Australian Challenge ‘frothers’, Olympians, Sydney-Hobart guns for Women’s, Youth America’s Cup

It’s the famous event upgrading the image of sailing forever, from boring and staid to super fast, super cool and super fan friendly. And two crews of Aussie “frothers” are part of the transformation

Australia's youth and women's America's Cup Challenge squad. Pictire: Nicole Douglas

Think sailing is staid, pompous, full of blue blazers, old silverware and older money, then it’s time to think again.

The new world is super fast, super cool and super fan friendly and two teams of Australian young guns are part of the radical transformation where sailor will fly above the water, not through it, and computer games are part of the training program.

The 17 sailors unveiled to lead Australia back into the America’s Cup arena via new women’s and youth regattas in 2024 are more likely to be slurping an energy drink than a gin and tonic and definitely keener to be out on the racetrack than reliving past glories on a bar stool.

And a $280,000 simulator is the weapons of choice as a training tool for the young talent from NSW, Queensland and Western Australia selected from 500 plus applicants to be part of Australian crews competing next year in Barcelona.

“We call ourselves frothers because we are frothing we are so excited, just having so much fun,’’ said London Olympic silver medallist and Paris Olympic hopeful Olivia Price from the women’s squad.

The new fresh faces of Australia's youth and women's America's Cup Challenge squad. Picture: Nicole Douglas

Australia II America's Cup winning skipper John Bertrand said while punters may have found sailing in the past to be ”dull and boring’’ that has changed with the Australian challenge where the attractions of e sport collide with best aspects and skills of traditional sport.

“It’s a new world of opportunity,’’ Bertrand said of the team training in a simulator with sophisticated software developed by the New Zealand America’s Cup campaign.

John Bertrand with simulator footage in the background at the launch off the Australia's youth and women's America's Cup Challenge squad. Picture: Nicole Douglas

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“We are competing in a virtual world … in the future we could have millions of people competing in real time. The world of sailing is changing with e sport.’’

But right now just eight sailors in total will race the women’s and youth AC40s - a crazy foiling monohull capable of speeds close to 30 knots - or 56km/h - and where the athletes sit in pods using buttons and toggles to fly, steer and race the machine.

Mara Stransky, Olivia Price and Lisa Darmanin are in Australia's youth and women's America's Cup Challenge squad. Picture: Nicole Douglas

George Richardson, Miles Davey and Max Paul at the launch of the Australia's youth and women's America's Cup Challenge squad. Picture: Nicole Douglas

But with the boats expensive to build and largely unavailable, the 17 named on Thursday will be using the simulator for computer wars between them and the crew they will meet in Spain next year with the cockpits, helm wheels, control devices and instrumentation displays replicating those in the actual boat to be raced.

The series has been designed to create a pool of both male and female athletes to eventually move up into the America’s Cup arena proper.

It is also hoped it will trigger interest in Australia returning to the America’s Cup.

The Australian Challenge squad boats Olympians, world ranked sailors, international champions and Paris Olympic hopefuls, including 49er skiff hopeful Max Paul.

“Australia’s re-entry in this competition is so important to us and we are aiming to make

our nation proud again with such a legacy to uphold,” he said.

The squad is dominated by NSW sailors with Tokyo Olympian Mara Stransky and Tom Needam hailing from Queensland and Paris Olympic hopeful Zoe Thomson from Western Australia.

Team Australia Challenge Squad: Finn Alexander, Tash Bryant, Lucy Copeland,

Nina Curtis, Lisa Darmanin, Miles Davey, Jack Ferguson, Evie Haseldine, Tom

Needham, Max Paul, Olivia Price, George Richardson, Harry Smith, Mara Stransky,

Cole Tapper, Zoe Thomson and Annie Wilmot.