Former America’s Cup Champion Launches Breakthrough for Female Athletes

Maury Leyland-Penno, the first woman to race on a New Zealand boat in the America’s Cup, is now championing a nutritional breakthrough aimed at enhancing the performance of female athletes. In 1995, Leyland-Penno became part of Team New Zealand’s Black Magic boat during the Louis Vuitton Cup in San Diego, marking a significant moment in the history of the competition.

At just 24 years old, Leyland-Penno took on multiple roles, including boat designer, backup navigator, and performance analyst. Her contributions were instrumental in the team’s success; they won a race against the Spanish Challenge by a staggering 20 minutes, ultimately securing the America’s Cup for New Zealand for the first time.

Reflecting on her experiences, Leyland-Penno noted, “I was out on the boat every single day – grinding and sailing for eight or nine hours, six days a week.” Despite her official role in the design team, she was heavily involved in sailing and performance analysis, often working long hours without proper guidance or support. This relentless workload affected her health, leading to significant stress and burnout.

Leyland-Penno’s journey into nutrition began after her America’s Cup experience. She recognized the need for better dietary practices during her athletic career, particularly in understanding the importance of nutrition for performance. This realization has culminated in her latest venture, Leaft Foods, which focuses on extracting high-performing protein from lucerne, also known as alfalfa.

In collaboration with her husband, John Penno, Leyland-Penno founded Leaft Foods in 2019. The start-up aims to harvest rubisco, a protein found in the leaves of forage crops. “Many have tried to extract rubisco protein in the past, but nobody has got this far,” she remarked, highlighting the success of their research and development process.

Nutritional Innovation for Athletes

The company has developed Leaft Blade, a performance fuel shot that combines rubisco protein with other essential macronutrients. This product is designed to be easily digestible and has shown promising results in enhancing athletic performance. Leyland-Penno noted the lack of research into protein metabolism specifically for women, indicating a new area of focus for Leaft Foods.

Leyland-Penno emphasized the broader implications of their work, stating, “New Zealand needs a future beyond dairy, a future where we have high-value exports.” The extraction process of rubisco has a significantly lower environmental footprint compared to traditional protein sources like meat and dairy. For instance, lucerne farmers associated with Leaft produce 2.5 times more protein per hectare than dairy farms, with 94 percent fewer emissions and 97 percent less water usage.

The benefits of Leaft Blade have already been witnessed by athletes like Samara Sheppard, a professional cyclist who represented New Zealand at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. After using Leaft Blade during her recovery from an injury, Sheppard reported improved energy levels and a more regular menstrual cycle, which is crucial for endurance athletes.

Similarly, Olympic kayaker Lucy Matehaere has incorporated Leaft Blade into her training regimen. She stated, “I’ve noticed having a Leaft protein hit in the morning has helped my energy across the day.” With her background in biomedical science, Matehaere understands the importance of nutrition in athletic performance, particularly during intense training periods.

Empowering Female Athletes

Leyland-Penno’s commitment to supporting female athletes extends beyond her own experiences. She is encouraged by recent changes in the America’s Cup regulations, which now require that every crew include at least one woman. This shift aims to bridge the gap in opportunities for female sailors and inspire a new generation of women in the sport.

The impact of Leaft Foods is already being felt across various sports, with male and female athletes alike embracing the benefits of rubisco protein. “Swimmers, runners, surfers, fighters, wrestlers, and snowboarders” are now using the product, as noted by Nathan Sheppard, head of go-to-market at Leaft Foods.

Leyland-Penno finds fulfillment in her journey from sailing engineer to nutrition advocate. “Women don’t have to be athletes to benefit from this, either. I’m menopausal, so there’s never been a better time,” she said, reflecting on her broader mission to improve health and nutrition for women.

Through Leaft Foods, Leyland-Penno continues to pioneer advancements in athletic nutrition, ensuring that female athletes have access to the resources necessary to excel in their sports. As she embraces her new role, she remains committed to making a substantial difference in the future of food and nutrition for athletes worldwide.