Emily Nagel has big plans in store as she sets her sights on competing in the inaugural Women’s America’s Cup in Barcelona, Spain, next year.

If all goes accordingly, the Bermuda sailor hopes to represent Great Britain, who will be among the twelve teams battling for the right to be the first to have their name inscribed on the new trophy.

“I am working as hard as I can to earn a spot with the Women’s America’s Cup team, but only time will tell,” Nagel told The Royal Gazette.

The Women’s America’s Cup will feature up to 12 women’s teams competing on identical AC40 foiling yachts to be operated by a crew of four.

At present, Nagel is involved in the Athena Pathway Programme in the UK. Led by Hannah Mills, the most successful female Olympic sailor, the new programme attempts to level the playing field in high-performance foiling sailing and bring diversity into the professional sport.

The immediate objective is to fast-track the development of female athletes into the prestigious SailGP and America’s Cup.

Nagel competed for Athena Pathway at this month’s 2023 ETF26 Grand Prix season opener in La Trinité Sur Mer, France.

The professional sailor took the helm of a star-studded all-women’s team that included Olympic gold medal winner Eilidh Mcintytre, the versatile Kate MacGreggor and Nacra 17 great Nikki Boniface.

The team finished eighth of the nine teams in the regatta but Nagel was blown away by the opportunity to test her skills at this level.

“It was a brilliant experience and great to get out racing in a very competitive and experienced fleet,” she added.

“I have spent a lot of time pursuing the foiling world over the past few years and I was very fortunate to have been asked to join the Athena Pathway for the first event of the ETF series.”

The foursome were chosen on ability and required weight restrictions for the class following two trials held last month in challenging weather conditions and they went into the regatta with very little experience competing together.

“We went into the event with only one day of training as a team, which meant it was quite a steep learning curve for all the team when we went into racing on day two of sailing together,” Nagel said.

“Some of the teams we raced against are in their fifth season of competing, so it was very much a learning experience for my squad.

“Despite that, though, we are all quite competitive sailors in nature and gave it our absolute all in every race, and so we were pleased to get a few decent scores on the board.”

Nagel was just as thrilled to have competed alongside a talented group of sailors.

“I had Nikki on main trim. She has loads of foiling Catamaran experience, having been part of SailGP GBR for the past season and a very successful Nacra 17 Olympic campaign,” she added.

“Eilidh was flight controller and while this was her first time sailing a foiling boat, she brought so much to the team as an Olympic gold medal-winner.

“Kate was on bow and she is an absolute machine. A multiple world champion and an Olympic sailor, she was one of the sailors who inspired me to start match racing as a teen, so it was incredible to have the opportunity to sail alongside her.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better group of women to sail with. I’ve learnt so much from them during this event and so grateful to have had their trust.”

The regatta was contested in the ETF26, a 26-foot foiling catamaran built to one design specification.

Nagel and her colleagues will continue to be assessed in order for Athena Pathway to select the best teams for all ETF26 events as well as to generate a team to compete in next year’s Women and Youth Americas Cup, which will be held in conjunction with the 37th America’s Cup.

“Up next, the Athena Pathway ETF26 will be sailed by a male youth team for the next event and will continue to rotate sailors through the season to allow for as many of the potential Women’s and youth Americas Cup trialists to gain more racing experience,” Nagel said.

“As for me, I do hope I will have another opportunity to race with the team. In the meantime I am spending as much time as possible out training on my foiling Moth as I campaign towards the 2023 Foiling Moth Worlds, which are taking place in Weymouth, UK, this June.

“I am very proud and excited to have the opportunity to represent Bermuda among the fleet of 150 boats from all over the world. I have been working multiple jobs to fund my campaign but as the excitement builds, I know it will all be worth it.”