The British America’s Cup Challenger, GB1, have partnered with PhysicsX as their new official AI engineering platform partner.
The collaboration will see PhysicsX deploy its AI-native engineering platform to help accelerate engineering insight and support system-level optimisation across the campaign for the 38th America’s Cup.
The announcement coincides with the team’s return to the water for their first training camp. Joining the crew are new trimmers Bleddyn Mon and Ben Cornish, who were both part of the Louis Vuitton Cup-winning squad at the 37th America’s Cup.
GB1 are preparing for the opening preliminary regatta of the 38th America’s Cup.
Nick Holroyd, Head of Design, GB1, said, “The scale and complexity of the engineering challenge in the America’s Cup means that the teams who can best integrate data, simulation and real-world performance will have a clear advantage. Partnering with PhysicsX allows our designers to build higher-fidelity models with lower data costs and quicker turnaround. The result is faster design iteration and greater insight into complex performance interactions, helping GB1 push the boundaries of performance.”
Bleddyn Mon, Trimmer, GB1, said, “It’s super exciting to be rejoining the team at the start of the journey under the America’s Cup Partnership, what makes the America’s Cup so unique is that it’s a real combination of sport and technology, where the sailing team and design teamwork hand in hand to push performance forward. That’s what excites me about this next America’s Cup, the continuity element is huge, and the fact that teams will be able to continue progressing their designs from one Cup to the next.“
Somerset County Cricket Club have extended their official partnership with diagnostic imaging provider Alliance Medical.
The new agreement will see Alliance Medical continue as the club’s official diagnostic healthcare partner for the 2026 season. The company will continue to work alongside Somerset’s science and medicine team, providing scans and imaging for players when required.
As part of the extended deal, Alliance Medical will also remain a member of the club’s In-Field Business Club and retain a presence at the Cooper Associates County Ground on specified matchdays.
Jamie Thorpe, Clinical Director, Somerset County Cricket Club, said, “Our Sport Science and Medicine Team are absolutely delighted to be renewing with Alliance Medical for the 2026 season. The partnership has been pivotal in improving our diagnostic imaging provision for the players. They provide high-quality, fast and accurate imaging, allowing Somerset to provide the best possible care with specific interventions, faster onward referral, and optimising return-to-play decision making. Alliance Medical are an integral part of our Medical Performance Team and we are really looking forward to continuing our great relationship with them.”
Tracy Clark, Centre Manager at Taunton Diagnostic Centre, said, “Alliance Medical values our partnership with SCCC and sees it as a shared commitment to provide excellence. Working alongside SCCC has allowed us to support players by providing trusted, high-quality diagnostic imaging to help them perform at their best. Together, we’ve built a relationship founded on trust, integrity, and quality. We are committed to supporting both elite performance and the wider community in Somerset.”
British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) has appointed UK PADEL as the official delivery partner for its inaugural Padel Championships.
The two-season agreement will see UK PADEL stage the event for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons.
The new event will feature men’s and women’s doubles competitions, with teams made up of two to three players. The appointment reflects both organisations’ ambition to grow the sport across higher education and build sustainable pathways for future participation.
Neal Kington, Head of Competitions, BUCS, said, “We’re delighted to appoint UK PADEL as the delivery partner for our first-ever BUCS Padel Championships. Their expertise and commitment to growing the sport make them the ideal partner to help us stage a high-quality, student-focused event. We’re really looking forward to working alongside UK PADEL to deliver an exciting weekend of competition, great atmosphere and new opportunities for students to experience padel through BUCS.”
Nick Baker, CEO, UK PADEL, added, “The BUCS Padel Championships perfectly capture what UK PADEL events are trying to achieve. We want to create high-quality, inclusive competitions that bring people together and provide a clear pathway from schools to universities and into the adult game. Seeing so many universities represented, the level of play on court, and the sense of camaraderie off it shows that padel is thriving in the university space. This weekend is a powerful example of how the sport is growing in the right way, with community, accessibility and long-term sustainability at its heart.”
Scottish Athletics has expanded its long-standing partnership with law firm Lindsays to include the national road race scene.
The new agreement sees the creation of the Lindsays Road Race Series, which will run alongside the firm’s existing title sponsorship of the Lindsays Cross Country Season. The expanded partnership will now cover seven national championship road race events throughout 2026.
The series has already begun, with the Lindsays Scottish Half Marathon Champs taking place as part of the Inverness Half Marathon. Other events to be supported include the Young Athletes Road Races, National Road Relays, and the Scottish championships at 5k, 10k, 10-mile, and marathon distances.
Colin Hutchison, Chief Executive, scottishathletics, said, “I am absolutely delighted to confirm this superb sponsorship support from Lindsays. It has now been a long-standing agreement for cross country and I think everyone will have noticed the growth in profile of our big events there. But now the partnership will evolve even more with a series of Scottish Road Race Championships coming under the Lindsays brand and banner. I think it makes perfect sense because the audience – of athletes, clubs, coaches and volunteers – is very similar. I want to thank Lindsays for this support – it is very much appreciated by ourselves and our clubs.”
Cycling publication The British Continental has renewed its title sponsorship agreement with apparel brand Rapha for the 2026 season.
The renewed backing provides the platform with financial stability, enabling it to continue its in-depth coverage of the domestic road racing scene. The partnership ensures The British Continental can report from races, publish previews, conduct interviews, and commission photography, while keeping all content free for its audience.
The deal comes as Rapha continues its wider commitment to the domestic scene through the Rapha Super-League, which will return in 2026 with a revised format of fewer rounds and higher stakes. The British Continental will work closely with Rapha to cover the series throughout the season.
Jess Morgan, Rapha UK Marketing Manager, said, “The British Continental is an essential part of the UK racing scene, and we’re proud to continue our support. Their passion and dedication to telling the stories of domestic racing align perfectly with our own commitment to the sport at all levels. We look forward to another season of fantastic coverage, especially around the Rapha Super-League.”
SportsAid has partnered with Dentsu Sports International for 2026, as the charity prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary year.
The partnership will see Dentsu Sports International provide strategic, creative and fundraising support across the year, helping to amplify SportsAid’s work and engage new audiences during the milestone period.
For 50 years, SportsAid has backed talented young athletes at a critical point in their development, providing financial support and access to trusted advice to help them progress in their sporting journeys. The new collaboration will run throughout 2026, with both organisations working on initiatives designed to strengthen support for emerging athletes across the UK.
Tim Lawler MBE, Chief Executive of SportsAid, said, “This is an exciting time for SportsAid, the charity’s 50th anniversary year. SportsAid recognises and helps talented young sports people when it matters most, at a pivotal point in their personal and sporting development, offering financial support, free access to trusted, practical advice and time with experienced athletes and specialist practitioners. A considered and informed approach to providing the right help at the right time.”
