AMERICA’S CUP
On December 4, 2023, it was announced that Francesca would race for American Magic in the inaugural Puig Women’s America’s Cup.
The team will race in a state of the art AC40 - a foiling 40-foot monohull - in Barcelona as part of the 37th edition of the world’s oldest competition in sport - the America’s Cup.
Learn more about the Cup, the boats, and the competition here and be sure to follow Francesca and the American Magic Team in 2024.
NYYC American Magic squad
At the end of December 2023, New York Yacht Club American Magic introduced the groundbreaking women's team set to make history while representing the United States at the Puig Women’s America’s Cup, scheduled from October 5 to 13 in Barcelona, Spain.
Among the athletes on the squad are three Olympians, two former winners of US Sailing’s Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year award, and a recent winner of The Ocean Race (guess who?!). The squad compromises:
Francesca Clapcich: Park City, UT
Erika Reineke: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Louisa Nordstrom: Sarasota, FLA
Helena Scutt: Kirkland, WA & San Francisco, CA
Sara Stone: Marion, MA
© NYYC American MagicThe history of the America’s Cup
The America's Cup is the oldest competition in international sport. The trophy itself was manufactured in 1848 and first called the ‘Royal Yacht Squadron £100 Cup’ whilst today is informally known as the Auld Mug. It was first raced for on 22 August 1851 around the Isle of Wight off Southampton and Portsmouth in England, in a fleet race between the New York Yacht Club's America and 15 yachts of the Royal Yacht Squadron. The race was witnessed by Queen Victoria who watched the race from her royal yacht. At one point she asked, “What is second?” after seeing the America come over the horizon. Her attendant reportedly replied, “Your Majesty, there is no second.”
America's Cup match races are held between two boats: one from the yacht club that holds the trophy (the defender) and the other from the yacht club that is challenging for the cup (the challenger). The history and prestige associated with the America's Cup attracts the world's top sailors, yacht designers, entrepreneurs and sponsors.
© NYYC American MagicThe Puig Women’s America’s Cup
In the 2024 edition, and for the first time in the 173-year history of the America’s Cup, there will be a stand-alone Women’s event open to all female athletes of any age.
The Puig Women’s America’s Cup will be raced in the teams' AC40s in a very strict one-design set-up. The boat, its controls, sails, foils and mechanisms will all be standardized and each team will consist of just four sailors with two helms steering from the forward ‘pod’ and two crew members in charge of sail and foil trim in the aft pods. The AC40 are capable of speeds in excess of 45 knots [52mph/83kmph] downwind and high 30s [35mph/56kmph] upwind.
The Puig Women’s Teams are Sail GCN Women’s Team, JAJO Team DutchSail, Concord Pacific Racing Women’s Team (Canada), Germany Women’s Team, Swedish Challenge Women’s Team Powered by Artemis Technologies, Australia Challenge Women’s Team, Emirates Team New Zealand Women Team, Athena Pathway (UK), Alinghi Red Bull Racing Women’s Team, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Women’s Team, NYYC American Magic Women’s Team, Orient Express Racing Women’s Team.
The event will begin with a briefing on September 28 2024, followed by the practice days that run through to October 3. Once racing starts from October 5-10, the teams will be split into two groups. The Semi–Final round sees the top three boats of both groups meeting in another four fleet races and the Final on October 13 will be decided in a one-on-one Final Match Race between the top two crews.
© NYYC American Magic
© NYYC American Magic
© NYYC American MagicWomen in the AC
The history of women participating in the America’s Cup dates back as early as 1886 when Susan Henn sailed aboard the Irish Challenger Galatea. In 1893, Enid Wyndham-Quinn, sailed aboard Valkyrie II as a crew member.
In 1934 two prominent women featured in what is considered the ‘Golden Era’ of the America’s Cup: Elizabeth ‘Sis’ Hovey, an accomplished helm in her own right, became the first woman ever to win an international sailing event onboard the winning J-Class Rainbow and Phyllis Sopwith on Endeavour.
Yet, it is the legendary American sailor Dawn Riley who has undoubtedly done more for gender equality than any other in the America’s Cup. In 1992, she sailed aboard Bill Koch’s America 3 campaign in the Defender Series and in 1995 was team captain on Mighty Mary in what was a ground-breaking moment for female athletes in the event.
This is the first time as women that we have had the opportunity to work on a full project. It wasn't very accessible before. It's quite an honor to be part of a diverse and competitive team that is pushing hard every day to improve.
Francesca Clapcich
