April 8, 2026

American Racing Challenger Team USA confirmed as the US-based America’s Cup Challenger representing Challenging Yacht Club Sail Newport, for the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup.

American Racing Challenger Team USA, representing Challenging Yacht Club Sail Newport, has been confirmed as an Official Challenger for the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup, marking a major moment in the resurgence of American sailing on the global stage.

The vision of entrepreneurs Karel Komarek and Chris Welch, American Racing Challenger Team USA, will be led by American yachtsman Ken Read, two-time Rolex Yachtsman of the Year and one of the world’s most accomplished and respected sailors.

The United States holds a unique and dominant place in America’s Cup history, having first won the trophy in1851 and successfully defended it for 132 years, the longest winning streak in sporting history. Despite these deep ties, prior to the confirmation of American Racing Challenger Team USA, the 2027 edition was set to mark the first time the competition would take place without a U.S. team. The return of an American challenge reflects both the extraordinary legacy of the Cup and a renewed ambition for the United States to compete once again at the highest level of the sport.

American Racing Challenger Team USA will begin its challenge on the front foot, having acquired key America’s Cup sailing assets from American Magic, including the AC75 yacht ‘Patriot’ and the team’s two AC40 platforms. These resources will enable American Racing Challenger Team USA to take its place on the starting line for the 38th America’s Cup in Naples in spring 2027

American Racing Challenger Team USA and Sail Newport are also delighted to welcome US Sailing to the initiative. Together, the partners will work to strengthen pathways into the sport, with a shared commitment to supporting youth development and expanding opportunities for female sailors, ensuring a more inclusive and accessible future for American sailing.
Further details on the official team launch will be announced in due course,today’s news represents a significant milestone for US-based sailing fans and America’s Cup enthusiasts around the world.

The competition for the world’s oldest trophy in international sport will unfold in the spring and summer of 2027 on the spectacular Bay of Naples in Italy, marking the first time the America’s Cup will be held in the country.

Karel Komarek
Founder & Chairman, American Racing Challenger Team USA
“The America’s Cup represents the pinnacle of sailing innovation, performance, and international competition. We are proud to bring an American contender back to the forefront of this historic event. This is a decision we have approached with great care and clear intent: we would only move forward with the right partners in place. Sail Newport’s pedigree, and its commitment not only to elite competition but also to the grassroots development of American sailing and expanding access to the sport, made it an inspiring partner.”

Chris Welch
Founder & Vice Chairman, American Racing Challenger Team USA
“This opportunity extends far beyond competition, it’s about seizing a rare chance to help shape the opening chapter of a new era in America’s Cup history.
With extraordinary momentum building behind the Cup, Karel and I are proud to play a role in returning the world’s most successful nation to this iconic stage, alongside some of America’s most powerful and recognizable brands.”

Ken Read
CEO, American Racing Challenger Team USA
“Having the opportunity to represent the United States once again in the America’s Cup is a tremendous honor. We’re under no illusion about the challenges ahead and we’re fully focused on building a team that can win the Cup. We are looking forward to building a program that American sailors can be proud of and establishing a legacy that endures well into the future.”

Grant Dalton
Chairman of America’s Cup Partnership (ACP)
“We are delighted to confirm Sail Newport, represented by American Racing Challenger Team USA as the American Challenger for the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup. The return of a strong US challenger is not only fantastic for the overall event and spirit of the competition but it’s amazing for fans around the world.”

David Blakey
Commodore of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (RNZYS)
“We are delighted to welcome a challenge from American Racing Challenger Team USA, representing Sail Newport. Given the United States’ remarkable history in the America’s Cup and the caliber of the team they have brought together, they will be a formidable competitor and a strong addition to what is shaping up to be an exceptional and hard-fought contest.”

Chris Long
President of Sail Newport
“In American Racing Challenger Team USA, we have found a partner that shares our mission and values, and one that can help bring Sail Newport’s long-standing spirit and energy in the sport of sailing towards challenging for the 38th America’s Cup. Sail Newport was founded when
the America’s Cup left Newport in 1983 to keep sailing strong and accessible. To now be part of the America’s Cup at the highest level is incredibly meaningful for us. Our organization was built to open the sport to everyone, and that mission continues to guide everything we do today.”

-Ends-

Note to Editors Media enquiries:
Lizzie Brooks, Communications Director, American Racing Challenger Team USA
[email protected]

About Karel Komarek:
Karel Komarek (b.15 March 1969, Hodonfn, Czech Republic) is a Czech entrepreneur,investor,and philanthropist. He is the founder and Chairman of KKCG, an international investment group headquartered in Lucerne with a focus on innovation and responsible,sustainable growth,and with businesses spanning entertainment,energy,technology,real estate and maritime ventures.
Komarek is an active yachtsman, regularly competing atthe highest level in international regattas,including the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, Barcelona Maxi Yacht Regatta, and RORC Nelson’s Cup Series, where his100-foot racing yacht V has achieved multiple podium finishes.

About Chris Welch:
Chris Welch is a sports entrepreneur, investor, and commercial dealmaker operating at the intersection of global sport, capital,and premium brands. A Co-Founder of the new American America’s Cup team, American Racing Challenger Team USA,he has a proven track record of delivering high-value partnerships across elite sport.
Welch is recognised for structuring complex sponsorship and investment deals in motorsport,including numerous title collaborations involving McLaren Racing,Scuderia Ferrari,and Williams Racing. His experience spans multiple tiers of the ecosystem, from Formula One to Formula E,consistently unlocking commercial value across both established and emerging properties.

He has also played a key role in bridging sport, luxury, and capital markets, notably through a landmark collaboration between Sotheby’s and McLaren Racing. Beyond motorsport,he is the founder of Run-To-Global and a founding investor in high-growth companies including Zilch Technologies Limited, with broader interests across technology and life sciences.

About Sail Newport:
Sail Newport,Inc., founded in 1983,isa nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.Sail Newport’s purpose isto foster the sport of sailing by providing affordable sailing opportunities to the public. As Rhode Island’s Public Sailing Center,the organization operates award-winning instructional programs for ages five and older,school programs, and maintains a fleet of rental keelboats and sailing dinghies. The Pell School Science and Sailing program for fourth-graders isa one-of-a-kind public school program integrating sailing with STEM topics.

For over four decades, Sail Newport has recruited and managed regattas,including many local,regional, national, North American,and world championships.Sail Newport hosts its annual keynote event,The Newport Regatta,every July. The organization has also managed major marine events,such as the Olympic and Paralympic Trials,the America’s Cup World Series, the World Match Racing Tour, and the only North American stopover for three Ocean Races. The Sail Newport Sailing Center isa prime one-design sailing facility equipped with hoists, dry storage,event dockage and modern onshore facilities. sailnewport.org. 

Sail Newport Contact: Kim Cooper, Marketing Director
[email protected]

About Ken Read:
Ken Read is one of the most accomplished American sailors of his generation. A native of Seekonk, Massachusetts, Read rose from a promising college sailor at Boston University, where he won College Sailor of the Year in 1982,to a world-renowned competitor.He has claimed over fifty world,national,and continental titles across classes including Etchells and J/24,and was twice named Rolex Yachtsman of the Year. Read has helmed three America’s Cup campaigns and led two Volvo Ocean Race teams to podium finishes.

Beyond racing, he has served as a commentator for multiple America’s Cup broadcasts and is President of North Sails and North Technology Group. His leadership and technical expertise have shaped modern competitive sailing. A 2025 inductee to the Sailing Hall of Fame,Read continues to race globally and advocate for the sport.

For further information, please visit: AmericanRacingChallenger.com