From Birmingham to the Solent: RYA Targets Untapped Talent in Bold Inclusion Drive
WaveMakers: Opening the Door Wider
For decades, the pathway into elite sailing has been clear — but not always accessible.
Now, the Royal Yachting Association is taking another step to change that.
The expansion of its WaveMakers programme into Portsmouth marks more than just a new location. It signals a deliberate shift in how talent is found, supported and developed across British sailing — with a focus on potential, not privilege.
Working in partnership with the Andrew Simpson Foundation, the programme is designed to identify young sailors who might otherwise never reach the start line — let alone the podium.
From Pilot to Purpose
WaveMakers didn’t appear overnight.
It was born out of the RYA’s Pathway Review — a clear-eyed assessment of where talent was being missed, and why.
The conclusion was simple:
Too many capable young sailors were being lost before they even had a chance.
Barriers weren’t always about ability. They were about:
Cost Access to facilities Confidence Lack of exposure to the sport
The Birmingham pilot, launched in 2024 and supported by Sport England and SportsAid, proved something important.
When those barriers are removed — talent appears.
And it appears quickly.
Portsmouth: A Natural Next Step
The move to Portsmouth is not accidental.
Based at the Andrew Simpson Centres, the new site places WaveMakers at the heart of one of the UK’s most active sailing regions — with direct access to the Solent, world-class conditions, and a culture built around performance.
But this isn’t just about geography.
Portsmouth brings something new to the programme:
A stronger focus on foiling and board disciplines A pathway into Olympic classes such as iQFOiL Exposure to higher-performance sailing environments
While Birmingham continues to develop dinghy sailors and transition them into youth classes, Portsmouth pushes the next step — speed, precision and modern Olympic sailing.
More Than Talent Identification
WaveMakers is not a one-off initiative.
It’s a structured pathway.
The programme combines:
Community outreach Talent identification Year-round coaching Financial and logistical support Transition into elite development systems
And critically — it works with families and communities, not just individuals.
Because if you don’t build trust around the sailor, you don’t keep the sailor.
A Long-Term Play — With Clear Targets
This isn’t vague ambition.
The targets are defined:
Selection into the British Sailing Youth Team within four years Podium finishes at Youth Nationals within five years Consistent progression into Talent Academies
That’s not participation.
That’s performance.
Changing What the Sport Looks Like
Nick Scott, RYA Director of Sport, put it plainly:
WaveMakers is about ensuring sailing reflects modern Britain — not just historically, but going forward.
The aim is not just to find talent.
It’s to change who sees sailing as an option in the first place.
Richard Percy of the Andrew Simpson Foundation reinforced that message: This is about creating real opportunity — not just opening the door, but helping people walk through it.
Why This Matters
Sailing has always been a sport of skill, judgement and resilience.
But access has often been uneven.
WaveMakers is an attempt to correct that — not by lowering standards, but by expanding the pool of people who can reach them.
And if it works, the long-term impact is bigger than medals.
It’s cultural.
It creates:
New pathways New role models And a sport that looks more like the society around it What Happens Next
The Portsmouth programme is expected to begin onboarding its first sailors around Easter, with recruitment focused on connecting directly with local communities.
That’s where this either succeeds or fails.
Not in press releases.
But in who turns up — and who stays.