From Hiding in the Shadows to Being Seen
Parents’ evening was always the same. Teachers would flick through their records, searching for a face they couldn’t place. “I don’t think she’s in my class,” they’d say. Then their eyes would drop to the spreadsheet. A row of numbers. Predicted outcomes. “Ah yes..” Only then could they tell my parents who I was. Or…
More Than a Race: What the Clipper Race Really Demands
The miles at sea provide plenty of time for reflection, and I’ve been thinking about what makes the Clipper Race such a unique leadership and team experience. When Sir Robin Knox-Johnston founded the Clipper Race, the vision was simple but ambitious: ordinary people should have the opportunity to do something extraordinary. To cross oceans. To…
The Reluctant Feminist
I grew up with two brothers, just one and two years older than me. There was no “girls vs boys” in our house, just competition. Backyard rugby started as a toddler, and from the very beginning, I was expected to hold my own. My dad used to call me Frank Bunce, the legendary New Zealand…
As Our Journey Comes to a Close: What the Leader Board Can’t Measure
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…
More Hands, More Hope, More Sail to Mend
Skipper update for team Washington DC Supporters 28th June 2026 Our stopover in Washington DC was a fantastic one, made even more special thanks to the support of Events DC. We enjoyed a VIP tour of the Nationals Baseball Stadium, experienced Fleet Week in full swing, and were welcomed by huge local interest throughout our…
Life Under the ‘Deal With It’ Sign
Growing up, my parents had two mantras that were repeated so often they’ve become part of my internal operating system: “It’s not all about you.” And: “Deal with it.” Neither came wrapped in particularly soft packaging. Any attention-seeking behaviour was nipped firmly in the bud. I had TWO birthday parties cancelled at the last minute…
The Standard We Set
DC supporters Update 27th March and message delivered to crew onboard. The last few days have given us a proper introduction to the North Pacific at its worst. Big, relentless seas, cold that gets into everything, and the kind of conditions that don’t let up. It’s up there with the most brutal sailing we experience,…
Many hands…..but belief matters more.
Skipper update 29th April I am not sure of the exact process for allocating crew. I know that the aims is to get a similar number of round the worlders, and a similar mix of ages, genders, sailing experience and nationalities. There is probably a desire to get more crew from a home nation on…
The Emotional Labour of Being a Crew Member and Leader.
There’s a quiet misconception that lingers around this race; that a few weeks of training, drills in the Solent, and a brisk hop across the Channel can somehow prepare you for the reality of the open ocean. It’s not anyone’s fault. It’s just impossible to simulate the magnitude of oceans like the North pacific or…
Luck, Seamanship, and Perspective
Team Washington DC supporters update 20th January The stories we tell ourselves about luck on this race are curious ones. We often reach for luck as an explanation; sometimes fairly, sometimes as a convenient way to avoid confronting harder truths. In reality luck’s influence varies. There are events we frequently label as bad luck; sail…
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