America’s Cup challenger INEOS Britannia and the Great Britain SailGP Team have announced long-term partnerships with Italian helmet brand KASK.
Both teams will wear KASK sailing helmets which have been specifically engineered for the sailing team’s needs and designed in collaboration with the athletes.
INEOS Britannia, which is led by Sir Ben Ainslie and backed by INEOS and its owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, compete in The America’s Cup, the international sailing race and oldest international sporting trophy in the world. The 37th America’s Cup will take place in Barcelona in 2024.
INEOS Britannia cycling athletes already wear KASK helmets in its road-cycling competitions.
The Great Britain SailGP Team meanwhile, compete on the annual SailGP circuit which features nine national teams battling in short, intense races at stadium-style venues across the globe, with sailing’s top prize of $1m on offer (£800,000).
As well as being worn during sailing and cycling, KASK’s safety helmets will also be used by both the shore and operations teams for all on-shore boat operations by both teams.
Neil Hunter, INEOS Britannia Cyclor and Great Britain SailGP Team Grinder commented, “We are proud to have KASK supporting us as we race on the SailGP Circuit and as we train to compete in the 37th America’s Cup. It’s a major benefit for the cyclors that they have products performing at the highest level across cycling and we couldn’t ask for a better partner to delivery and develop a safe but high performing helmet.”
Diego Zambon, General Manager at KASK, said, “We are very proud to have been chosen by these two world-class teams who only partner with the very best in their field. Both KASK Sport and KASK Safety have been involved in this partnership and will continue to work closely with INEOS Britannia and the Great Britain SailGP Team to ensure the needs of not only the sailors, but also the shore and operations staff, are met.
“The safety of all those involved is of paramount importance, especially when the highly advanced boats get craned in and out of the water on a daily basis.”
Sir Ben Ainslie, CEO and driver of INEOS Britannia and the Great Britain SailGP Team, added, “Both teams have huge goals to achieve and we rely on our partners to help us push the boundaries of technology and engineering so we can be the best in the field. We chose KASK due to their helmets’ unrivalled safety, quality and attention to design that enables the highest performance to be achieved.
“We look forward to KASK joining us on our journey both on the water and on the bike.”
