The island’s Red Bull Youth America’s Cup team are facing 40 days of intensive training as they prepare for the biggest test of their lives.

Starting in little more than a month, Team Bermuda will be undergoing physical drills and technical exercises on the water and off as they prepare for the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup next year.

The sessions will be used to select a team of six to compete in the races, with the rest of the 15-strong squad assigned to positions on the shore and as backup for the six starting crew members.

Ultimately the squad are training to race AC45F catamarans, the same high-tech, high speed vessel used in the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series.

Emily Nagel, a member of Team Bermuda who competed in the 2015 ISAF Team Racing World Championships, said she was sure the training sessions would be a big step up for everyone.

“The AC45Fs are incredible boats and you obviously have to be a skilled sailor as well as an immensely fit athlete if you have a chance of being able to compete,” she said.

“I cannot wait to get involved. I’m lucky enough to have sailed in a number of World and European championships, but competing in the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup will be a whole new level.”

Team Bermuda are being mentored by Oracle Team USA, and will the American team’s representative in the Red Bull event.

They will compete alongside five other America’s Cup teams on the Great Sound during the 35th America’s Cup, with another ten teams competing to join them in a qualifying series.

The top eight teams will face off over two days of fleet racing.

Team Bermuda will train from June 4 to 12, July 4 to 10, July 16 to 23, August 8 to 19 and September 10 to 17.