Moving Parts | Chloe Evans

Chloe Evans is the financial controller at GB1 and across the wider Athena Sports Group. She is based in Portsmouth, which is where she grew up, and this is her third campaign with the team. Chloe’s experience goes all the way back to AC36, after joining when the base was at Portsmouth’s Camber Quay. 

“I started with the team in 2018 as an apprentice at 16, straight from school. Since then, we’ve moved around a lot—Barcelona, New Zealand, and now back here again. I didn’t know much about accounting or sailing. Over time, I progressed from finance assistant to financial accountant, and now I’m a financial controller.

“Broadly, I manage the finances of the group. Day to day, I manage a finance team of about five to six people. We cover everything from purchasing and payments through to financial reporting and management reporting. I also handle month-end and quarter-end processes, things like tax returns, balance sheet reconciliations, and making sure everything is accurate across the group. We also deal with audits and make sure the team is involved in that. 

It’s a critical job, and the introduction of new cost caps under the America’s Cup Partnership will make it even more vital. “No matter the campaign, we always have a budget we need to stick to. There’s always a desire to spend more to develop performance, so a big part of the role is keeping control of spending and making sure resources are allocated where they’re needed most.”

And the old saying, ‘look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves’ is still true. “A lot of what we deal with is small invoices, but they add up very quickly. The volume is huge, and things ramp up fast during a campaign. Even something small, like buying a few bolts, can scale up massively.

“I think people assume accounting is boring, but working in a competitive sports team keeps it exciting. You work closely with lots of different teams—procurement, engineers, manufacturing—and you’re constantly collaborating with people from different backgrounds.

“Things move very quickly. We often have to set up operations in new locations, like moving from New Zealand to Italy. That means dealing with new regulations, payroll systems, suppliers, and compliance requirements, all while staying on budget…

“Everything feels important, and lots of people need payments processed quickly. Prioritising what’s truly urgent is a big part of the job… Teamwork, communication, critical thinking, and being proactive. You need to evaluate spending carefully and make decisions that benefit the overall performance of the team.” 

Chloe has had to work exceptionally hard to get where she is now, eight years into her career. “I was working full-time while studying qualifications, which was tough, especially during busy campaign periods—but it’s been a great development path.” 

And the job has come with some of the perks that you’d expect with a professional sailing team. “Getting out on a chase boat is pretty amazing. Seeing the boats in action after working on the financial side of things really brings it all together.”

It wasn’t her first choice though, “I don’t think many people grow up wanting to be an accountant, but when the opportunity came up, I took it, and it’s worked out well… It’s not like school maths. Accounting is quite different—you just need to be comfortable learning and thinking in a structured way…

“If you’re interested in finance or a STEM role in sport, reach out to teams directly. Opportunities come up more often than you think. Also, qualifications like AAT are a great foundation if you want to go into accounting.

“It’s fast-paced and constantly changing. There’s always something new to learn, and you’re surrounded by people with a shared goal. That makes it much more engaging than a typical office job. Everyone works so hard toward the same goal, so winning would make it all worthwhile. It would be incredible.”