RYA Pathway Club programme opens for applications
Aimed at making junior racing more affordable, accessible and engaging, the RYA officially launched its new Pathway Club initiative at the 2025 RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show and is now inviting potential host clubs to apply.
The Pathway Club scheme is a new programme to identify and develop clubs around the UK to provide affordable, excellent sailing and coaching for junior racers.
It aims to develop a network of high-quality clubs – or collectives of smaller clubs (Pathway Hubs) – across the country that create fun racing in an accessible environment where young racers can develop great fundamental skills and feel part of a bigger team.
The initiative is part of the RYA’s evolution of the British Sailing Pathway and will help drive quality delivery more locally to sailors, reducing the need for them to travel long distances for training and reducing the financial and time cost to them and their families.
Pathway Clubs will focus on the recognised junior classes (Optimist, Topper, RS Tera, RS Feva, ILCA 4, Cadet and Techno) and will provide an easily-accessed, high-quality and – most importantly – fun race training programme that leads to more regular participation and racing.
They will also develop an active junior community, fostering a lifelong love of sailing that enables participation as a team to represent their club or hub at regional events.
Inspiring the next generation
Dylan Fletcher MBE, Hannah Wilcox, Ross Ryan (Notts County SC), Roger Cerrato (Warsash SC) and Eilidh McIntyre MBE launch the Pathway Club programme at the RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show
RYA Pathway Club Manager, Hannah Wilcox, said: ‘We’re looking forward to supporting clubs that inspire the next generation of sailors by providing fun, accessible, and high-quality race training close to home.
"Pathway Clubs will not only champion exceptional coaching and junior racing but will also benefit from expert mentoring, access to British Sailing Pathway coaching resources and a clear framework to ensure young sailors can thrive on and off the water and develop a lifelong love of the sport."
Notts County Sailing Club has been part of an initial pilot of the new programme, with Ross Ryan explaining its benefits from a club perspective.
“The Pathway Club programme provides an ideal framework for those clubs wanting to set-up / run high level race development for junior club racers - inspiring the next generation into our great sport,” Ross explained.
“Notts County wanted to embrace the new initiative and conducted a broad review of what best practice looked liked – we have been committed to junior racing for many years and were really keen to get involved.
“We are looking forward to access to quality materials which will help our coaches be even more inspirational for the young sailors.”
Become a Pathway Club
RYA affiliated clubs have previously been invited to review the host club criteria and submit expressions of interest, but the formal application process is now open.
Clubs can apply to become a Pathway Club through the same RYA Portal that is used to complete annual RYA affiliation renewals.
Pathway Club status is an annual appointment, and clubs will be required to complete a short return each year, at the same time as they renew their RYA affiliation.
For more information on the Pathway Club initiative or changes to the British Sailing Pathway visit the pathway web pages or send questions to pathway@rya.org.uk