Are you aspiring to continue your double-handed dinghy pathway and aiming to reach the British Sailing Team to campaign for future Olympics? Then this helpful guide is for you!

Who should consider this pathway?

Consider this pathway if you are at the end of your double-handed Youth journey and have been competing internationally at the front of the gold fleet, as well as winning races and finishing towards the top quarter overall.

You must also be eligible to compete for Team GB in accordance with the BOA (British Olympic Association) eligibility criteria.

What are my next steps?

We recognise that transitioning from a Youth class to an Olympic class racing can be hard. In recognition of this we have created two key tiers of support to help with this:

1. Olympic Double-Handed Academy (known as 'ODHA')
2. British Sailing Squad (known as 'BSS')

ODHA Programme

The overall aim of the Olympic Double Handed Academy (ODHA) is designed to serve as a stepping stone into the British Sailing Squad, offering a focused pathway towards international performance readiness. The programme aims to identify, support and transition the best sailing talent in the UK to Olympic Double Handed classes so that GBR maintains its record of consistently high medal-winning performance at the Olympic Games.

This programme provides an opportunity for talented athletes to develop their skills in an Olympic Class and compete at the highest level of international competition.

The programme normally runs from September to March, with UK-based activity, to help sailors gain experience and develop their skills within the boat. There is also a key selection point at Easter, whereby the top-performing teams are selected and supported for major international events in the summer.

There are also other ways of transitioning to Olympic Classes, such as reaching out to the Class Association and the Andrew Simpson Performance Centre. They may offer opportunities to help start your journey in your chosen Olympic Class.

Applications have now closed for the UK programme running September 2025 to March 2026.

The Notice of Selection for international events 2026 will be published in the winter.

The British Sailing Squad

This squad is seen as the next stage after the ODHA programme 'An Olympic class apprenticeship.' to allow sailors the opportunity to break into the top half in the World Class Programme. Sailors will be invited to this squad, dependent on their development, progression and demonstration of performances within the top 50% of an international senior fleet.

Podium performances at the age group may also gain consideration. This programme is designed to help sailors progress and deliver sailing performances that could be considered for selection into the British Sailing Team. It is assumed that the sailors in the British Sailing Squad will be of a standard to train with the British Sailing Team if required.

Selection is made by the Athlete Performance Review Panel, and an annual review of all athletes will take place each year at the end of the summer competition season. Additional reviews may take place quarterly, but any changes to the Athlete Performance Award (APA) Level resulting from quarterly reviews will be made by exception. The panel will consider sailors’ performances, progression and potential aligned to the British Sailing Team performance model.

All programmes are designed and prioritised based on performance gaps and class strategies. Each programme of support and days on the water will vary per class depending on the priority of the class.

Contact:

Performance Pathway Officer - sarah.marjoram@rya.org.uk