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Financing innovation tackles high upfront costs for Olympic-class sailors
Monday, February 23, 2026 — 16:31:09 (UTC)
New Partnership Introduces First-of-its-Kind Model To Democratise Olympic Sailing
Financing innovation tackles high up-front costs for Olympic-class sailors through manufacturer‑backed access LONDON, February 23 2026 – Sporta, the new financial home for UK sport, today announced a pioneering partnership with Performance Sailcraft and Magic that promises to transform access to Olympic-class sailing and the wider dinghy market while addressing one of the sport’s most persistent structural barriers: upfront cost.
The partnership has launched a first-of-its-kind manufacturer‑backed access and ownership model for Olympic sail-class boats and the other dinghies manufactured by Performance Sailcraft. Inspired by mature asset‑finance models in sectors such as automotive, the programme has been purpose-built for high‑performance sailing, allowing sailors and clubs to access competitive equipment without the need for large upfront capital.
Sailing has long relied on a traditional ownership model that increasingly limits participation by affordability rather than talent. High‑performance boats are often beyond the reach of local clubs and aspiring athletes, creating a growing risk to participation, retention and long‑term performance pathways. This new partnership directly addresses that challenge by shifting the emphasis from ownership to access.
Sporta is building the UK’s first bank dedicated to sport, leisure and wellbeing, supporting at every level from grassroots local participation to national and international excellence. By providing best-in-class digital infrastructure, financial tools, and rewards, Sporta is designed to specifically support clubs, communities and athletes. Sporta is progressing its UK banking licence application, with approval targeted for Q3 2026.
“The financial status quo within sailing caps participation by affordability rather than talent,” said Andrew Smith, founder and CEO of Sporta. “This partnership shows what becomes possible when finance is structured properly for the realities of sport: giving athletes and clubs access to the equipment they need at the moment it matters most.”
Industry research highlights the urgency of this finance gap. The World Sailing Trust reports that 88% of female sailors receive close to no financial support and face obstacles through relying on self-funding to continue competing. The Trust also warns that sailing is falling behind other sports in terms of financial support and equity, highlighting that financial pressure is creating a structural risk to participation, retention and the long-term strength of the talent pipeline.
“The UK is one of the world’s strongest Olympic sailing nations, particularly in women’s events, yet the financial model underpinning the sport is quietly undermining the next generation of success,” Smith added.
Key features of the new funding model include:
Performance Sailcraft, one of the world’s most established builders of high‑performance dinghies, provides the boats and backs the programme at manufacturer level. Magic, an asset‑intelligence fintech, restructures traditional dinghy ownership into a flexible access model that shares risk, embeds insurance, and guarantees clear end‑of‑term options. Sporta provides the capital and financial structuring that underpins the model, ensuring it operates within UK financial rules and delivers long‑term sustainability for clubs and athletes.
Under the programme, sailors and clubs can access Performance Sailcraft dinghies with an initial payment of around 30%, followed by 24 interest‑free monthly payments. At the end of the term, athletes have guaranteed options to buy the boat at a predetermined price, return it, or upgrade to a new model. This reduces upfront costs by up to 70% compared to outright purchase, while maintaining manufacturer backing and embedded insurance.
For sailing clubs, the model enables modern, competitive fleets to be financed without tying up scarce capital. Clubs can expand participation, run parallel training programmes and manage assets more effectively, rather than delaying investment or limiting access due to cost.
Andrew Smith commented: “Talented sailors often delay or forego new equipment because of prohibitive upfront costs. By deploying capital through Magic’s asset-intelligence platform we’re enabling access to competitive boats at the right stage of an athlete's development, not years later. This is about building the financial infrastructure sport has been missing for decades, in a way that regulators, clubs and athletes can all trust.”
“Sporta and Performance Sailcraft have a shared passion for sailing,” said Nick Ogden, CEO of Performance Marine Group, who owns Performance Sailcraft. “Our organisations share the same vision that sailing access should be driven by talent, not wealth. We chose to work with Sporta because they are experts at removing financial friction responsibly. Together, we are bringing genuine innovation to sailing finance. With this partnership, based on our shared history of innovation (Andrew and I previously co-founded ClearBank), we believe we are finally giving sailors and clubs the structured support they need.”
Initially, the programme will roll out in the UK on 21st February 2026 at the RYA Dinghy show at Farnborough, to align with the start of the European sailing season. Based on this seasonal market approach, plans are in place for a rollout in Australia: as the Southern Hemisphere’s summer and regatta season arrive. Performance Sailcraft has a 23,000 sq ft manufacturing and distribution facility in Moriseet, Australia.
Notes to editors About Sporta: Sporta is the new financial home for UK sport. Built to empower community clubs, athletes, and fans by providing digital infrastructure, financial tools, and rewards that help clubs thrive and create new opportunities for growth. By turning financial services into belonging and a movement, Sporta ensures that sport remains a shared source of wellbeing, pride, and performance for generations to come.
As part of its vision, Sporta is aspiring to become a fully licensed retail bank in the UK - building the trusted financial foundation that the sports ecosystem needs to grow sustainably. Alongside this ambition, Sporta advocates and raises awareness for the importance of sport, not only for communities to have the financial support they need, but, but also to showcase the journeys of clubs, athletes, and communities to inspire more people to get active, join new clubs, and participate.
Biographies of Core Team
Andrew Smith: Founder & CEO, Sporta
Andrew is one of the UK’s most respected fintech leaders and a pioneer of modern banking infrastructure. As the Founding CTO of ClearBank, the UK’s first new clearing bank in more than 250 years, he helped redefine the market and popularise Banking-as-a-Service. His career spans senior architecture and technology leadership roles at Barclays, HBOS, NatWest, RBS, Norwich Union and Britannia, followed by entrepreneurial ventures in mobile payments and financial market infrastructure, including Founder & CEO of CloudZync and founder of RTGS Global. Andrew is a former National League Basketball player, 2nd XI Cricket player and avid motorsport enthusiast.
Vicky Gosling OBE: Global Sports Leader, Sporta
Vicky Gosling OBE is a highly regarded leader across UK sport, defence and public service. A former RAF Group Captain with a distinguished military career. She is Chief Executive of GB Snowsport, Chair of GB Surfing, Custodian of the Rugby Centurions, and a Board Director for the Jockey Club at Aintree Racecourse and Lost Shores surf resort. She also sits on the British Olympic Association Board as Urban Sports Advisor. Vicky is also the former CEO and current Chair of the Invictus Games and has held senior leadership roles across defence, veterans’ welfare and government advisory groups.
About Performance Marine Group
Performance Marine Group (PMG) is an international leader in high-performance boating, comprising two specialist divisions - Performance Sailcraft and Performance Powercraft - each dedicated to excellence in their arena while united by a shared mission to redefine the marine sports industry through innovation, quality, and athlete support.
Performance Sailcraft is a trusted name in competitive sailing with more than70 years of legacy, delivering Olympic-class dinghies to athletes around the globe. The brand also holds exclusive rights to the Byte and Byte CII classes, supporting accessibility and development pathways for emerging sailors. With global operations across Asia & Oceania, Europe & the Middle East, and the USA, Performance Sailcraft ensures precision-engineered dinghies are within reach of the world’s most passionate competitors.
Performance Powercraft leads in the realm of offshore and endurance powerboating. The division is behind the groundbreaking Thunder Child II, a record-setting vessel operated by PMG’s elite 54 Knots Endurance Team. These innovations embody PMG’s relentless pursuit of speed, safety, and sustainability on the water. PMG is independently owned and globally recognised, giving it full control over design, production, and distribution. This autonomy allows the company to maintain the highest standards across every touchpoint.
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Source: Company press release. 
Categories: Partnership
