Sir Ben Ainslie and Hannah Mills’ Athena Pathway has announced its Women’s and Youth foiling squads ahead of the 2025 International WASZP Games next month. The Athena Foiling Pathway (AFP) is a collaboration between Athena Pathway and the Andrew Simpson Performance Academy to develop the next generation of foiling athletes competing in SailGP and the America’s Cup.
Athena Pathway last year created history by reaching the final of the inaugural Women’s America’s Cup in Barcelona, alongside securing a podium place in the Youth America’s Cup. Central to this success is the Athena Foiling Programme (AFP), which serves as the foundation for developing the next generation of high-performance sailors.
Through the AFP, Athena Pathway is committed to identifying, training, and mentoring young British talent, with the goal of preparing them to compete at the highest level — including future editions of the America’s Cup. By combining cutting-edge technology, expert coaching, and hands-on experience, the programme is creating a clear pathway to professional foiling success.
For the past 12 months, the Athena Foiling Pathway has trained, developed and coached 20+ individuals across three teams: U18s, U21s and a Women’s Senior Team. The squad selection process was carried out by Athena Pathway Women’s America’s Cup Finalist and Olympic gold medallist Saskia Clark, U18 Head Coach Rory Wilson and Andrew Simpson Performance Academy Manager James Parker-Mowbray.
North London teenager Kai Hockley will also race for Athena Pathway as a development sailor, following eight months of training with AFP. He relocated to Weymouth as part of the programme, gaining full-time access to a WASZP and support from AFP coaches to accelerate his development in high-performance sailing.
The WASZP class is designed to be accessible, affordable, and easy to learn, making it a great entry point into foiling for a wide range of sailors.
The WASZP Games (19–25 July) are a cornerstone event for the WASZP class, bringing together sailors of all ages, skill levels, and backgrounds for competitive racing in a friendly, inclusive environment. The 2025 edition has received a record breaking entry of 248 sailors and counting and will take place in Weymouth and Portland and is expected to be one of the biggest foiling events in history, with record entries and a focus on creating an unforgettable experience for all participants.
U18 Team:
The U18 team is made up of seven sailors who are new to this type of development programme. Many of the sailors in the group were introduced to the sport during the Athena Junior Foiling Week in 2023.
- Robert Andrew-Byne, 17 - Midlands, Draycote Water Sailing Club
- Nicola Richards, 16 - Weymouth, Castle Cove Sailing Club
- Helena Mills Bowers, 16 - Parkstone Yacht Club
- Theo Smith, 16 - Solihull, Draycote Water Sailing Club
- Oscar Hoyle, 13, - Parkstone Yacht Club
- Imogen Green, 16 - Hinckley, Draycote Water Sailing Club
- Harry O’Callaghan, 14 - Royal Victoria Yacht Club
U21 Team:
This group of nine individuals consists of sailors that have transitioned out of traditional youth pathway boats and into foiling.
- James Crossley, 19 - Portland, National Sailing Academy
- Kai Hockley, 19 - Queen Mary Reservoir
- Toby Smith, 17 - Cambridge/Rutland Sailing Club
- Ben Anderson, 15 - Gurnard Sailing Club
- Hugh Doyle, 18 - Winchester, Andrew Simpson/WPNSA
- Harriet George, 18 - Royal Harwich Yacht Club
- Merryn Attridge, 17 - Portland, Castle Cove Sailing Club Weymouth
- Flo Tovey, 16 - Swansea, Mumbles Bay Yacht Club
- James Deaton, 21 - Ipswich, Royal Harwich Yacht Club
- Megan Farrer, 18 – Emsworth Sailing Club
- Samson Cross, 17 - Datchet Water Sailing Club
Women’s Senior Team
Four sailors complete the women’s senior team, whose focus is the WASZP International Games next month.
- Katy Jenkins, 19 – Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy
- Alice Senior, 25 – Royal Thames Yacht Club
- Jasmine Boote, 26 - Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy
- Rachael Betschart, 19 – Royal Bermuda Yacht Club