Sir Ben Ainslie is the most successful Olympic sailor of all time, he has competed and medalled at five Olympic games. At his first ever Olympic Games, aged 19, he won an Olympic silver medal and went on to establish himself as the world’s best by winning consecutive gold medals at the next four Olympic Games. Fresh from his London 2012 success, Ben turned his focus to the next challenge, competing with Ben Ainslie Racing (BAR) on the 2012/13 America’s Cup World Series. In the summer of 2013, he went on to join ORACLE TEAM USA as Tactician for their defence of the 34th Cup, helping the American team win the event, 9-8, against Emirates Team New Zealand.

Ben was an instrumental part in one of the greatest comebacks sport has ever seen, becoming the first Briton, for 110 years, to be part of a winning Cup team.

Winning the America’s Cup for another country, however, was not enough. Ben’s dream has long been to bring the America’s Cup back to Britain for the first time in its history and so in 2014 he founded a new British Challenger for the America’s Cup. Ben would go on to lead his first British challenge in the 35th America’s Cup in Bermuda. In 2017, the team fell short of victory.

Not to be deterred and driven by a desire to win, Ben challenged again some four years later, competing in the 36th America’s Cup in New Zealand and coming a step closer to success.

Now, as the Challenger of Record for the 37th America's Cup, Ben is once again leading the British challenge to bring home sport's oldest international trophy. This will be Britain’s third consecutive America’s Cup’s challenge, giving the team much needed continuity, something last achieved by Sir Thomas Lipton over a hundred years ago.

James Allison is Chief Technical Officer of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team and INEOS Britannia.

James’s motorsport career started in 1991, when he joined the Benetton F1 Team as a Junior Aerodynamic Designer immediately after graduating from the University of Cambridge.

Just two years later, James was appointed Head of Aerodynamics for the small Larrouse F1 squad. The cash-strapped team struggled for results and it wasn’t long before James was back at Benetton as an Aerodynamic Designer.

Success soon followed, as James celebrated Michael Schumacher’s Drivers’ Championship in 1994, with Schumacher and Benetton claiming the Drivers’ and Constructors’ titles the following year. James was promoted to Head of Aerodynamics in 1997.

Two years later, he swapped Enstone for Maranello and the new role of Trackside Aerodynamicist with Scuderia Ferrari, playing an important role in a period of unprecedented success, as the team won six Constructors’ Championships between 1999 and 2004.

After six years in Italy, James returned to Enstone, now under the Renault name, taking on the role of Deputy Technical Director. With Fernando Alonso at the wheel, Renault were the team to beat, taking top honours in the Constructors’ Championship in 2005 and 2006.

James was promoted to Technical Director in 2009 and remained with the team as it became Lotus Renault and later Lotus F1 Team, fighting back to the top step of the podium in 2012 at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with  the team’s first win in four years.

In 2013, James headed back to Ferrari, this time as Technical Director. After a fruitless year in 2014, James’s influence was crucial as Sebastian Vettel claimed three wins the following year, when the Scuderia emerged as the closest challenger to the title-winning Mercedes team.

James departed Ferrari midway through the 2016 season and returned to the Formula One grid in early 2017 as Technical Director of the Mercedes AMG-Petronas F1 Team. He has since played been a key part of the team’s successes and has won a further four Formula One Constructors’ Championships since he joined. James transitioned to the role of Chief Technical Officer in 2021, helping the team to meet the strategic challenges of the sport’s next era.

Dave joined INEOS Britannia for the team’s 36th America’s Cup campaign, where he was Project Director. For the team’s 37th America’s Cup campaign he has transitioned to COO, responsible for the day-to-day running and operations of the team’s campaign alongside Ben Ainslie.

Dave has competed in five America’s Cup campaigns (AC31 with One World, AC32 with Victory Challenge, AC34 and AC35 with Artemis Racing, and AC36 with INEOS TEAM UK) as well as three Volvo Ocean Race campaigns, juggling roles as a sailor and project management of the design and manufacturing of the race boats. He won the Volvo Ocean Race twice; in 2005/06 with ABN AMRO and 2008/09 Ericsson 4.

He has ten years’ experience in project management roles including most recently with marine tech company Artemis Technologies and Saildrone – a start-up company making autonomous sailing drones out of Alameda, CA.

Jo is the CMO/CCO for Britain's America's Cup team. Jo has worked alongside Sir Ben Ainslie for 17 years securing all his commercial funding through three Olympic campaigns and in 2011 the pair set the strategy of setting up a British America’s Cup team, to challenge for and win the trophy for Britain working with Ben throughout the last two AC campaigns.
 
Jo started her working life at Lloyds Bank International, but her love of sailing eventually pulled her from the City to compete on the International Match Racing Circuit for four years with double Olympic gold medallist, Shirley Robertson. The team were ranked number one in the world for over 12 months.

Outside of sailing, Jo has been actively involved in INEOS’ wider sports strategy, including leading the marketing for the INEOS 1:59 Challenge, Eliud Kipchoge’s successful attempt to become the first ever person to run a sub-two-hour marathon.

Matt Robinson is continuing in his role as CFO from the team’s 36th America’s Cup campaign. He comes from a background of Engineering & Construction and Project Finance, helping Finance teams to understand and interact with everyone in the organisation to provide a first-class finance service. He has graduated from Manchester University with a degree in International Management with French.

Geoffrey Willis is Technical Director of Mercedes-AMG F1 Applied Science and INEOS Britannia.

Having studied engineering at the University of Cambridge, Geoffrey followed this with several years of aerodynamic research at engineering consultancy BMT, whilst completing a PhD in aerodynamics at the University of Exeter.

In 1987, he made his first step into the world of competition engineering by joining the design group of Peter de Savary's Blue Arrow America's Cup Challenge. Here, he spent the next three years working on keel and hull design, in addition to testing and developing computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tools.

Geoffrey made his motorsport debut in 1990, joining the Leyton House team as a consultant and becoming one of the first to introduce CFD tools into the aerodynamic design process. The Williams F1 Team would beckon next and was where Geoffrey’s reputation grew within the aerodynamics arena, as the team tasted Constructors’ Championship success in 1992, 1993, 1994 and 1996.

Taking over as Chief Aerodynamicist from Adrian Newey in 1996, Geoffrey led development of the FW19 as the team took another Constructors’ Championship title in 1997. He remained with Williams for a further four years, winning races from the start of a partnership with BMW in 2000, before making the switch to the Brackley-based BAR in 2002.

As Technical Director, Geoffrey played an integral role in the BAR team’s rise up the F1 order, culminating in a second-place finish in the 2004 Constructors’ Championship standings. In 2007, Geoffrey would move to Red Bull Racing, helping the team move from mid-pack to challenging for regular race wins before stepping down as Technical Director in 2009.

Following a brief spell at the all-new Hispania Racing Team, Geoffrey returned to Brackley, with the team now operating under the Mercedes name, at the end of 2011, adding seven more Constructors’ titles to his tally as the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team claimed an historic run of consecutive crowns from 2014 to 2020. After 30 years direct involvement, Geoffrey is now stepping outside Formula One with his new responsibilities as Technical Director of the team’s Applied Science division and INEOS Britannia.

Key Achievements:
4 x Olympic Gold Medal Winner (Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012)
1 x Olympic Silver (Atlanta 1996)
1 x America’s Cup (2013)
Challenger of Record for the 37th America’s Cup

Sir Ben Ainslie is the most successful Olympic sailor of all time, he has competed and medalled at five Olympic games. At his first ever Olympic Games, aged 19, he won an Olympic silver medal and went on to establish himself as the world’s best by winning consecutive gold medals at the next four Olympic Games. Fresh from his London 2012 success, Ben turned his focus to the next challenge, the America’s Cup. Ben competed with Ben Ainslie Racing (BAR) during the 2012/13 America’s Cup World Series. In the summer of 2013, he joined ORACLE TEAM USA as Tactician for their defence of the 34th Cup, helping the American team win the event, 9-8, against Emirates Team New Zealand. Ben was an instrumental part in one of the greatest sporting comebacks ever seen, becoming the first Briton in 110 years, to be part of a winning Cup team.

After his win, Ainslie came back to England to set up a British Challenger for the America’s Cup, BAR (Ben Ainslie Racing). The team won the 2015/16 Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series and in 2017 he led his first British challenge to compete in the 35th America’s Cup in Bermuda. For the 36th Campaign, Ben partnered with INEOS to build INEOS Team UK, where Ben and team made it to the final in the Prada Cup in Auckland of 2021 for the 36th America’s Cup.

Ben is now the CEO and helm for INEOS Britannia, the official Challenger of the 37th America’s Cup.  

Key Achievements:

5 x America’s Cup Campaigner (2003, 2007, 2013, 2017, 2021)

1 x Extreme Sailing Series Winner (2009)

1 x Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series Winner (2016)

Runner up – Louis Vuitton Cup, Prada Luna Rossa Challenge, AC72 (2013)

1 x ACWS Prada Luna Rossa Challenge, AC45 Winner (2012/13)

1 x TP52 World Champion and Farr 40 European Champion

1 x Youth & Student World Match Racing Champion (2000)

David ‘Freddie’ Carr grew up on the Isle of Wight with sailing running through his veins, as his father, OBE Rod Carr, spent many years coaching at the Royal Yacht Association (RYA).

In 2000, Freddie won the Youth Match Racing World Championships in Auckland, which is also where he saw the America’s Cup for the first time.

Three years later, he started his America’s Cup journey and campaigned with the ‘GBR Challenge’ in 2003. Freddie went on to be a part of the ‘Victory Challenge’ in 2007, ‘Prada Luna Rossa Challenge’ in 2013, and has been with the British Challenger since 2015.

During his America’s Cup career, David has racked up an impressive eight podium finishes from 12 America’s Cup World Series (ACWS) events, including three event wins in the 2012/13 ACWS circuit and finished as runner up in the 2013 Louis Vuitton Cup (LVC) – the 30th anniversary of the event.

He has a multi-hull racing background, having competed in five Extreme Sailing Series and was crowned the 2009 Extreme Sailing Series Champion with Oman Sail.

Its great to have Freddie back with the team as a cyclor for his third campaign with the British Challenger.

Key Achievements:
1st in Finn Class at the World Cup Final, Santander 2017
1 x America’s Cup Campaign (2021)
Challenger of Record for the 37th America’s Cup

Ben Cornish grew up sailing a mirror dinghy on the Exe Estuary and progressed into the National Junior Squad, racing with partner Sam Mason. The duo went on to became under 16 National Champions.

He then moved up from junior sailing to compete in the single-handed Laser class and was selected for the RYA Olympic Development Squad. In the four years he spent with the team he was selected to represent Great Britain at three consecutive World Championships.

At the end of 2013 he switched to the heavywight Finn dingy, becoming a rising star in class and training partner to the Olympic hopeful, Giles Scott during his campaign for Rio 2016. One of his career highlights racing in the boat was a gold medal win at the Finn World Cup Final in Santander.

Ben joined INEOS Team UK for the AC36 for his first America’s Cup campaign as a grinder. Ben’s natural fitness and talent allowed him to be very successful throughout his first campaign. Ben rejoins INEOS Britannia for his second America’s Cup, as a cyclor, meaning he will be generating horsepower for the boat through is legs.

Key Achievements:
1 x Olympic Gold Medal, Rio 2016 (Men’s 8+, rowing)
Challenger of Record for the 37th America’s Cup

Matt Gotrel is back to where it all started. After winning a gold medal at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games as part of Team GB's rowing team, he has returned to the sport he loved from a young age. Matt started sailing at age eight, alongside his father and grandfather. After learning the ropes, he quickly took to high-performance skiff sailing, progressing into the Olympic 49er class.

After losing one too many times, Matt decided to start working toward a degree in engineering at Loughborough University. Sailing’s loss was rowing’s gain, as it was there that he took up rowing. Three years later, he joined the Great Britain Rowing Team, and with two world championships to his name, he won Olympic gold.

But Matt could not turn down the opportunity to get back in a boat, pull on the national jersey and represent Great Britain again just now going a bit faster, on the Sail GP circuit as a grinder.

Matt’s sailing talent quickly caught the eye of Ben Ainslie, where he invited Matt to join INEOS Team UK for the 36th America’s Cup as a grinder. Matt has rejoined INEOS Britannia for his second consecutive America’s Cup campaign as a cyclor, where he is will power the boat with his legs, requiring a big transition in the training for the role.

Key Achievements:
1 x Youth America’s Cup Winner, 2017
2 x National Champions in the 49er (2014, 2015)
2 x America’s Cup Campaigns with the British Challenger (2017, 2021)
Neil Hunter grew up on the Isle of Arran on Scotland’s west coast so was never too far from the sea. His racing career began at the age of 13, firstly in the RS Fevas, but quickly progressing into the International 420 youth class and Scottish RYA’s 420 Squad and then onto the 29er class sailing with his younger brother, Rory.

At the age of 18, Neil and Rory (Neil’s brother) got a 49er and they trained on their own every weekend for 18 months in Scotland between studying a degree in Naval Architecture at Glasgow University.

The training paid off when they made a breakthrough at the 2014 ISAF World Championships in Santander beating all the development squad and podium potentials at the event. The Hunter brothers were then invited to join the British Sailing Team Podium Potential Squad and they moved to Weymouth full time in November 2014 where they went on to be 49er national champions in 2014 and 2015.

In early 2016, Neil was invited to sail with the team at the first Extreme Sailing Series (ESS) event in Oman and has acted as Skipper for the ESS this season.
At the same time, the British Challenger for the 35th America’s Cup, Ben Ainslie Racing (BAR), launched an Academy programme. Neil immediately applied and was accepted into the squad. Four months later, Ben Ainslie invited Neil to race with the senior squad on board for the Cup. That was a hugely excited moment for Neil, and ever since then, Neil has been a part of the America’s Cup.

Neil was the grinder on board INEOS Team UK during the 36th America’s Cup, and Neil has re-joined INEOS Britannia as a cyclor for the 37th Campaign. Neil is training closely alongside his fellow cyclor teammates as they transition from an arm-dominant grinding, to a leg-dominant, cycling.

Key Achievements:
1 x Olympic Gold Medal in the 49er (London, 2012)
1 x Olympic Silver Medal in the 49er (Rio, 2016)
1 x Silver World Champion in the 49er (2015)
1 x Bronze World Champion in the 49er (2016)
3 x America’s Cup Campaigns

Iain ‘Goobs’ Jensen started sailing in his hometown of Wangi Wangi, Australia when he was five years old. At the age of 16, he represented Australia for the first time, winning the double handed 420 Youth World Championships.

In 2009 he won the 49er World Championships in Lake Garda, Italy and two years later claimed his second 49er World Champion title in Perth, Australia. In 2012 he won an Olympic gold medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games and went on to win a second Olympic medal – silver – at Rio 2016. 

Iain has campaigned as wing trimmer with Artemis Racing for two America’s Cups; the 34th America’s Cup in San Francisco and the 35th America’s Cup in Bermuda, where the team were knocked out at the Playoff Finals by AC35 winners, Emirates Team New Zealand.

Iain joined the British Team for the 36th America’s Cup where he worked closely with the engineers and designers, helping to design the systems and development for the soft sails. Jensen has rejoined INEOS Britannia for his 4th America’s Cup, and second consecutive campaign with the British Challenger.

Key Achievements:

2 x Olympic Athlete in the Tornado Class (2004, 2008)  

2 x Sliver World Championships Winner (2003, 2005)

2 x Extreme Sailing Series Winner (2012, 2013, 2015)  

2015 – Winner of the GC32

Leigh grew up on the Isle of Wight and began sailing from a young age. He learned to sail in optimists, quickly progressing into dinghies, and then into the single-handed Laser Radial. He made the RYA’s Youth Squad and won the Youth Nationals in the Radial in 1988. That win opened up possibilities for Leigh, as he got introduced to multihulls and finished sixth at the ISAF Youth World Championships in South Africa.

Leigh proudly represented Great Britain the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics in the Tornado, with teammate Will Howden. While it was disappointing for them to not come away with a medal, Leigh learned and achieved a lot over those eight years, including winning two world championships (2003 and 2005).

After the Tornado was dropped as an Olympic event, Leigh began helming for the Extreme Sailing Series, winning the event title in 2012, 2013 and 2015.

In late 2015, Leigh joined then Ben Ainslie Racing (BAR) as back up helmsman. Since then, Leigh has been a hugely important part of the team, transforming into a flight controller for AC36. Leigh is now on his third campaign with the British Team and looks to bring it back to where he grew up, the Isle of Wight.

Key Achievements:
2 x America’s Cup Campaigns
1 x Volvo Ocean Race
Bleddyn was born in Bangor (North Wales) and started sailing at an early age from TraethBychan on Anglesey; initially with his brothers in Mirrors before moving on to a Topper. In his teenage years, he became a World and European medallist in the 29er.

Bleddyn studied Mechanical Engineering Aerospace at the University of Southampton, which included a 12-month industrial placement with the Red Bull Formula 1 team as part of the Aerodynamic Development Group. While he was at university, he competed in the Extreme Sailing Series with The Wave Muscat in 2012 and joined Ben Ainslie’s J.P. Morgan BAR for their ESS campaign in 2014. He has also competed in 49ers, 470s, Etchells and several IRC classboats.

In 2015 he joined the British challenge for their 35th America’s Cup campaign in Bermuda, taking on both a sailing and design role - as part of the Performance and Instrumentation Team. He went straight from Bermuda to compete in the 2017/18 Volvo Ocean Race joining ‘Turn the Tide on Plastic’, a mixed, youth focused team led by Britain’s Dee Caffari. 

Bleddyn continued with his dual role during the AC36 with INEOS Team UK, where the team made it to the Prada Cup Final in Auckland of 2021. Bleddyn has rejoined INEOS Britannia continuing as a sailor and a key member of the design team.

Key Achievements:
2 x America’s Cup Campaigns
1 x Volvo Ocean Race Winner (2015)

Luke Parkinson began sailing in a mirror dinghy at the age of five in Perth, Western Australia. He has since gone on to compete in one Red Bull Youth America’s Cup (2013), two America’s Cup (AC35 in 2017, AC36 in 2021) and two consecutive Volvo Ocean Races (2014/15, 2017/18). In the build-up to London 2012 he also campaigned in the Olympic 49er class, training with Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen.

His first taste of America's Cup racing came in the 2013 Red Bull Youth America’s Cup in San Francisco with Objective Australia Team and his first Cup campaign was with Artemis Racing, for the 35th America’s Cup in Bermuda. Artemis Racing progressed to the Louis Vuitton Cup Finals where they were defeated by the eventual winners, Emirates Team New Zealand.
During his first Volvo Ocean Race, with Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, Luke was one of only two under-30’s onboard and after ten months of intense racing, they came away winners. After the AC35 in Bermuda, he returned to ocean racing for the 2017/18 edition, with Team Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag.

Luke returned to the America’s Cup in 2018 with INEOS Team UK where they made it to the Prada Cup in Auckland, 2021. He returns to INEOS Britannia for the 37th Campaign as flight controller.

Key Achievements:
2021 – 4th at Tokyo Olympics
2019 – Gold in the M4- at the Europeans Rowing Championships
2017 – Gold in the M4- at the World Rowing Cup III

Matt grew up in Newbury, England, learning to sail from a young age with his grandfather in Christchurch down on the south coast. As he loved being out on the water, Matt took up rowing at around the age of 11 and quickly excelled.
Matt has a very successful Junior and U23 Rowing career, winning Gold in the JM4- at the World Rowing Junior Championships in Beijing, China in 2007. In 2009 and 2010 he finished Bronze and then Silver in the respective BM8+ and BM4-.

In 2017, Matt joined the senior squad, where he continued to succeed, performing well at Trials and won Gold at the World Cup in 2017.
After retiring from rowing in the fall of 2022, Matt joins INEOS Britannia as a cyclor. This is his official debut into the professional sailing world. Matt is looking forward to being a part of the team and be a cog in the machine to make the boat go as fast as possible.

Key Achievements:
2 x Olympic Gold Medal Winner in the Finn Class (2016, 2021)
3 x America’s Cup Campaigns (2013, 2017, 2021)

Giles was born in 1987 in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire UK and started sailing at a young age.
Giles had a successful youth sailing career, winning the RYA Youth Championships and Trials in 2005 in the Laser Standard, followed by a gold medal at the ISAF World Youth Championships. In 2006, Giles started sailing the Finn Olympic single-handed dinghy. He instantly took to the boat and in his first year finished 14th at the World Championships. Giles progressed up the ranks, winning the 2011 Finn European and World Championships, and pushing Ben Ainslie all the way in selection trials for the Team GBR spot at the London 2012 Olympics.

He then moved into the America’s Cup circuit first on board with Team Korea which led to joining the Italian Challenger, Prada Luna Rossa for the 34th America’s Cup in 2013.

Back in the Finn, during the 2014 season Giles was head and shoulders above the rest of fleet, picking up seven consecutive regatta victories. He looked untouchable in his build-up to the Santander 2014 ISAF Worlds and delivered with an exemplary performance to comfortably win his second Finn world title. Giles went on to achieve his Olympic dream by dominating the Finn Class at 2016 Rio Olympics and bringing gold back to Britain.

Straight after the 2016 games, Giles returned to the America’s Cup re-joining Ben Ainslie’s British Challenger to compete in the 35th America’s Cup in Bermuda. He continued with the British America’s Cup Team, INEOS Britannia during the 36th Campaign as well, while he continued training for the Olympics.

Giles continued his Olympic success at the 2021 Tokoyo Summer Olympics, where he won gold in the Finn class, bringing home another gold medal.

Giles retired from Olympic sailing in early 2022, and is on his third consecutive America’s Cup Campaign with the British Challenger, hoping to bring the Cup back to Britain.

1 x Finn National Champion

James Skulczuk first learned to sail aged six when his Dad took him to his local Yacht Club. As a keen sailor and passionate sportsman, James quickly progressed through the single-handed RYA pathway. In 2016, he started sailing the Finn and found his passion. In 2019, James became Finn National Champion but the following year his sailing career was halted for a short while due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The University of Surrey graduate decided to concentrate on his fitness during that time and worked hard on his cycling. After hearing the America's Cup would be using pedal power, he called fellow Finn sailor, Giles Scott, to find out more. After taking part in trials James joined the INEOS Britannia Team as a Cyclor, a role which he said combined his two passions - sailing and cycling. 

1 x Henley Regatta Winner

Ryan Todhunter's main sport was rowing, which he took up relatively late during his second year at Northumbria University aged 21. He decided to join the University's rowing course after being inspired by rowers at the London 2012 Olympic Games. After just two years in the sport, he was offered a Scholarship at Durham to complete a Masters degree and join their rowing team. After completing his Masters at Durham, Ryan moved to Leander Club, where he won the Henley Regatta in 2020 and competed in a World Cup for Team GB.

After various trials, Ryan was selected to join the INEOS Britannia Team as a Cyclor for the 37th America's Cup. The role is Ryan's debut in the world of professional sailing and he has dedicated his time to training camps in both cycling and sailing ahead of the 37th America's Cup.