North Sails has a long history with the America’s Cup, supplying every America’s Cup Defender and Challenger since 1988. Our shared story is one of innovation, often resulting in breakthrough sail design and materials.
While the boats and rules may change over the years, the America’s Cup is the oldest trophy in the sport (dating back to 1851) and remains one of the world’s premier sporting events. The competition features the world’s best sailors racing boats that are constantly pushing the boundaries of what is possible. Teams representing just four nations (the United States of America, Australia, New Zealand and Switzerland) have won the trophy in over 160-years of competition.
Many members of the North Sails team have been and remain intimately involved in the Cup. They are considered world experts with unrivaled knowledge and experience in the event. Our products continue to meet the high demands of the teams in terms of technology, performance, and durability, combined with unparalleled service support. North Sails President and America’s Cup veteran, Ken Read, said:
“North Sails has become a figure in the America’s Cup because the company has always strived to be the technological leader. Who knows what it will look like in another 10-15 years? I give our designers, technicians, and engineers a pretty nice edge on figuring out what that next step will be. It will be fascinating to watch, just like it always has been.”
North Sails supports dozens of boats across the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race fleet with tailored products and best-in-class support. Mark Bradford, Managing Director of North Sales Australia, provides this year's race preview.
Travis Odenbach is ecstatic and now unburdened having finally won a J/24 World Championship title after nearly 15 years of thinking about it.
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