COBHAM ULTRA GB2 YOUTH TEAM ANNOUNCED

Cobham-Ultra GB2 has confirmed the eight young sailors who will represent Great Britain at the Youth America’s Cup in Naples in 2027, with the final four racing crew to be selected from the squad ahead of the event:  

Helms 

• Finn Dickinson, 23, Hayling Island
• Sam Dickinson, 21, Hayling Island
• Ryan Littlechild, 24, Sydney 
• Duncan Gregor, 22, Helensburgh 

Trimmers 

• Sam Webb, 20, Lymington 
• Jas Williams, 22, Falmouth 
• Kuba Staite, 21, Hayling Island 
• Matt Beck, 25, Herefordshire 

Under the British team’s new structure, the Youth America’s Cup team will race under the Cobham-Ultra GB2 banner in an AC40, with sailors selected through the Athena Pathway. 

The selection process has been highly competitive with Athena Pathway receiving 158 applications before inviting 21 sailors to open trials at the Olympic legacy venue in Portland, Weymouth. A core squad of 13 was named in March and since then the squad has been through a development programme combining simulator time, WASZP sailing and, for some, time on the AC40.  

The final 8 were then selected following an intensive three-day trial combining one-to-one interviews with assessed simulator sessions testing communication, teamwork and performance under pressure. 

The five athletes from the Athena Youth Squad who were not selected for Naples remain important members of the pathway and are all young enough to compete in future editions of the Youth America’s Cup. Their continued development will be an important part of building the next generation of British sailing talent. 

Hannah Mills OBE, Team Principal of Cobham-Ultra GB2 and Athena Pathway, said: “Our Youth team brings together sailors from a real mix of backgrounds, from wing foiling and kiteboarding to the 49er, Nacra, Moth and Laser. Having athletes who each bring different skills to the table adds real depth to how the group learns and develops together. 

“I’ve already sailed with several of the team, and I’m hugely impressed by the dedication, talent and energy of this next generation. I can’t wait to watch them develop as a team and push for success in Naples next June.” 

The Youth America’s Cup, for sailors aged 26 and under, has established itself as an important proving ground for the future stars of the sport. In Naples, seven youth teams will compete to be crowned Youth America’s Cup champions as part of the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup. 

Britain has already seen the value of that pathway first-hand. Neil Hunter was part of the British team that won the Youth America’s Cup in Bermuda in 2017 and was promoted to the senior British America’s Cup team that same year, becoming the youngest sailor at the America’s Cup. He went on to race in the 36th & 37th America’s Cup for Britian and now competes with the Emirates GBR SailGP Team. 

The move to a two-year America’s Cup cycle also creates greater opportunities for the latest generation. Several of the sailors selected for Naples could still be eligible to compete in the Youth America’s Cup at the following edition, giving them the opportunity to build experience across multiple campaigns. 

The British team will be looking to build on its performance at the 37th America’s Cup in Barcelona in 2024, where it finished third in the Youth America’s Cup. 

Youth Team member Jas Williams said: “It’s really inspiring to be coming up through the pathway as part of the next generation, and it’s an amazing team to be a part of. There are so many moving parts to a campaign like this, and just watching it all come together is so inspiring.” 

The team will now head to Naples for a series of training camps, before relocating there full-time in early 2027 to continue preparations for the Youth America’s Cup, which takes place from 2–6 June."

SQUAD INSIGHTS:  

Finn Dickinson – ILCA Under-21 World Champion and one of Britain’s leading young sailors, who narrowly missed a senior European medal with a fourth-place finish at the ILCA Senior European 2026 Championships in Athens. 

Sam Dickinson – Brother to Finn, Sam competes on the international  kite foiling circuits, as of September 2026 he is ranked 5th in the world and pushing to qualify for his first Olympic games. 

Ryan Littlechild – Joins Cobham-Ultra GB2 after completing a 10-month development programme with GB1, having first been talent-spotted by Athena Pathway through his performances in the Moth class, including a fourth-place finish at the 2025 Moth Worlds.  

Duncan Gregor – Has enjoyed success throughout the British youth sailing pathway, starting in the Optimist before progressing into the high-performance Nacra 17 class, where he now helms alongside Jas Williams. 

Sam Webb – Has been a standout performer for Cobham-Ultra GB2, progressing directly from the initial simulator trials to earn a race seat at the last two Preliminary Regattas, racing alongside Olympic champions Hannah Mills and Ellie Aldridge. 

Jas Williams – Has twice represented Great Britain at the Youth Sailing World Championships and now competes in the Olympic Nacra 17 class as crew alongside Duncan Gregor. 

Kuba Staite – Has combined his professional sailing commitments with completing an Economics degree at the University of Exeter. He competes in wing foiling and has recently set the highly sought-after Round Hayling speed record. 

Matt Beck – A familiar face to the Athena Pathway, Matt is the only returning member of the British team that finished third at the 2024 Youth America’s Cup in Barcelona who remains eligible for Naples. He has remained a permanent fixture within the programme, racing AC40s while also taking on coaching and simulator responsibilities with Athena Pathway.