Tim Sewell, Skandia UK's Sponsorship Manager speaks out about Skandia's passion for sailing and continuing support of our sport.

What s the big attraction of sailing for Skandia is a question I m often asked. The main assumption seems to be that we ve got a Chairman with a passion for yachts rather than golf or rugby.

The truth is that sailing is the perfect sport for us to back for a multitude of reasons (and none of them have anything to do with the whims of our senior management).

Skandia is a long-term savings group which launched a pioneering equity-based investment model that is rapidly becoming the norm for the industry. Our five key values courage, commitment, creativity, contribution and passion are perfectly aligned with the values of any sailor.

I m told sailing is the UK s second largest participative sport (after angling) and its accessibility to people regardless of their age, sex, creed, colour or physical ability gives it a massive advantage over sports that involve an elite few, leaving the majority to stand on the sidelines and watch.

Few sports are as environmentally friendly, relying on the power of nature being harnessed to achieve amazing feats of personal endeavour.

But perhaps most importantly for us in the UK, sailing is something we excel at as a nation and achieving success is what Skandia is all about.

Skandia has been a long-term investor in the largest, most famous regatta in the world Skandia Cowes Week for 12 years. Since then, we ve invested in a wide range of different sailing initiatives, including large and small events, individual sailors and teams.

This year marked a new era in our backing of Britain on the water. In January we signed up as title sponsors to the British sailing team in training for Beijing 2008 - Skandia Team GBR. This team of 100 sailors is the most successful team not only in Britain but in the world. It has collectively won more medals than any other British sporting team.

This is a phenomenal achievement and it s made possible by the RYA providing the right framework and team behind the scenes to allow individuals to achieve their own personal goals. As sponsors, this model echoes what we do in our business, with Skandia providing the framework and team behind the scenes to allow our customers to achieve their financial goals.

Sponsoring the RYA Sail for Gold Regatta is a natural step for us to take in backing Britain s success. With the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy the focus for sailing at the 2012 Olympics, the Skandia RYA Sail for Gold Regatta will be a key place for the world s top sailors to come and compete. Investing in this new venture is something Skandia relishes and we will do all we can to help make this the success it promises to be.