NYYC American Magic announces Women's Team for the Puig Women’s America’s Cup

New York Yacht Club American Magic proudly introduces 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 10 to 16 in Barcelona, Spain.

Among the half-dozen athletes on the squad are four Olympians, two former winners of US Sailing’s Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year award, and a recent winner of The Ocean Race. Collectively, they bring to this challenge an unparalleled level of accomplishment and expertise. The six sailors are:

Francesca Clapcich: Park City, UT

Erika Reineke: Fort Lauderdale, FL

Steph Roble: East Troy, WI & Miami, FL

Helena Scutt: Kirkland, WA & San Francisco, CA

Sara Stone: Marion, MA

Anna Weis: Fort Lauderdale, FL

"It's an honor to be selected for the American Magic Women’s Team and compete for the Puig Women’s America’s Cup,” said Erika Reineke, 2017 US Sailing Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year. "My teammates bring valuable experience from different classes, and we’re excited to learn from each other, work together, and maximize our potential. Training with both the American Magic Cup Team and the Youth Team is a great opportunity. We're one team, all aiming for the same final result in Barcelona."

Guided by Terry Hutchinson, Skipper and President of Sailing Operations, and Coach Charlie Ogletree, NYYC American Magic has meticulously crafted a versatile lineup of extraordinary female sailors, many of whom excel in multiple positions.

"After a rigorous selection process, we have assembled a strong sailing team with a blend of talent and experience. The development process, led by New York Yacht Club members Peter McClennen, Suzy Leech & Amy Ironmonger, has yielded impressive results," said Terry Hutchinson.

The Puig Women’s America’s Cup is a momentous step forward for women in sailing, offering a unique platform to demonstrate their outstanding skills on high-performance boats. NYYC American Magic's Women's Team is honored to be part of this pivotal moment in the sport's history, and these remarkable women are poised to redefine the boundaries of competitive sailing.

Suzy Leech, co-leader of the New York Yacht Club Women’s and Youth America’s Cup Task Force and a veteran of the 1995 America³ America’s Cup team, expressed her pride and enthusiasm for the exceptional group of women, highlighting the team's unmatched dedication and passion for sailing. She emphasized, "Our goal is not just to compete but to win the Puig Women’s America’s Cup, illustrating that U.S. women can reach the pinnacle of this sport."

Committed to rigorous training, perpetual growth, and mastery of the AC40s, the NYYC American Magic Women's Team is steadfast in its determination to win the Puig Women’s America’s Cup in Barcelona in 2024.

This journey has been made feasible by the dedicated support of American Magic team principals (Hap Fauth and Doug DeVos), the New York Yacht Club, donors, sponsors, and volunteers. NYYC American Magic is profoundly dedicated to inspiring the next generation of female sailors and pushing the sport's boundaries.

“On behalf of the flag officers and members of the New York Yacht Club, we are incredibly proud of the accomplished and motivated female athletes who will represent us in the inaugural Puig Women’s America’s Cup,” said Commodore Paul M. Zabetakis, M.D. “The fact that four of the six were members before the start of the selection process speaks to our Club’s desire to continue to be a leader in the sport.”

Francesca Clapcich (Park City, UT)

Francesca Clapcich brings an impressive sailing career to the NYYC American Magic Women's Team. She crewed onboard 11th Hour Racing, the first US-flagged team to win the Ocean Race, and named by World Sailing as the ‘2023 Team of the Year’. She also competed in the Laser Radial class at the London 2012 Olympics and achieved a 5th-place finish in the 49er FX at the Rio 2016 Olympics alongside Italy’s Giulia Conti.

Francesca has excelled in numerous championships, securing a World Championship title in 2015 and achieving third place in the 2014 49erFX World Championship. Additionally, she clinched the European Championship in 2015 and achieved podium placements in various World Cup events.

Erika Reineke (Fort Lauderdale, FL)

Erika Reineke is a sailor with a rich history of success and currently competes in multiple disciplines at the top level of the sport. In the past month, she has won Gold at the 2023 Pan American Games in the ILCA6 class and triumphed in the most recent SailGP event in Cadiz, ESP, serving as a strategist for the US team. Erika is also training for the US Olympic Trials with the goal of representing the USA in the Women’s One Person Dinghy event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Her sailing career began at a young age with multiple national championships in the Optimist class. As a collegiate sailor, she made history by becoming the first person to win four Singlehanded National Championships. Her other accolades include the title of Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year in 2017, four Collegiate All-American titles, and Quantum Women's Sailor of the Year.

Steph Roble (East Troy, WI & Miami, FL)

Steph Roble's sailing career is filled with remarkable achievements, including a World Championship, five National Championships, and multiple podium finishes at World, National, and Continental Championships. One highlight of her career was being awarded the prestigious 2014 US Sailing Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year.

Steph brings to the NYYC American Magic Women’s Team the benefit of her experience as a professional sailor in many roles, including bow, tactician, strategist, and helm. She is also an experienced Match Racing skipper, having won both the US Women’s and Open Match Racing Championships, providing the team an essential advantage for the Match Racing Finals of the Puig Women’s America’s Cup. 

Steph's 49erFX Olympic campaign with Maggie Shea is currently ranked 3rd in the world. They represented the USA at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, with the duo now training their sights on Paris 2024.

Helena Scutt (Kirkland, WA & San Francisco, CA)

Helena Scutt, a skilled sailor and engineer, brings a unique blend of technical expertise and sailing prowess to the NYYC American Magic Women's Team. As the 2022 International Women's Moth World Champion and a 2016 49erFX Olympian in Rio with skipper Paris Henken, her achievements are diverse, with top-10 international rankings in 49erFX and Nacra 17 classes. Helena has been celebrated as the 2022 Foiling Awards Female Sailor of the Year.

With a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University, Helena serves as a Mechatronics Engineer for American Magic, playing a pivotal role in designing sailors' interfaces for American Magic’s AC75 foiling monohull, adding a unique technical perspective to the team.

Scutt's ambitions are high, aiming to win the Puig Women's America's Cup as a sailor, secure victory in the 37th America's Cup as an American Magic engineer, and defend her Women's Moth World Champion title in New Zealand in 2024, just months after concluding her time in Barcelona.

Sara Stone (Marion, MA)

Sara Stone's dedication to sailing is reflected in her impressively diverse resume. Sara excels in distance racing, foiling, match racing, and fleet racing across various boat classes. Her offshore experience exceeds 25,000 nautical miles, including 5,000nm of double-handed sailing, with a notable victory in the inaugural 2022 Bermuda Doublehanded Return Race. She is also one of the only permanent female crew in the ultra-competitive international TP52 Class as a member of the Quantum Racing, powered by American Magic Sailing Team.  

Sara earned recognition as a 2022 Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year Finalist for her broad-based success. She aims to make history as part of the first-ever women's America's Cup, where intensive training sessions and racing will help bridge the experience gap for female America's Cup competitors, allowing women to compete on an equal footing in future America’s Cups.

Anna Weis (Fort Lauderdale, FL)

Anna Weis, hailing from Fort Lauderdale, FL, was recognized as a finalist for the Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year in 2021. She made her mark at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, finishing 9th in the Nacra 17 class. Anna has earned gold medals at prestigious events like the 2019 Pan American Games and the 2020 Nacra 17 Pre-Worlds.

Anna Weis views the Puig Women's America's Cup as a historic moment for women in sailing and an opportunity to achieve equality in professional sailing. In addition to training in the AC40s, her focus is on campaigning for the LA 2028 Olympic Games in the foiling windsurfing iQFoil class, with the goal of winning both the Puig Women’s America’s Cup in 2024 & an Olympic gold medal in five years.