City of Manchester Aquatics Swim Team

What City of Manchester Aquatics Swim Team does

City of Manchester Aquatics Swim Team (COMAST) is a Charitable Incorporated Organization (CIO) operating a competitive swimming club in Manchester, United Kingdom, with training delivered across four venues — the Manchester Aquatics Centre (its headquarters at 2 Booth St East, Ardwick, M13 9SS), Hough End Leisure Centre, Moss Side Leisure Centre, and Arcadia Leisure Centre. The club runs an eleven-tier competitive pathway from the Academy (entry from learn-to-swim) through Development, County, Regional, Junior/Senior, and National squads to the Pro Squad, alongside three parallel streams: Masters (adults 18+), the Matt Walker MBE Disability Academy (para-swimming), and two community junior squads (Raven Moss and Hough End).

The club's core "products" are squad-based coaching services, with the Pro Squad offering nine weekly pool sessions plus performance analysis, strength and conditioning, physiology, physiotherapy, yoga, and sport psychology support at the Manchester Aquatics Centre. Beyond squad membership, COMAST operates six annual open meets (Manchester Winter Qualifiers, Manchester Snowpen Meet, Manchester Open Meet, Manchester Non-National, Rising Stars, and Manchester International Swim Meet) which double as recurring revenue streams and marketing channels. Revenue is generated through three mechanics: recurring membership fees, transaction-based competition entry fees, and sponsorship/grants from Arena (kit and meet title sponsorship), AWB & Son (Rising Stars 2024 series), and MCRActive (Manchester City Council's sport delivery arm grants). Underlying technology is minimal — no proprietary systems are disclosed; the club depends on SPORTSYSTEMS Meet Results Service for live results and standard website infrastructure.

COMAST holds Swim England National Performance Centre status via its Manchester Metropolitan University partnership and SwimMark Essential Accreditation. The coaching team is led by Mark Rose (17 years of international coaching, Olympic Games final and Paralympic Champion credentials, 100+ National records by coached swimmers), with Matt Turner (Level 3 qualified, ex-Queensland), Graeme Smith (Olympic Bronze medalist), and 4x Paralympian Matt Walker MBE leading the disability programme. Customer acquisition relies on community word-of-mouth, local school partnerships, and Manchester Met university recruitment, with prospective members submitting a membership enquiry form to be placed in the appropriate squad. The organization is governed as a charity with no parent company, no external investment, and no disclosed financials.

Name

City of Manchester Aquatics Swim Team

Legal name

City of Manchester Aquatics Swim Team (CIO)

Website

https://cityofmanchesterswimteam.co.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

City of Manchester Aquatics Swim Team (COMAST) is a Manchester-based charitable competitive swimming club operating an 11-tier pathway from Academy to Pro Squad, plus Masters and a disability academy, delivering training across four venues and hosting six annual open meets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Competitive Swimming Club Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Endurance Sports Coaching & Training Camps (Running, Cycling, Triathlon, Swimming) (MPAKAJAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Elite Performance Training Centers (High-Performance/Pro Prep) (MPAKAJAC), Sports Performance Personal Training (HSADAAAF), Strength & Conditioning Personal Training (HSADAAAB)

Keywords

• Competitive swimming training
• Swim club membership
• Open meet events
• Swimming performance pathway
• Disability swimming academy

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Swimmers pay membership fees to join the club. Prospective members download and complete a membership enquiry form and return it to [email protected]. Specific pricing tiers are not publicly disclosed.
2. Competition Entry Fees: Revenue generated from entry fees for open meets including Manchester Winter Qualifiers, Manchester Snowpen Meet, Manchester Open Meet, ARENA Manchester Non-National, and Rising Stars competitions.
3. Sponsorship: Corporate sponsorship from partners including Arena (kit allowance, meet sponsorship), AWB & Son (Rising Stars sponsorship), and grants from MCRActive (Manchester City Council's sport delivery arm).

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

COMAST delivers competitive swimming training and competitive pathway development through eleven squads ranging from learn-to-swim (Academy) to elite international level (Pro Squad), plus a Masters programme and the Matt Walker MBE Disability Academy. The club also hosts six annual open meets (Manchester Winter Qualifiers, Manchester Snowpen Meet, Manchester Open Meet, Manchester Non-National, Rising Stars, and Manchester International) and provides integrated athlete support services including performance analysis, strength and conditioning, physiotherapy, and sport psychology.

Product overview

City of Manchester Aquatics Swim Team (COMAST) is a competitive swimming club offering a structured training pathway from Academy level through to Pro Squad, along with Masters and Disability Academy programs. The club organizes multiple open meets throughout the year including Manchester Winter Qualifiers, Manchester Snowpen Meet, Manchester Open Meet, Manchester Non-National, and Rising Stars competitions. The product portfolio includes eleven squads (Pro Squad, National Squad, Regional Squad, County Squad, Development Squad, Academy, Junior/Senior Squad, Masters, Matt Walker MBE Disability Academy, Raven Moss, and Hough End) plus six competition events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pro Squad Elite competitive swimming training programme for swimmers competing at international level, offering 9 pool sessions per week at Manchester Aquatics Centre with comprehensive athlete support including performance analysis, strength and conditioning, physiology, physiotherapy, yoga, and sport psychology. Includes overseas training camps and Mare Nostrum Circuit competition opportunities.
• National Squad Training squad for swimmers competing at Home Nation Nationals and British Nationals level, offering 7-9 swim sessions and 2-3 gym sessions per week with focus on developing all four strokes in medley events and middle distance freestyle for age group swimmers.
• Regional Squad Medley programme developing all four strokes for junior swimmers aiming to compete at North West Regionals and home National level, with both morning and evening sessions and preparation pathways toward National Squad qualification.
• County Squad Squad focused on developing all four strokes with the goal of North West Regional Championships representation, emphasising technique, starts, turns, finishes, goal setting, and lifestyle management.
• Development Squad Second stage of the competitive pathway focusing on improving competitive skills and understanding key technique skills and drills for each of the four strokes, preparing swimmers for local competitions and progression to County Squad.
• Academy First squad in the competitive pathway introducing swimmers from learn-to-swim into structured training, teaching the basics of competitive swimming including core stroke fundamentals, underwater kicks, and competitive turns.
• Junior/Senior Squad Squad supporting swimmers aged 14-18 competing at Regional and National level with flexibility around education and other commitments, providing structured training that integrates with academic schedules.
• Masters Adult training programme for swimmers aged 18+ who wish to train for fitness and/or compete in masters competitions, with flexible scheduling around work and study commitments and no minimum attendance expectation.
• Matt Walker MBE Disability Academy Academy for swimmers with intellectual or physical impairments training in a club environment, supporting classification process and providing opportunity to compete at para swimming events at every level under coaching led by 4x Paralympian Matt Walker MBE.
• Raven Moss Local community squad for junior swimmers focusing on learning and improving stroke technique, competitive starts, turns, and finishes, competing in Rising Stars galas and Level 3 competitions across multiple training venues including Moss Side and Arcadia Leisure Centres.
• Hough End Local community squad for junior swimmers at Hough End Leisure Centre, focusing on stroke technique, competitive starts, turns, and finishes, and preparing swimmers for Rising Stars galas and Level 3 competitions.
• Manchester Winter Qualifiers L2 Short Course Meet for qualification into Winter Regionals and Winter Nationals, attended by elite performance programmes and hosted at the Manchester Aquatics Centre.
• Manchester Snowpen Meet Annual open meet competition held at Manchester Aquatics Centre, attracting swimmers from across the region.
• Manchester Open Meet Open competition meet providing racing opportunities for swimmers across age groups and ability levels.
• Manchester Non-National Open meet event providing competition opportunities for swimmers below national qualification standards, sponsored by Arena.
• Rising Stars Series of unlicensed entry-level competitions for invited local clubs across Manchester, providing first experience of competitive swimming in a fun and friendly environment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 National records broken by swimmers coached by Mark Rose over his coaching career
• +3 more outcomes

Segments11 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and major.

• AWB & SonminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Sponsorship deal for the Rising Stars 2024 series. AWB & Son provides fire protection, water services, and training centre facilities. The company believes in sport's power to change lives and supports the club's vision of getting more people active more often.
• MCRActivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMCRActive is a strategic delivery arm of Manchester City Council tasked with delivering the city's Sport and Physical Activity Strategy. They provide COMAST with various grants and benefits vital for the club's day-to-day and long-term operation as a swimming club.
• ArenacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor sponsor with a well-established partnership. All COMAST members receive a generous kit allowance each season. Arena is the lead sponsor for all open meets held at the Manchester Aquatics Centre.
• Manchester Metropolitan UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOMAST has a strong working link with Manchester Met as part of their Swim England National Performance Centre status. The university accepts new students into the programme each academic year and offers a scholarship package for selected applicants including support services and entries to BUCS meets. The university team accesses three sessions per week.
• Swim EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Governing Body for swimming in England covering all aspects from learners to teachers, athletes to coaches. Provides tutor programmes and CPDs to ensure everyone involved in the delivery of swimming is highly trained. COMAST holds SwimMark Essential Accreditation through Swim England.
• Aquatics GBminorOthersNational Governing Body of swimming, water polo, artistic swimming, diving and open water in Great Britain. Listed as a partner on COMAST's website.
• Swim England North WestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of eight regions forming Swim England, responsible for governance, athlete pathway support, coach and official development, and regional competition. Supports COMAST's regional competitive programme.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• City of Sheffield Aquatics: Sheffield-based aquatics club offering competitive swimming squads from development to elite levels. Comparable as another UK city-based competitive swimming club with elite performance ambitions.
• Loughborough Swimming Club / Loughborough Performance Centre: Elite UK swimming performance programme linked to Loughborough University with strong National Performance Centre credentials. Comparable on athlete support stack, university partnership model, and elite squad focus.
• Millfield Swimming Academy: Elite independent school-affiliated swimming programme producing international swimmers. Comparable as a high-performance UK swim academy offering comprehensive athlete support services and international competition pathways.
• City of Leeds Swimming Club: Large Yorkshire-based competitive swimming club running a multi-squad pathway from learn-to-swim through to national-level swimmers. Directly comparable as a UK regional competitive swim club with similar squad structure and event hosting.
• Nova Centurion Swimming Club: Northampton-based competitive swim club running multi-tier squads and open meets. Comparable as a UK regional competitive club operating community-to-elite squads and a recurring event calendar.

Regional players

• Plymouth Leander Swimming Club: South West-based elite swim club producing national and international swimmers. Comparable on elite-squad delivery and open meet hosting, though operating in a different UK region.
• Stockport Metro Swimming Club: Greater Manchester-area competitive swimming club. Comparable as a North West regional swim club competing for the same local talent pool and regional meet entries, though operating outside COMAST's specific Greater Manchester venues.

Broad incumbents

• British Swimming: National performance body for elite and para swimming in Great Britain. Comparable as the governing body overseeing the elite pathways that COMAST's Pro Squad feeds into, and the source of coach talent (Mark Rose previously held Head Coach British Teams roles).
• SwimTonic / Swimming Nature: Commercial UK adult-focused swimming and coaching providers. Comparable as adjacent swimming service operators in the UK market, though focused on adult learning rather than competitive squad pathways.
• Swim England: National governing body for swimming in England. Comparable as the umbrella organisation that accredits clubs (SwimMark), runs talent pathways, and partners with National Performance Centres including COMAST.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/city-of-manchester-aquatics-swim-team

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about City of Manchester Aquatics Swim Team