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Vancouver, BC – September 26, 2024 – Team Canada’s Women’s Team, led by Isabella Bertold, has launched the “It’s Time” campaign—a powerful rallying call to champion women’s sport and inspire support as they compete in the inaugural Puig Women’s America’s Cup in Barcelona.

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This milestone event marks the first time women have competed in the America’s Cup, the world’s oldest international sporting trophy dating back to 1851.

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The “It’s Time” campaign is a bold initiative to inspire future generations of female athletes and challenge the status quo in a sport that has been historically male-dominated. The campaign highlights the passion and determination of Team Canada’s women’s team, sailing under the banner of Concord Pacific Racing, as they step onto the pinnacle stage of sailing.

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“It’s about time women were on this stage,” said Isabella Bertold, Principal of Concord Pacific Racing. “This campaign is about more than racing. It’s about shining a spotlight on the incredible female athletes in our team and providing young girls with role models. If you can see it, you can be it, and we want to show aspiring female athletes that they too can compete at the highest level.”

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The campaign draws on findings from Canadian Women & Sport, whose 2023 report shows that 2 in 3 Canadians are fans of women’s sports, with strong demand for increased representation and visibility. The report also highlights that younger audiences—particularly Gen Z and millennials—are driving this demand, with 85% of fans engaging by watching women’s sports on TV or online. The “It’s Time” campaign seeks to meet this demand, calling on fans, corporate partners, and communities to support women’s sailing as it takes centre stage.

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Corporate partners Concord Green Energy, RBC, TELUS, and Dilawri are playing a key role in amplifying the “It’s Time” campaign, leveraging their extensive customer networks to raise further awareness. Their investment underscores the increasing appetite for women’s sports in Canada, particularly among younger generations who are passionate about gender equity and diversity in sport. 

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“We want to congratulate Emirates Team New Zealand and their CEO Grant Dalton for their leadership in bringing this historic moment together. It’s long overdue,” said Terry Hui, President and CEO of Concord Pacific Developments. “Beyond the competition, this moment goes further by breaking down barriers and opening up career paths that, until now, have been almost exclusively available to men. The opportunities for women in sailing, and sport more broadly, are expanding, and this is just the beginning. We're proud to be supporting Concord Pacific Racing and shining a spotlight on the incredible talent of these female athletes.” 

Fans across Canada can witness the Puig Women’s America’s Cup live on TELUS Optik TV, TSN, the official America’s Cup website, and YouTube. For more information on how to tune in, visit America’s Cup Viewing.

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The “It’s Time” campaign also invites fans to share their stories and support for women’s sport using the hashtag #ItsTime. By joining the conversation, fans can help amplify the message of gender equity and highlight the importance of visibility for women in sport.

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You can follow all the action of Concord Pacific Racing on Instagram or via the team website.

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About Concord Pacific Racing:

Team Canada’s goal is to win the first-ever Puig Women’s America’s Cup and the UniCredit Youth America’s Cup regattas in Barcelona 2024, inspiring greater participation, excellence and pride across Canada. Team Canada consists of two distinct squads: the Women’s team and the Youth team. The athletes will train together but compete in separate races. The Women’s team, composed of a crew of four led by Isabella Bertold, competes during the America’s Cup Final series in early October 2024. Andrew Wood is the Youth Team Lead, and similar to the women, also has a four-person crew that will compete in September.

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More about Concord Pacific visit: concordpacific.com

More about Concord Green Energy visit: concordgreenenergy.ca

More about RBC Royal Bank visit: rbcroyalbank.com

More about TELUS visit: telus.com

More about Dilawri visit: dilawri.ca

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Yacht Club of Record: Royal Vancouver Yacht Club

For media inquiries, contact:

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Concord Pacific Racing
James Rigby
james@jrigby.co | +44 7835 356 210

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Concord Pacific Developments

‍Peter Udzenija

peter.udzenija@concordpacific.com | 604.762.4872