Sport Alumni Sails the World

East Sussex College Alumni, Ella Hebron, is sailing the world as part of the ‘Ha Long Bay’ team for The Round the World Clipper Race 2023/24.

Ella studied Sport & Exercise Science at ESC’s Eastbourne campus until 2022, and since leaving college she has pursued her passion for sailing.

“Immediately after college I worked with the commissioning team at Oyster Yachts,” said Ella. “Initially I was based at the boatyards in Southampton and Ipswich, before travelling to the Mediterranean. In the Mediterranean I took their new model, the Oyster 495, to boat shows in destinations including Barcelona, Genoa and Cannes.

“When my 6 month contract with Oyster ended I undertook additional training such as Yachtmaster offshore, diesel engine and medical care (on board I need to be able to stitch wounds and put in NG tubes, cannulas and catheters). I also raced and delivered yachts to various destinations including across the Atlantic to Antigua.”

The #ClipperRace attracts people from diverse walks of life who train to become ocean racing sailors. This unique, epic event sees eleven teams battle extreme conditions as they race more than 40,000 nautical miles in a true test of fortitude and courage.

Speaking about when she first signed up to the Clipper Race, Ella said, “I signed up as a crew member on the Clipper Race shortly after turning 16. The year delay due to COVID enabled me to develop my sailing experience and qualifications and I was employed to be a first mate on the Clipper Race 2023-2024. Each yacht has two professional paid sailors (skipper and first mate) and 16-20 paying crew. There are eight legs stopping in Uruguay, South Africa, Australia, China and America. Smaller races mean there are stops in other destinations.

“Working on the Clipper Race is extremely multifaceted. Obviously there is the sailing. Ocean racing is extreme and relentless; we are confronted with very hostile environments, extreme weather conditions and sea states in addition to other sailing related factors. For example sailing in areas such as the South China Sea involves navigating around hundreds of fishing boats and pots… including at night. In addition to normal day to day repairs, some of which require us to climb to the top of the 30 metre mast in a storm, our steering broke and we were hit by lightning which fried some of our electric and our water maker.”

Ella added, “Through all of this we are always conscious that this is a race so we are constantly pushing the boat to try and win.”

Ella explained the intricacies of sailing and the complexities involved in leading a group of people around the world, adapting to the different food types you find around the world.

“Even more complex is leading and motivating a group of people from different backgrounds to work as a team. The boat operates in a watch system with 6 hours rotations in the day and 4 hours at night. In heavy sea states those ‘sleeping’ are being thrown around in their bunks and may have condensation raining on them. And I won’t go into detail about the heads (toilets)!

“There are also maintenance, corporate and victualling duties in different ports around the world. I recently represented Clipper on a visit to a Dao community in the mountains of Vietnam. Provisioning is led by crew members who need to plan and purchase meals for up to 6 weeks at a time. In China and Vietnam the food types are not what you would be used to back home.”

Ella provided an insight into what life can be like on the water and memories she has gained that will last a lifetime.

“Taking part in the Clipper Race has given me the opportunity to see lots of different parts of the world. Circumnavigating the globe on a boat provides a sense of how big the planet is. At times we are closer to the international space station than to land. If something goes wrong, help can be weeks away. There is an unparalleled sense of being in nature. One calm foggy night, we could hear the calls and feel the spurts of water from whales surrounding the boat but couldn’t see anything. It was really eerie.

“Becoming part of the Clipper family has been a joy. The camaraderie developed between the first mates, skippers and crew means my journey will end with lifelong friendships being forged in adversity.”

Ella spoke to the College about where she started, her aspirations to become a racer, and her passion to help upcoming sailors.

“I started racing in dinghies and wanted to become an offshore yacht racer. Becoming a professional racer is hard for anyone particularly as a young woman,” said Ella. “I knew that Clipper Ventures is a company with a reputation for being supportive of young sailors so I felt working for them could be a safe haven. I enjoy coaching others and being one of the professionals on an amateur race has allowed me to develop these skills. It is an honour to be able to help others to become autonomous sailors, able to intuitively respond to the boat and sea.”

Speaking about her time studying Sport & Exercise Science at East Sussex College, Ella emphasised the importance of support from her tutors, which was a key component of her course. “I really enjoyed studying Sport and Exercise. The areas of study were those that interest me most and the course asked us to apply knowledge to real world situations which made it feel really relevant. The support from my tutors was fabulous. Their flexibility, trust and belief in me helped me develop my self belief, time management and independence as a learner. The tutors’ philosophy was very different to those I experienced at school. I felt that I was respected and treated as an individual who was becoming.

“Alongside my studies I was able to work as a dinghy instructor and earn money to fund and complete some of my yacht qualifications and do some offshore racing. This allowed me to enter the job market with more work experience and the additional qualifications which enabled me to become a first mate on the Clipper Race. It was a special moment when my tutor Bev came to visit me in Portsmouth in the last few days before we set sail. It was a pleasure to give her a tour of the boat.”

Ella emphasised her passion for helping young people in the industry and provided some key tips to succeed in sailing.

“What advice would I give young people looking to follow in my footsteps? I would advise others to seek out opportunities for mentorship and financial support,” said Ella. “I applied and was lucky enough to be selected for the Magenta Mentorship Project. My mentor, Nikki Henderson is the youngest ever Clipper skipper. Her guidance has been invaluable. I also gained a Trinity House/RYA scholarship which funded some of my Yachtmaster qualifications.

“Work hard. Don’t give up, you will get knocked down: get back up, it will make you stronger. Take time to reflect on your strengths and areas for further development. Use growth language with yourself and others. Be adaptable; you never know what’s over the next wave.”

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If you’re interested in following in Ella’s footsteps, click here to check out all relevant Sport courses on offer at East Sussex College.