Starting the year: what I’m building, and what I’m protecting

I’ve come into this year feeling grateful, a little tired, and genuinely excited for what’s ahead.

2026 is already shaping up to be another big year for Para Inclusive Sailing – and I’m ready for it.

I’m looking forward to reviewing the Inclusive Development Programme and bringing it back to its strongest roots, where it’s practical, impactful, and genuinely supports sailors and nations to grow in a way that lasts.

2025 was such a big year for us all, and I stepped into each and every challenge and out of my comfort zone time and time again.

I’m looking forward to the second edition of the World Sailing Inclusion Championships, building on everything we learned the first time around, and taking the platform to the next level.

And I’m looking forward to getting on the water more. Coaching more. Being closer to the part of this sport that reminds me why I started in the first place.

This year also matters because inclusion matters.

Not as a slogan, not as a tick-box, and not as something we talk about only when it’s convenient but because sport should be built so more people can belong, participate, and thrive. Inclusion is about access, opportunity, representation, and dignity. It’s about creating environments where sailors aren’t “accommodated”, they’re genuinely valued.

That’s also why the Paralympic dream matters.

A potential return of Para Sailing to the Paralympic Games isn’t just about medals. It’s about the value Para Sailing brings: global accessibility, genuine high-performance sport, and a pathway that builds independence, confidence and community. Sailing shows what’s possible when talent is given the platform it deserves.

I’ve always used this blog as a space to reflect honestly on all of it – the highs, the hard days, the lessons, the exhaustion, and the moments of pride. I believe transparency matters, and I don’t think leadership has to be polished to be credible.

But I’m also learning that openness comes with responsibility. Words travel further than we realise, and people will always read them through their own lens.

So I’m keeping this space. I’m keeping the tone. I’m keeping the honesty.

But I’m also being more intentional about how I share – more reflective, less reactive. More focused on what I’m learning, what I’m building, and what I’m grateful for… rather than what I’m battling.

I’m surrounding myself with my Team and focussing more on those that genuinely have their hands on my back.

And alongside all of that, I’m looking forward to taking more time for myself too, because I’ve learned the hard way that you can love your job, love your mission, and still lose yourself in it if you’re not careful.

So this year, I’m not just chasing outcomes. I’m protecting the person doing the work as well – so I can keep showing up, and keep doing it properly.

Onwards.

Happy Sailing,
Hannah