Team Washington DC supporters: Skipper update 22nd July 2026
And so, it comes to an end. Eleven months at sea. Approximately 50,000 nautical miles. One complete circumnavigation of the globe.
As the race draws to a close, it’s impossible not to notice the leader board. We know many people will judge our performance by where we finished. That’s understandable, this is a race, after all.
But the leader board tells only part of the story. It cannot measure what happened over those thousands of miles. It doesn’t capture the trust that was built, the confidence that grew, or the culture this crew chose to create. Throughout the Clipper Race, our boat became known for something that mattered deeply to us: we were recognised as a happy boat.
Over the past 11 months, I’ve watched strangers become friends, sailors become leaders, and individuals become a crew who genuinely cared for one another. Together, we endured extraordinary hardship, celebrated incredible highs, and crossed the finish line united. That is something no leaderboard can ever measure, and something I couldn’t be prouder of.
One of the greatest lessons this journey has taught me is not to let external perceptions define success. People looking from the outside see a finishing position. Those of us who lived it see something entirely different. We see a team that refused to let adversity define its culture. We see people who grew in confidence, resilience and compassion. We see friendships forged through shared challenge that will last a lifetime.
Leadership isn’t about creating perfect conditions or guaranteeing victory. It’s about bringing diverse people together, helping them navigate hardship with kindness and accountability, and creating a team people are proud to belong to. For me, that’s a finish line worth celebrating.
To my crew:
Thank you for trusting me, supporting me and embracing every challenge this race threw at us. Before we left, I asked each of you to bring your best selves to this boat. You did exactly that.
Your resilience, humour, kindness and determination carried us around the world. You made each other laugh on the hardest days, lifted one another when spirits were low, and never lost sight of what we were trying to achieve together.
Leading you has been the privilege of a lifetime.
To everyone who followed and supported our journey from around the world: Thank you. Whether you welcomed us into port, tracked our progress, sent messages of encouragement, shared our updates, or simply cheered us on from afar, your support never went unnoticed. Even in the middle of the world’s oceans, you reminded us that we were never sailing alone.
The race may nearly be over, but the friendships we’ve built, the lessons we’ve learnt and the memories we’ve made will stay with us forever.
So, for the final time, Ella out!
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