14 July 2026
From youth sailing to SailGP
The performance pathways into professional sailing careers
When SailGP arrives in Portsmouth this summer, the high octane racing roadshow will bring with it who’s who of the world’s most accomplished sailors. Many of whom first developed their skills in the British Sailing Pathway.
As thousands of fans watch the cutting-edge F50 catamarans fly across the Solent at speeds topping 60mph, young sailors will be seeing not only a world-class sporting spectacle, but also where their own journey might lead.
The British Sailing Pathway has long been recognised as a route to Olympic success. It is also now becoming the foundation for a wide range of professional opportunities across a rapidly evolving sport, with sailors progressing into SailGP, the America's Cup and other elite racing circuits, alongside careers in coaching, performance analysis, engineering and operations.
Among the 13 SailGP teams in Portsmouth will be an impressive alumni of British Sailing athletes, coaches and support staff. The Emirates GBR team alone features a wealth of home-grown talent, including strategist Hannah Mills, driver Dylan Fletcher, wing trimmer Stu Bithell, data analysts Nick Robins and Ben Cornish, and coach Robbie Wilson. Half a dozen or more rival teams likewise include top British sailors who came through RYA youth and Olympic programmes.
For Jonny McGovern, British Sailing Pathway Head Coach, the growth of professional opportunities is enabling young sailors to understand there is no longer a single definition of success in the sport, with a breadth of prospects now available for realising their aspirations on a world stage.
“We’re trying to help sailors see that there are different avenues to take and you don’t have to go Olympic sailing to have a really exciting career in the sport,” he said. “Our pathway programmes are about creating people who are passionate about sailing for life, who also have transferable knowledge and experience for advancing on and off the water, whether that’s within or beyond the sport.
“Especially when our sailors reach the higher levels of the programme, for example, they find it’s not just about the racing, it’s like running a mini business at times – you have to finance it, sort the logistics and all the communication with different stakeholders - and that is what’s really cool about sailing in general, it just gives you that vast range of skills for achieving your goals in life.”
Opening doors
Unique opportunities are emerging with the growth of high-profile pro circuits such as SailGP, a new two-year America's Cup cycle starting in 2027, and initiatives such as the Athena Pathway for British female and youth athletes.
To shine a spotlight on the range of possibilities, a multiclass British Sailing Youth Team training camp in May included a chance to win SailGP tickets and ‘tech tours’ of the Emirates GBR base in Portsmouth.
"We want young sailors to understand the diversity of roles available to them," McGovern explained. "They might watch SailGP or go on one of these tours and realise there are opportunities as an analyst or engineer, and start thinking about how they could combine university with a career in the marine industry. The intention is to raise awareness about all of the options that exist after youth sailing.”
The British Sailing Youth Team also visited the Emirates GBR base ahead of last year’s SailGP in Portsmouth, with Hannah Mills and Dylan Fletcher on hand to share their experiences of progressing from youth sailing to the pinnacle of professional racing, and talking about the wider operation, highlighting not only how the boat is sailed but what goes on behind the scenes to make SailGP happen.
Hannah said afterwards: “All of our team are really passionate about trying to inspire the next generation into either trying to race on these boats or just the amount of careers there are within the sport. Even if you aren’t racing on the boat there are so many amazing jobs and opportunities.”
Reflecting on the skills taken forward from their own pathway in the sport, Hannah added: “That foundation of youth and Olympic sailing has allowed us to do this type of sailing – you can’t skip the steps. These boats are full on but ultimately the racing skills you learn through your journey within the sport is what brings you to be able to sail these boats. So we’re strong advocates of that journey and the learning process and steps along the way.”
Future talent
Following an open trials process earlier this year, the Athena Pathway Program (APP) announced the selection of its first Youth Squad cohort of 13 sailors. Among them was 20-year-old Sam Webb from Lymington, who progressed through the British Sailing Pathway from Optimists to success in the RS Feva junior racing class, then national and international youth titles in the 29er, and Olympic class 470 sailing.
Impressive during simulator exercises, Sam joined the Athena Pathway race crew as a trimmer for the America’s Cup Preliminary Regatta in Cagliari, Italy. Describing it as in incredible opportunity, he commented: “Training alongside athletes and sailors of this calibre has already taught me so much, and I’m excited to continue learning and pushing myself in such a high-performance environment.”
APP aims to extend and develop its squad ahead of the Youth America's Cup next summer, in Naples, Italy. Its long term vision is to nurture talent for the Youth America's Cup and the Women's AC in 2029 and beyond.
With pathways into professional sailing continuing to expand and gain prominence, SailGP and its teams will again be looking forward to inspiring the next generation when the circuit returns to the UK next week (25-26 July 2026).
See you in Southsea
With 13 national teams competing on the tumultuous waters of the Solent, fans can expect intense, close-quarters racing just metres from the shoreline.
Spectators will enjoy grandstand views of the flying F50 catamarans, alongside a vibrant event atmosphere both on and off the water. The après-sail entertainment will feature headline performances from Jess Glynne (Saturday) and Craig David (Sunday), making it an unmissable summer event for sailing fans.
The RYA team will be based in the SailGP Race Stadium all weekend. Whether you're keen to chat about RYA training courses, the British Sailing Pathway or taking the RYA Green Blue pledge, drop by our stand in between the action and chat to the team. You can even test your skills on our windsurfing simulator or dive into the world of foiling and dinghy racing via our VR headset.
Find out more about the Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix Portsmouth and get your tickets.