Aspen sailor honored by being named to America’s Cup Hall of Fame

Growing up in the shadow of Newport, much of Josh Belsky’s childhood was spent idolizing the world’s best sailors. From 1930 until 1983, the Rhode Island town hosted the America’s Cup, which is largely considered the pinnacle of competitive sailing.

And it inspired Belsky to pursue a career he’s now taken all the way to the hall of fame.

“As a young boy, I walked the docks where the racing was with all the race boats and the men who sailed them. They were my childhood heroes,” he said. “I knew at a young age that was a path I wanted to take, and that sailing was somehow going to be incorporated into my avocation and my vocation, as well.”

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Belsky, now 57 and splitting his time between his primary home in Aspen and his cottage in Oregon, put together a remarkable sailing career. He was part of five America’s Cup teams, winning three, and that success led to him recently being named a 2024 inductee for the prestigious America’s Cup Hall of Fame.

Joining him in this year’s class are Britain’s Bob Fisher, New Zealand’s Kevin Shoebridge and Spain’s Juan Vila. They will be honored at an Oct. 14 induction gala in Barcelona, which is also hosting the 37^th America’s Cup, beginning with the opening ceremony on Aug. 22 in Spain.

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A pitman, Belsky was largely responsible for pulling the sails up and down via many ropes, a physically demanding role that always made him want to return.

“I suffered a number of injuries over the years, but always came to the valley to get fixed by Dr. Steadman over in Vail,” he said. “It’s a little bit like you need to be an octopus to do the pit on a boat like that. That was my specialty.”

Belsky accomplished plenty during his sailing career, including when he won the Whitbread Round the World Race, a nine-and-a-half month odyssey that took him and his EF Language teammates from England, around Antarctica, and back.

But in the end, it all comes back to the America’s Cup.

The race is a multi-day affair between two opposing vessels, one the defending champion and one the challenger. Dating to 1851, race organizers claim to have the oldest international sporting trophy. America’s Cups are only held every 3-4 years and are hosted by the defending champion. The last America’s Cup was hosted in 2021 by New Zealand.

“I competed in five America’s Cups, and I won three. Lost one and didn’t make it to the final in one. I’m proud of my record,” Belsky said. “I love the pressure that came with the job. It was very close boat-on-boat racing and there was no room for error. You had to make split-second decisions and act and be confident that you were doing the right thing. And I loved the pressure. It was what kept me in that position and kept me coming back for more.”

Belsky’s America’s Cup career was kickstarted by a fellow part-time Aspenite, Bill Koch. The billionaire businessman is a passionate sailor and was the owner/skipper of America³, which won the 1992 America’s Cup in San Diego, a team Belsky was part of. Belsky was also part of America’s Cup wins in both 2003 and 2007 with Ernesto Bertarelli’s Alinghi.

Along with the Whitbread Round the World Race win, Belsky pointed out the 2003 America’s Cup win as one of his greatest accomplishments. It was that team’s first attempt at the America’s Cup as a group, and despite the uncertainty, Alinghi dominated the competition en route to victory.

“That was probably one of the more proud moments of my life,” Belsky said. “We put our heads together and worked really hard and won it on our first try. It was a lot of seasoned veterans and on paper we looked great, but we didn’t know if it would work in reality.”

Belsky, an avid skier and kite surfer, is long retired from the rigors of America’s Cup racing, but has continued to make a career out of the sailing industry, working mostly with private clients.

acolbert@aspentimes.com