Category Archives: Sport

News, Sport, Tech

How Operational Research is a game-changer for Olympic sports

As the Paris 2024 Olympics begin this week, followed by the Paralympic Games 2024, the OR Society, the leading membership organisation for operational researchers, is shining a light on how operational research can be a real game-changer for Olympic sports.

Operational research (OR) is a scientific approach to the solution of problems in the management of complex systems that enables decision makers to make better decisions. It has been used to influence sports strategy for decades to formulate successful strategies, plan fixtures, and project tournament outcomes. From designing tournaments to ensuring fairness and equity, to optimising the performance of Olympic cycling sprinters, OR is playing a key role behind the scenes.

Paralympian, Matt Lloyd[i], an academic at Hull University and Chairman of the Systems Thinking Organisation at the OR Society said: “Operational Research (OR) has had a massive impact on sports, over the last 75 years, whether it has been through helping analyse player performances, scheduling training or providing a greater understanding of events planning, OR has been instrumental in identifying and implementing significant improvements.”

Matt highlights British Cycling which used a technique called marginal gains aggregation[ii]. This wasn’t about overhauling everything but improving every aspect by 1%, encompassing minute changes in equipment, training routines, and even personal hygiene practices.

A marginal gains approach saw a 1% performance improvement which resulted in the British cycling team scooping seven out of 10 gold medals in track cycling at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, matched also at London 2012. Prior to this, British cycling had only won a single gold medal in its 76-year history[iii].

Matt added: “In competitive sports it is about taking a holistic approach to everything from nutrition to sleep patterns to training schedules and using systems and analytics to predict the optimum for peak performance.  Prior to using OR techniques athletes would run, row, cycle etc. but now they can use data to identify opportunities to improve using a range of lifestyle and training data. Small differences can be the difference between medals or not as the British cycling team found out.”

Matt is also one of the authors of a new report[iv] ‘The Power of Sport: A Lifetime of Opportunity,’ a collaborative research project from The Disability Policy Centre and Soda, supported by Nimbus Disability, that was launched on 23 July 2024 at the House of Lords and written using OR concepts as the underlying methodology. The report provides insight through the narrative of sports and leisure, identifying barriers and solutions to improving participation, inclusion and accessibility across the UK and beyond, with recommendations for both Government and civil society.

It’s being published nearly 12 years on from the London Paralympic Games, which according to a report by Bournemouth University were seen to ‘destigmatise’ disability by ‘humanising’ through increasing the visibility of disability on television, improving forms of disability representation, and challenging non-disabled audiences’ understanding of what disabled people can do[v].

Another key figure driving the connections between OR and sport is Phil Scarf, Professor of Management Mathematics at Cardiff Business School. Speaking recently to the OR Society he also highlighted how OR techniques have been used in cycling, particularly in planning tactics for the Match Sprint event at the London 2012 Olympics.

Phil said: “The match sprint, a head-to-head race, exemplifies OR’s role in developing probabilistic models to inform tactical decisions. The race’s tactical dynamics involve strategic positioning on the track before a final sprint to the finish line, with slipstreaming playing a crucial role in reducing air resistance. By analysing video data and employing logistic regression, OR researchers can identify influential race variables and tactics, thereby guiding optimal strategies for cyclists that are leading, following, and leveraging slipstreaming to increase the probability of victory.”

Seb Hargreaves, Executive Director, The OR Society concludes: “As we look forward to Paris 2024 it’s exciting to see how OR can transform sports strategy. OR techniques are applied across a very diverse range of sports and can be a real game-changer. By optimising tournament designs, enhancing player performance, and addressing logistical and scheduling challenges, OR ensures that sports remain captivating for audiences worldwide, offering thrilling experiences for fans, athletes, and organisers alike.”

For more information on the OR Society visit: https://www.theorsociety.com

Sport

Derek Redmond: why I think team GB will enjoy a golden summer in Paris

Athletics legend Derek Remond is tipping Team GB to enjoy a golden Summer at the Paris Olympics.

The retired sprinter thinks Britain’s sporting stars could even finish in the top three in the final medals table.

Redmond’s appearance in the Barcelona Games in 1992 remains one of the most iconic moments in Olympic history.

Redmond now works as a motivational speaker – and travels the world to talk about his career.

But the 58-year-old, from Northampton, said that wherever he will be at the start of the Games he will be tuning in and cheering on Team GB.

He said: “I’m really looking forward to it, Paris is a great city, and I think it will be a great backdrop for the games. I have no doubt the French will put on a good show.

“As for Team GB, I think we can look forward to a golden Summer. We are certainly one of the top four or five countries in the world. It would be great if we can get third or higher in the final table. Let’s go for it. We seem to pull it out for the Olympic year so I am expecting a lot, although I don’t want to put too much pressure on them. But I would expect to be in the top five nations on that final medals table.”

Outlining who is most excited about seeing this Summer he said: “I’m looking forward to seeing Dina Asher-Smith and also the American Sha’Carri Richardson. Some people like her, some people don’t like her. She’s absolutely brilliant. I think she’s great for the sport. She’s a bit of a character. She can blow hot and cold performance-wise, but she pulled it out of the bag after a terrible semi-final of the World Championship where she ended up with lane nine and won the 100 metres final. I am a massive fan. She’s like a modern day Florence Griffith Joyner, but just with a bit of energy and bite. So yeah, I’m looking forward to seeing her because whatever she does, she’ll have people talking.”

Asked who he believes the greatest Olympian of all time is he said: “The obvious one for me is Daley Thompson, because he’s one of my all time heroes. Obviously a double Olympic champion, he held the world record at the time. So for me, I guess he would be the greatest but then I’m also a massive Michael Jordan fan and he would be up there on that list.”

During his career, Redmond held the British record for the 400 metres sprint, and won gold medals in the 4×400 metres relay at the World Championships and European Championships.

At the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, he tore his hamstring in the 400 metres semi-final but continued the race limping and, with assistance from his father, managed to complete a full lap of the track as the crowd gave him a standing ovation.

The incident has become a well-remembered moment in Olympic history, having been the subject of one of the International Olympic Committee’s “Celebrate Humanity” videos. It has been used in advertisements by Visa as an illustration of the Olympic spirit and featured in Nike’s “Courage” commercials in 2008.

President Obama even referenced it in one of his speeches.

But asked about his favourite Olympic moment, Remond said: “There’s so many. Ironically, even though 1992 was the worst for me, it also provided a great memory – as the Dream Team came back to basketball. The American Dream Team doing what they did was pretty spectacular. It was like an exhibition watching those guys do what they do. That’s way up there for me.

“But my most memorable, maybe for all the wrong reasons, was Ben Johnson and that 100 metres in 1988. That was my first Olympics and we were at the stadium watching. We were quite close to the finish line, quite low down so I had great views. I remember seeing that race and we were just dumbfounded with the performance and then obviously 24 hours later the news came out.  That was definitely a situation that completely numbed certainly every athlete competing at the Olympic Games from whatever country you were. In the whole village, there was a numbness and a buzz around.”

 

For more information visit https://champions-speakers.co.uk/speaker-agent/derek-redmond

Sport

Sing when you’re losing

Expert on how to cope with the disappointment of England’s defeat – and why singing is the perfect way to banish the disappointment of England’s loss to Spain.

After days of expectation we now know…it’s NOT coming home.

And the washout summer is unlikely to lift the mood in the wake of England’s defeat against Spain.

But according to a leading mental health expert the disappointment millions are now feeling isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

And, channelled in the right way, Nathan Sherman, the director of therapy and training at Red Umbrella says, it can be turned into a positive.

Here, Nathan, a qualified psychotherapist and counsellor with a background in private practice and 10+ years of experience in the field, offers his advice on how fans can cope with the aftermath of Sunday night’s defeat.

And one of his tips for coping is singing.

“A surprisingly good way of releasing disappointment and frustration is actually singing,” he says. “Singing releases emotion, including anger, so put that favourite song on in the car, turn the volume up, and sing like no one is listening.”

Why do people get so disappointed in the aftermath of a sporting defeat?

Nathan says: “Disappointment is a normal human emotion to feel, but in many ways it can be healthy and helpful – disappointment might drive us to try harder, practice more and grow as a person. It also helps us appreciate the wins more; if we always won at everything it would probably feel quite shallow and unsatisfying. We experience a more emotional response when we attach more meaning to something. If it matters to me, I’m going to feel more disappointment if it goes wrong than if I don’t think something is that important. Sport is emotive to us because we value it – the camaraderie, the value we place on success, and how we view our national identity. The England team represent us, we vicariously live their glories. Very few of us get to compete on a global stage, so we attach meaning to the actions of those who we feel represent us, as a way to experience some of that glory. Of course, when they lose, we feel the disappointment and loss just as keenly.”

How can we channel disappointment in a more positive way?

“Start by remembering, firstly, disappointment isn’t a bad thing. We like to attach meaning to emotions – this one is good, this one is bad, but all feelings are valid. The first thing we can do to help is talk through what we’re feeling. Bottling up disappointment not only helps it to build, but can easily turn that disappointment into anger and resentment.

“Firstly, we should talk it through with someone we trust, who is going to allow space for us to feel disappointed. Secondly, we should allow ourselves the space to feel this. It’s okay to feel this way in the day or two after the final. We don’t want it to last forever, and the feelings will subside, but for now, giving ourselves permission to feel what we feel is important. Thirdly, don’t fixate on the negatives. The team might have lost, but they also reached a second consecutive final. They are competing at the highest level and that’s a positive thing. We felt the disappointment of losing, but also the joys of winning along the way, of scoring goals and celebrating success. “

How can you avoid disappointment leading to anger? 

“It’s easy to get angry when we feel powerless, as none of us could control the result. Many people may feel upset at the result, and for men in particular, upset is not an emotion we’ve been allowed to express. So that upset turns to anger instead, because that’s been seen as a more acceptable emotion.

“Start by asking yourself if you really feel angry, or if you actually just feel sad. Recognising and expressing the right emotion is important. If you do feel angry, safe physical expression can help. Going for a walk, kicking a ball in a park, clenching and unclenching your fists or punching a pillow can all help express the physical energy of anger safely.”

What strategies can people have in place to avoid disappointment and overcome it?

“How we perceive disappointment can help with how we feel about it. If I told you that I could see the future and that England would lose in the next two major tournaments, but win the third, how would you feel about the next two tournaments? Probably some disappointment, but maybe not so much because you’d see it as one step closer to the one they would win.

“Seeing progress as a journey, not an end point, and knowing that losing helps us to grow and develop and often then leads to success, can change how we feel in the moment. Focusing on the good that we have experienced rather than the end point can shift how we feel, too. How exciting was it to see young players performing well? How did we feel when England scored? What we choose to remember and focus on matters.”

When should you start to worry about the way you are feeling?

“Disappointment is normal to feel – but if that feeling persists longer than a few days, it’s best to reach out for help and support. Sometimes we might just need to have an outlet for our feelings, but if we weren’t feeling great to begin with, a disappointment like this can be the trigger for something more serious. Don’t be embarrassed or afraid to reach out for help. It might feel like something we ‘should’ cope with, but everyone is unique and we all respond differently. It’s okay to not be okay.

“Disappointment can feel worse if we’ve experienced other disappointments recently too. So, while we might think we don’t care that much about the football result, maybe that’s coming on top of a missed promotion at work, a relationship breakup, or any other kind of loss or disappointment. If you start to feel like you’re not quite yourself and you can’t work out why, because the football wasn’t that big of a deal to you, be aware that it could just be the straw that broke the camel’s back.”

About Nathan Shearman

Nathan Shearman is the director of therapy and training at Red Umbrella, an organisation that’s improving the mental wellbeing of the UK workforce by working in partnership with large employers to deliver bespoke mental health training and support solutions.

Nathan is a qualified psychotherapist and counsellor with a background in private practice and 10+ years of experience in the field.

London, Marketing & PR, News, Sport

isobel Extends Grassroots Girls Football Initiative With Two New Signings

Whilst the nation’s attention is firmly centred on the Euro 2024 semi-final against the Netherlands, independent creative agency, isobel, is looking to football’s future.

The London-based agency has extended its girl’s grassroots football initiative, isobel kicks, with two new U16s team signings, from Southeast London to Manchester.

Chorley Wood

In preparation for the new season in September, isobel now sponsors 6 girls football teams. The isobel Kicks initiative began in 2023 to help grow the grassroots girl’s game and provide football kit sponsorship to teams that don’t have the financial backing.

Jamie Williams, Managing Partner of isobel, says, “The momentum behind girl’s football is so positive, and the opportunities for growth and equality, are very real. But there are also still barriers in place and challenges to be overcome, and one of those is being able to afford kits. If we can play even a small part in giving more girls the opportunity to play football, then we’ll all be a very proud bunch at isobel.”

In addition to sponsoring kits, isobel is also partnering with professional football clubs, to provide isobel Kicks sponsored team members with workshop sessions, such as female empowerment in sport, and female sporting role models. Sessions will take place over the school holidays.

If you know of a team that needs support, email us at isobelkicks@isobel.com.

Business, Cardiff, Sport, Transport

Veezu kicks off local football sponsorship

VEEZU, south Wales’ leading private hire operator, supported the Radyr Rangers Football Club at their Football Festival on 8 June.

As part of the Funded by Veezu programme, set up to improve the communities in which Veezu operates by offering funding and grant opportunities, Veezu was a silver sponsor at the event, making a £500 donation.

The Radyr Rangers Football Club provides community football to Radyr, Morganstown and the surrounding area, and successfully provides football training for over 400 children and young people engaged in fun and healthy activities, aiming to provide a safe and fun environment for all.

Through this sponsorship, Veezu welcomes the Radyr Rangers to their community of local sponsorships, with its latest donation in south Wales being to Cash For Kids’ Holiday Hunger appeal.

Wyn Williams at Radyr Rangers FC said: “We are incredibly grateful to Veezu for their support and generosity in enabling our Football Festival to be such a success. It was a joy to see our community come together, with teams from all ages getting stuck in to a fun-filled day of football.”

Sally Krouma, Hyperlocal Marketing Manager at Veezu, said: “The Radyr Rangers held a fantastic event and it was wonderful to see the development of such a welcoming community for young people, and how important organisations like these are. We strive to support as many local community groups as possible in south Wales, and look forward to what the Radyr Rangers go on to do next.”

News, Sport

Worst Premier League Signings of the Season

With the 2023/24 Premier League campaign now over, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the season. Manchester City ran out victorious once more, winning their fourth straight title having been pushed by both Arsenal and Liverpool. At the bottom end of the table, all three promoted clubs suffered an immediate return to the Championship without much of a fight. Elsewhere, the story of the season was Aston Villa, as they secured a top-four finish and a return to the UEFA Champions League for the first time since the tournament rebranding in the early 1990s.

However, for all the positive, there is always a negative ready to balance things out. There have been some great signings made throughout the year, but also, there have been plenty of stinkers. Here are the worst signings of the 2023/24 Premer League season.

Mason Mount

Since breaking into the Chelsea squad during Frank Lampard’s reign, Mason Mount became a crucial figure for both club and country. However, those days are now long gone, and the former Derby County loanee is nowhere near Gareth Southgate’s England squad.

With Euro 2024 a matter of weeks away, Paddy Power has made the Three Lions the early favorite for glory, pricing them as short as 3/1 to lift the trophy in Berlin on July 14th. The Irish Giant will be covering the Germany-hosted spectacle closely, with plenty of promotions and free bets. They will also provide their usual wide array of table games such as casino roulette at Paddy’s and blackjack which remain as popular as ever.

One man however that needs no detaching from the Euros is Mount, as he won’t be featuring at all. Southgate has opted to leave his 36-cap star at home, and it’s clear why. After leaving Stamford Bridge to head to Manchester United last summer for an eye-watering £55m, there were plenty of lofty expectations for the 25-year-old. To say he hasn’t lived up to them would be an understatement.

Mount featured just 14 times for the Red Devils in the Premier League last term, netting just once. A calf injury meant that he missed a huge chunk of the campaign, and upon his return to full fitness, he found his spot in the team claimed by an academy product. Hardly, worth over £50m, and he may well be on his way out of Old Trafford already.

 

Christopher Nkunku

Christopher Nkunku arrived at Chelsea from RB Leipzig last summer for a mighty £52m and too much fanfare. Throughout his stint in Germany, the French international became one of the most sought-after strikers on the continent. The Blues won the race for his signature, looking to solve the striking curse that has plagued them since the departure of Didier Drogba some time ago. As luck would have it, their new hitman was crocked in the preseason, and he never had the chance to recover.

Perhaps it’s harsh on Nkunku to call him the worst signing of the season, but when you pay such a vast sum of money on a striker, you expect him to play and score goals. He was out injured until December, scored on his debut against the Wolves, then got injured again six weeks later. In all, he made just 14 appearances in all competitions, netting three times. HE may come good in the future, but he has been one of the worst signings of the 2023/24 season.

Midlands, Sport, Transport

Veezu supports local cricket team in new sponsorship

VEEZU, the Midlands’ fastest growing private hire operator, is sponsoring Tipton Tigers Cricket Club to mark the second year of their partnership.

As the club’s official sponsor this season, Veezu, formerly known as A2B Radio Cars, will provide a new kit for the team.

The sponsorship continues Veezu’s support of local community groups through its Funded by Veezu programme. Funded by Veezu is an initiative in which local residents, charities and sports teams can apply for funding and grants, set up to improve the communities in which Veezu operates.

Zukky Shabir, Tipton Tigers Team Member and driver-partner with Veezu, said: “We are very appreciative to Veezu for their generous donation last year as it helped set up our team and has provided a solid foundation going into our second year.

“With our team being a group of local players, and some of us working with Veezu, its ongoing support for the local community is all the more valued. Our hopes are to win the title this year in the Wolverhampton League, and we are proud to have Veezu by our side throughout this.”

Graham Hoof, Regional Operations Director for Veezu, said: “We are delighted to be supporting another local team in the Midlands. Our Funded by Veezu programme has been an incredible success already in giving local groups the opportunity to access funds and resources they may not have had before.

“With our growing presence in the Midlands, supporting our local communities and forming positive connections is one of our top priorities.”

Book Releases, Books, News, Sport

NEW BOOK: ‘Rest. Practise. Perform. What elite sport can teach leaders about sustainable wellbeing and performance’.

‘Rest. Practise. Perform. What elite sport can teach leaders about sustainable wellbeing and performance’ is the new book from Karen Meager and John McLachlan.

The authors take the latest scientific and academic thinking and make it useful and easy to apply for everyone from the leader of an SME to the CEO of a blue-chip corporate.

Whether you grapple with the relentless demands of your leadership role or are struggling to balance your team’s wellbeing with delivering results, or are simply worried you, and those around you, may not be performing in a way that is both effective and healthy, this book can help.

Contemporary workplace cultures often shackle employees to a culture of ceaseless high performance and productivity. This results in lacklustre productivity, diminished creativity and a shattered workforce.

In contrast elite sports have honed time-tested strategies for sustaining peak performance, consistency and getting results without burnout or exhaustion.

‘Rest. Practise. Perform.’ is a practical and illuminating guide that offers a fresh perspective on leadership, unleashing an empowering, harmonious approach that’s inspired by elite sports’ proven disciplines.

Karen Meager and John McLachlan draw from extensive research and their deep understanding of leadership behaviours to provide you with a playbook for adapting elite sports’ winning techniques to your own team or organisation.

Discover how to apply the incredible rhythm of the rest, practise, perform cycle and explore how it can revolutionise you and your team’s productivity, performance and wellbeing.

‘A game-changer. I wish I’d read it sooner. This should be in every leader’s toolbox.’

Aaron Phipps MBE – paralympic champion

‘Rest. Practise. Perform.’ …

Sheds light on the pitfalls of contemporary workplace cultures that emphasize relentless high performance and productivity.

Provides time-tested strategies for sustaining peak performance, ensuring consistency and achieving outstanding results.

Presents a fresh perspective on leadership inspired by proven sports disciplines.

Expertly adapts elite sports’ winning techniques to enhance team or organizational productivity, performance, and overall well-being.

John and Karen’s approach is grounded in research and professional practice that spans 20-plus years. Both Karen and John hold Masters degrees in psychology and health research. Karen’s specialist research area is mental health and burnout in organisations, and John’s is what organisations can learn from elite sports performance.

The goal of ‘Rest. Practise. Perform.’ is to help leaders and organisations find a working rhythm that delivers top performance whilst also prioritising people and their health.

Available from all good bookstores and via Amazon.

For more information see: www.monkeypuzzletraining.co.uk/rest-practise-perform 

BOOK DETAILS

Author: Karen Meager and John McLachlan

Pub Date: 21st February 2024

ISBN 13: 978-1-915483-27-0

RRP: £16.99

Format: Paperback; 216 x 138 mm

Extent: 176pp

Category: Management and Leadership

News, Sport, Sports Tech

SailGP to offer its Emmy Award-winning LiveLineFX graphics overlay for other sports properties and rights owners

SailGP confirms its patented, award-winning on-screen visuals and graphics solution is being developed for use in other sports

LONDON (May 9, 2024) – SailGP, the world’s most technologically advanced and exciting racing on water, has today announced its industry-leading production technology, LiveLineFX, is now being developed for use in other sports properties.

The patented in-house broadcast graphics package, which powers the storytelling of SailGP and demystifies the sport, has enabled the championship to broaden its fanbase. The technology, which has received numerous accolades including an Emmy Award, has helped underscore SailGP’s reputation as one of the most innovative leagues in sport.

LiveLineFX, which is produced remotely from SailGP’s broadcast studio in London for SailGP’s broadcast partners in 212 international territories, processes 1.15bn data requests per hour from each of the ten state-of-the-art F50 catamarans per hour. Supplied by Oracle Cloud, it is all done in real time to generate unrivalled performance information.

LiveLineFX collects the data from the 125 sensors positioned on each F50, with data points ranging from the speed and direction of the boats, weather conditions as well as the sea current, which is then presented as a graphical overlay on top of the racecourse. This not only enhances the broadcast experience but is fundamental to the racing and helps educate the viewer.

It is all made possible by a unique combination of live race course video shot from a helicopter, high-accuracy GPS and the Oracle Cloud. Together these components offer real time data to the LiveLineFX team, enabling them to track the boats within two-centimeter accuracy and deliver seamless graphical overlays of geo-positioned race markers, boundary lines as well as boat positions and relative performance statistics.

The technology and creative elements of LiveLineFX lends itself naturally to a variety of out-of-stadium sports, such as cycling, horse racing, surfing, and any mass participation sports, where it can be tricky for viewers to get the full picture and understanding of what is unfolding in front of them.

 

SailGP Chief Technology Officer Warren Jones said: “From the outset, SailGP has prioritized patented, leading-edge immersive media technologies and LiveLineFX is an award-winning example of this. It is truly unique and hasn’t just been built for use by SailGP, it has been developed with other sports properties and broadcasters in mind where the viewing experience can be difficult due to the nature of the sport. We are now welcoming conversations with a range of potential partners and are excited to see how other sports can benefit from LiveLineFX.”

LiveLineFX has also been a successful tool as part of SailGP’s commercial and audience growth. The league now has an average of 14 million dedicated broadcast viewers per event and its audience has increased by over 300% in the last year alone.

The commercial growth of the league has been aided by the ability of LiveLineFX which has enabled SailGP to not have to rely on traditional infrastructure such as fixed advertising hoardings or pitch branding, which are typically single use and unsustainable, at its events.

LiveLineFX provides 2D and 3D on-screen advertising opportunities which has seen SailGP’s premium partners, such as Rolex and Emirates, being able to enjoy multiple branded opportunities during live broadcasts of its events.

 

SailGP Chief Content Officer Melissa Lawton, said: “We have seen huge audience growth thanks in large part to LiveLineFX and the understanding it brings to a very complex sport. Our success, and the fact that LiveLineFX is perfect for a variety of out-of-stadium sports, such as cycling, horse racing, surfing, and any mass participation sports, has led to active conversations with other sports properties about how they too can utilize the technology to grow their fan bases.

“The capabilities of LiveLineFX enable SailGP partners to generate significant value through branding placements around the course without the need for typical, physical commercial infrastructure. Where other sports rely on screens, temporary structures and mass on-site logistics, LiveLineFX can deliver impactful placements on the boundaries and at key areas on the course fully remote.”

SailGP also recently launched a ‘refreshed’ opening title sequence to its live broadcast alongside a new soundtrack, which was aimed at targeting and engaging new and younger audiences. More info HERE.

SailGP Season 4 concludes with events in Halifax, Canada (June 1-2) and New York (June 22-24) before the Season 4 SailGP Grand Final in San Francisco (July 13-14).

 

Sport

Making waves: connectus to sponsor sailing team in exciting new partnership

The Connectus Group is delighted to announce it will be sponsoring a J70 class sailing team for the forthcoming season.

Competing under the name Connectus Racing, the collaboration is the latest commitment to supporting sport at both an amateur and professional level.

Connectus Racing will be led by skipper Oliver Bayes-Shelton and include Ben Harris and Thomas Parkurst as the core team.

The new venture got off to a great start last weekend, as the team joined 21 others vying for top-spot in the opening Grand Slam of the season.

Despite blustery conditions in the Solent, it was a great start to the campaign following the disappointment of a previous event having to be cancelled due to the Storm Kathleen.

Hosted by the Royal Thames Yacht Club, the race comprised a mix of professionally crewed yachts and amateurs, with the Connectus Sailing boat being the youngest crew in the fleet.

It is one of the few teams that is sponsored rather than being paid for by an owner.

Oliver said: “The support of Connectus has enabled us to assemble a dynamic young crew that will relish competing with some of the best sailors in the country.

“Sailing can be a challenging pastime, even more so when 21 other boats are competing for the best position on the start line.

“The winner of the start has a higher probability of winning the race as they control everything. However, one of the biggest obstacles in yacht racing is creating a team and, most importantly, having the resources to put this team on the water. Thanks to Connectus we now have a great chance to make our mark.”

The sponsorship deal is the latest sign of Connectus’ commitment to sport. It has a long-established relationship with rugby giants Sale Sharks, has sponsored the Midland Speed Championship and also supports a range of other sporting organisations across the north west .

Andy Marsden, Connectus Business Development Manager, said the company was delighted to be supporting Oliver and the team.

He said: “At Connectus, we believe that supporting the journey of sports teams at the grassroots level is important because it gives opportunities to talented individuals and helps to develop their skills.

“We believe that everyone should have the chance to pursue their passion and achieve their goals, regardless of their background or financial status.

“By supporting teams such as Connectus Sailing, we are able to help create a more diverse and inclusive environment within competitive sports. We look forward to seeing the progress and success of the team throughout the season.

“At Connectus we pride ourselves in helping businesses to grow, and to navigate the waves that come with growing and scaling any enterprise.

“That’s another reason why we think we will be so well placed to make this exciting new collaboration with Oliver and his team a success. We are looking forward to attending some of the regattas in the weeks ahead and cheering on Connectus Sailing to success.”