The Bermuda Red Bull Youth America’s Cup team have been granted a free pass to the qualifying series of next year’s regatta thanks to an affiliation with Oracle Team USA, the defender of the coveted “Auld Mug”.

Oracle has struck up a partnership with Team Bermuda who they will mentor in preparation for the next Red Bull Youth America’s Cup to be held in June 2017 before the start of the 35th America’s Cup.

“We’re proud to be affiliated with Team BDA and to be helping to create a pathway towards a professional career in the sport,” Grant Simmer, the Oracle general manager, said.

“We will provide support to Team BDA, including use of our facilities and access to coaching and mentoring.

“We will do the same for whichever team emerges as an entry from the United States as well.”

Jane Savage, the Bermuda Red Bull Youth America’s Cup committee chairperson, is grateful for all the support that Oracle have provided.

“Oracle’s mentorship ensures Bermudians will get to watch live as their home team competes against some of the best sailors in the world,” said Savage, the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club’s first woman commodore.

“Oracle Team USA have been great ambassadors and have developed a big role in Bermuda’s community which is benefiting so many people in different ways.”

The Bermuda Red Bull Youth America’s Cup selection committee has been tasked with identifying a squad of 18 of the best sailors and athletes who, with intensive training and coaching, will be equipped to compete with the world’s best young sailors in the Great Sound.

The final racing team will consist of six Red Bull Youth America’s Cup squad members, with others supporting as training partners and a shore team.

The final training camp to determine who makes the final cut started yesterday.

The camp, which will put the contenders through intensive mental, physical and training tasks, will take place primarily at Oracle’s base and America’s Cup Endeavour West, both located in Dockyard.

The Red Bull Youth America’s Cup will bring the best national youth teams to Bermuda for racing during the next America’s Cup.

Six youth crews will compete in Bermuda through their affiliation with the America’s Cup teams. Up to ten additional teams will be selected by Red Bull Youth America’s Cup sport directors Roman Hagara and Hans-Peter Steinacher before December.

These top teams will then race in a qualifying series to determine the top eight who will compete in two days of racing scheduled during the week before the America’s Cup final.

All racing in Bermuda will be in the same one-design AC45F foiling catamarans the America’s Cup teams compete in the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series.

The primary aim of the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup is to provide junior sailors with a pathway to the senior America’s Cup level.

“The inaugural Red Bull Youth America’s Cup proved the concept — the best young sailors now have a pathway towards joining an America’s Cup team,” Jimmy Spithill, the Oracle skipper, said.

“Look no further than the Kiwi team, where Peter Burling, Blair Tuke and Guy Endean won the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup in 2013, and now they are leading Team New Zealand’s America’s Cup crew.

“On our team, Cooper Dressler is emerging as a strong force, joining us for a job on the shore team last year and basically forcing his way onto the sailing team through his determination and a great attitude to succeed.

“I have no doubt we’ll see some of the guys in this edition of the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup doing the same in a couple of years.

“It all starts with the young kids, who are getting a chance to experience the sport with America’s Cup Endeavour.

“This has been so successful in Bermuda that we’re now going to roll it out at the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series events in New York and Chicago this year as well.

“So from the kids, up to the youth sailors, and then to the America’s Cup, the pathway is there.”