British America’s Cup Women & Youth squad Cobham-Ultra GB2 set for Naples’s racing debut

Cobham-Ultra GB2, formerly known as Athena Pathway, returns to America’s Cup racing for the second Preliminary Regatta (PR2) in Naples, looking to build on its breakthrough performance in Cagliari (PR1) earlier this year. Racing under the Cobham-Ultra GB2 name for the first time, the crew will line up alongside America’s Cup challenger GB1, as Britain takes on nine teams from New Zealand, Italy, Switzerland, France and the USA.

With a weekend of racing ahead, the crew will be looking to build on an encouraging opening Preliminary Regatta in Cagliari, where it produced one of the standout moments of their campaign by securing a fleet-race win against a field of highly experienced America’s Cup crews.

Double Olympic Champion Hannah Mills OBE will helm GB2 on the starboard side, with Paris 2024 Olympic Champion Ellie Aldridge MBE alongside her as port helm. They will be joined by trimmers Matt Beck and Sam Webb from the Athena Pathway, bringing together proven Olympic experience and the next generation of British sailing talent.

Beck returns to the AC40 having been part of the British Youth America’s Cup team that finished third in Barcelona in 2024, while Webb continues a rapid rise through the programme after earning his opportunity through the Athena Pathway’s 2026 youth selection process.

The line-up reflects the development pathway at the heart of GB2, providing young British sailors with the opportunity to gain racing experience alongside some of the world’s leading athletes and accelerate their progression towards the highest levels of the sport.

Commenting on the upcoming racing, Cobham-Ultra GB2 Helm and Team Principal Hannah Mills OBE said:

“We might have a new name, but the mission remains the same. We learned a huge amount in Cagliari and the fleet-race win has given us a strong foundation to take into Naples. Matt and Sam are making huge progress, and it’s great to see our talent pathway in action, with exceptional young sailors getting the opportunity to race at this incredibly demanding level against some of the best in the world.

“For Ellie and I, Naples is also an important opportunity to understand the conditions and the competition as we build towards the Women’s America’s Cup, drawing on everything we’ve learned since our campaign to the final in Barcelona in 2024.”

The British Women’s America’s Cup team unveiled its new identity, Cobham-Ultra GB2, in August, aligning more closely with Britain’s principal America’s Cup challenger, GB1, and creating a more unified British challenge for the Cup. Athena Pathway remains the primary talent and development programme for Britain’s America’s Cup and SailGP teams, while GB2 provides the competitive platform for elite female and youth sailors to progress and perform at the highest level.

The Naples Preliminary Regatta will provide another important opportunity for GB2 to test that pathway in competition, as the team looks to build on its Cagliari performance and continue preparations towards the Women’s and Youth America’s Cup.