About

My Story

I grew up on the East Coast, and as a child I was rarely far from the water. Sailing quickly became more than just a sport for me — it was my escape from the bullying I faced around my disability, and it gave me freedom, confidence, and a fierce independence that has stayed with me ever since.

I learned to race from my parents, both talented sailors in their own right. My dad was a strong competitor on the Hornet and 505 circuits, and my mum narrowly missed out on representing Great Britain at the 1988 Olympic Games. With that family influence, it was no surprise that sailing soon became my world.

Through a sports scholarship to the Royal Hospital School in Ipswich, I had access to a strong sailing programme and competed across the 29er, Laser 3000 and Laser Radial circuits. By my teens, I was representing Great Britain at World and European Championships, and at 13 I became the youngest ever winner of the BT Young Sailor of the Year Award. That moment gave me opportunities I never dreamed of — including the chance to sail with Dame Ellen MacArthur, sparking my ambition to one day take on the Vendée Globe.

Aged 15, a phone call from Andy Cassell, Paralympic Gold Medallist in the Sonar, changed the course of my life. Up until then, I had thought Paralympic sailing wasn’t for me. But a weekend training in Cowes opened my eyes to the standard, the competition, and the community — and I never looked back. Over the next 15 years, I worked with some of Britain’s best sailors, coaches, and support staff, winning multiple World, European, and National titles in classes including the Sonar, SKUD 18, and 29er. I represented Great Britain at four Paralympic Games, starting with Athens 2004 at just 19 years old, where my team was selected ahead of my childhood hero Andy Cassell.

When sailing was dropped from the Paralympics after Rio 2016, it felt like the end of an era — but also the start of a new mission. I threw myself into the campaign to reinstate the sport, while also coaching, speaking, and exploring new challenges on and off the water.

Today, that mission is my full-time job. I now serve as Para World Sailing Manager at World Sailing, leading our Para Inclusive Strategy 2024–2029. My role focuses on building the pathway for sailors with disabilities around the world, from grassroots development to the pinnacle of elite competition. Through the Inclusive Development Programme (IDP), we’ve worked with sailors and coaches across Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas, giving new nations the tools and confidence to make sailing accessible for all.

At the same time, I am deeply involved in the campaign to reinstate sailing into the Paralympic Games for Brisbane 2032, working with the IPC, national federations, and international partners to prove that sailing deserves its place. Part of this includes the launch of the World Sailing Inclusion Championships in Oman in 2025 — a multi-discipline event showcasing that sailing is One Sport, inclusive by nature, and ready for the world stage.

My own sailing ambitions haven’t faded either. The dream of one day taking on the Vendée Globe still burns brightly — proving that nothing, not even disability, should define or limit what’s possible at sea.

This blog is where I’ll share the journey — the victories, the setbacks, and the fight to make sailing truly inclusive worldwide.

Watch this space — the best chapters are still being written.