before the start of new Season in mid-January.
Currently Melges is contracted to the US SailGP team and is in the final stages of obtaining his sailing licence for SailGP.
Rockwool Denmark bring to the new team owner American Magic, one of the longest running sponsorships in SailGP, the agreement was re-signed last November through to December 2032, at the conclusion of which the sponsorship will have been in place for 13 years.