Tony Lawson

A decade of dedication to the British offshore scene has seen Team Concise smashing records and launching careers. GEORGIE CORLETT-PITT talks to the man behind the project

- Georgie Corlett-Pitt

On meeting Tony Lawson, his wholehearted passion for offshore sailing is unmistakable. The force behind Team Concise, Tony is a great supporter of British offshore racing and for the past 10 years has been offering young sailors a unique opportunity to gain experience and break into ocean racing. Whether they are kickstarting a career in professional sailing or merely pursuing it to the highest possible level as a sport, ocean racing is at the forefront of the Team Concise programme. Underlying that is Lawson’s aim to boost the British presence on the international offshore scene. And with numerous wins and records set, he and his team have certainly achieved that.

Lawson explains: “I have always been interested in the offshore side of things above and beyond any other sort of sailing; it’s an opportunity to build real relationships and personal attachments, over days or weeks, rather than hours at a time. It’s also an opportunity to experience nature. Even powering along at 20-30 knots, the Atlantic is a unique place. It’s dangerous, yes, but a great privilege at the same time.”

To date, the Team Concise fleet has comprised a number of Class 40s, a MOD 70 trimaran, and most recently a Diam 24OD. The list of Team Concise alumni is impressive; the team has been a launch pad for a number of now high profile offshore sailors, including Henry Bomby, Sam Goodchild, Jack Bouttell and Annabel Vose – just a few of the dozens of young sailors who have benefited from Lawson’s programme. The team also attracts experienced hands, with Jonny Malbon and Paul Larsen involved from the start both as sailors and mentors, and most recently, Giles Scott fortifying the team.