GB1 secure a race win on final day at America's Cup Preliminary Regatta Sardinia
by GB1 24 May 10:45 PDT
22-24 May 2026
Louis Vuitton 38th America's Cup Preliminary Regatta - Day 3 - May 24, 2026 © GB1
The final day of racing in Sardinia once again delivered glamour conditions, the 14-17 knot south-easterly winds providing perfect racing.
GB1 headed out onto the water with a point to prove after missing all but one of the previous six races due to gear failure on their AC40 race boat. Helmed by Olympic gold medallist Dylan Fletcher, the crew delivered immediately, taking victory in the opening race before adding a third-place finish in the next race of the day. Combined with a second-place result in their other completed race, GB1 did not finish outside the top three in any race they sailed.
Meanwhile, Athena Pathway hoped to build on their race-winning performance from the previous day and made an excellent start to Race 7. They weren't able to convert good starts, slipped finishing eighth. Their difficult afternoon worsened in the final race of the day when an OCS restart penalty effectively ended their challenge before it had begun.
GB1 helm Dylan Fletcher summarised the event:
"It was fantastic for the team to get a couple more races under our belts and show that we are capable of competing at the front of the fleet. In the three races we completed, we finished in the top three every time, including a race win, so while it was frustrating to miss five races due to gear failure, we can take a lot of confidence from the performances we put together.
"Next up is the Preliminary Regatta in Naples and, hopefully, a more straightforward event. In the meantime, it's back to the development programme for our AC75 ahead of the Cup next summer."
Hannah Mills, Athena Pathway helm and Team Principal, reflected on the event:
"Overall, the regatta was a massive learning curve for Athena Pathway, with so much to take away from it. It was the best possible preparation for our racing next year in the Women's and Youth events, and we're absolutely buzzing for Sam Webb and Ellie Aldridge to gain this experience against the very top teams in the America's Cup.
"We will continue developing the wider squad and building experience across the team through our training camps in Cagliari. We'll really increase the intensity of our training before turning our focus to the next Preliminary Regatta in Naples."
The racing itself was packed with drama. Overnight leaders Luna Rossa 1 Women & Youth had been expected to sail conservatively to secure their place in the Final, but their day quickly unravelled. In the opening race they were first handed an OCS penalty, followed by an additional "get back" penalty for failing to complete it within the required time limit, before receiving another penalty and ultimately being disqualified from the race.
After the DSQ, Luna Rossa Women & Youth needed a solid result to protect their position at the top of the standings. Instead, they opted for a high-risk port-tack start but were over the line. Chief Umpire Richard Slater instructed them to restart, dropping them to the back of the fleet and effectively ending their hopes of progressing.
Italian home favourites Luna Rossa 2, helmed by Peter Burling, went up against his former team, Emirates Team New Zealand, convincingly winning the two-boat match-race final, delighting the home crowd.
The match was effectively decided at the start, with both teams aggressively pushing to cross in front of each other. However, the Kiwis pushed slightly too hard and were early for the start, handing the Italian team an uncatchable lead and ultimately the win in their home city.
Fans can next watch America's Cup racing from September 24-27, 2026, when Naples hosts the second America's Cup Preliminary Regatta.
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