Olympic Campaign

Two athletes. One Goal.

Crossley and Potter have joined forces in the 470 class, combining Rachael’s rapid progression through the British Sailing pathway and elite multi-sport background with James’s extensive experience across skiff and foiling disciplines.

Read on to discover how Rachael got her start in elite sport off the water by playing national-level cricket, before being selected for the Royal Yachting Association's 'Crew 4 Gold' Program. Or learn about James' numerous successes across a range of youth sailing classes, and how his background in the 29er and WASZP dinghies are building future success in the 470.

The Helm

James Crossley

James’ path into the British Sailing Squad followed a relatively traditional route. He began sailing in a Topper at Dovey Yacht Club before progressing through the RYA pathway, moving from the Topper to the 29er and later the 470. Throughout his development, James has built a strong and consistent competitive record across a range of high-performance classes, with experience spanning both skiff and foiling disciplines.

In the 29er class, James achieved significant international success, including:

● 1st male team at Kiel Week 2024

● 5th at the 2024 29er World Championships

● 3rd male team at the 2024 29er European Championships

These results demonstrate his ability to compete at the front of highly competitive international fleets and perform under pressure at major global events. Alongside this James also transitioned successfully into foiling. In the WASZP class he finished 2nd at the 2025 WASZP UK National Championships, further demonstrating his adaptability and technical capability across modern high-performance sailing disciplines.

The Crew

Rachael Potter

Rachael began her sporting career in elite cricket, representing Loughborough Lightning, Northamptonshire, and Nottinghamshire, competing at professional level in the domestic game. Through cricket, she developed a strong performance mindset, resilience under pressure, and a deep understanding of elite team environments.

Alongside her sporting career, Rachael also has a strong academic and engineering background. She holds a master’s degree in mechanical engineering and has three years of experience working for Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains, gaining exposure to elite motorsport engineering, precision systems, and high-performance development environments.

Her transition into sailing came through the RYA Crew4Gold programme, a high-performance talent identification initiative designed to recruit elite athletes from other sports and fast-track them into Olympic sailing. Crew4Gold introduces athletes with exceptional physical and competitive attributes to sailing for the first time, accelerating their development through intensive coaching, structured progression, and exposure to Olympic-class boats.

Remarkably, Rachael had never stepped foot in a boat before joining Crew4Gold. After just one year of sailing, she was selected into the British Sailing squad pathway, reflecting her rapid progression and natural aptitude for the sport.

She went on to compete in the 49er FX class, finishing 2nd at the 2025 49er FX National Championships, and earning selection to represent internationally at the 2025 49er FX World Championships. These experiences provided exposure to elite international skiff racing and cemented her place within the British high-performance sailing system.

The Roadmap

Our pathway to Olympic Gold

01
02
03

Present

Los Angeles 2028

Brisbane 2032

Rigorous training cycles at Weymouth and international camps to cement our place as a top British team. Work hard to climb up the ladder of international regattas, focusing on continuous improvement.

Our first target Olympic cycle. Fight for our spot at the Olympics among a highly competitive British squad, and continue using every opportunity to learn.

The culmination of our partnership. By focusing on a 6-year roadmap and long-term goals, we have a chance to commit to training in a way that short-term athletes don't.

The Team

JR 470

The 470 is a highly technical double-handed Olympic class that demands exceptional teamwork, communication, and consistency. Our focus is on building a long-term, high-performance partnership capable of steadily progressing through the international rankings and competing for future Olympic selection.

Despite forming a partnership only in 2025, our team was selected to compete at the 2026 470 European Championships—an important early milestone in the campaign and a valuable opportunity to gain experience against some of the world’s leading 470 sailors.

Together, Rachael and James are committed to developing a world-class campaign within the British Sailing Team, with the ultimate goal of representing Great Britain at the Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.

Beyond results, we aim to represent values of resilience, innovation, and excellence - both within the British Sailing Team and on the global stage.