YACHT: Being a skipper in the Clipper Race is one of the most prestigious jobs. How do you become a Clipper Race skipper?
Brewis: I first took part in the last race as an AQP. Clipper then encouraged me to train as a skipper. They really scrutinised me during a three-day trial training course: How good is the technical sailing, how is the handling of the crew, are the safety precautions adhered to? They put you under a lot of pressure and try to make you go crazy by constantly asking you: why are you doing this, why are you doing that?
What is the challenge with an inexperienced crew?
People come from different cultures and have different personalities. And everyone has their own reasons for taking part in the race. Reconciling everything is one of the most difficult tasks.
How important is it for you to win the Clipper Race?
I would love to win. That would be fantastic. Everyone says they're not competitive until they win at some point. Then they suddenly say, "Oh, that's fun." (laughs)
Most of your crew is older and male. Are your age and gender a disadvantage for you?
At the end of the day, it doesn't matter. I realise that it's an obstacle that I have to overcome first. I think a lot of people twice my age think, "Oh my goodness, she's the one who's going to skipper the boat around the world." I'm only 26, but I can sail these boats really well. It makes the crew feel good and they learn to have confidence in me.
Why are women still underrepresented in professional sailing?
There is still a big gap between men and women. I was the only one at most of the training sessions. There are a few well-known female skippers like Ellen MacArthur, but many women are not represented in this field. Unfortunately, there aren't many that young women can look up to and say, "Look at her, she's sailing around the world." We need to work on that. Young girls need to know: "Oh, wow, I could do that too." It's not just a dream, it's absolutely achievable.
Interview:Andreas Zerr
The Clipper Round The World Race 2023-24
The Clipper Round The World Race 2023-24 starts in Portsmouth on 3 September. From here, the first leg leads via a stopover in Cadiz, Spain, to Punta del Este in Uruguay (approx. 7,250 nm). The journey continues to Cape Town (4,200 nm) and from there through the Indian Ocean to Fremantle in Western Australia (5,500 nm). The fourth leg will land in Sydney (4,000 nm) at the end of the year.
At the beginning of 2024, the fleet will sail on to Zhuhai in China, with one or two as yet unnamed stopovers planned (6,300 nm). The sixth and longest leg will stop in Qingdao and then sail across the northern Pacific to Seattle (8,000 nm). During the seventh leg, the field will travel down the west coast of the United States, through the Panama Canal and back north up the east coast to New York City or Washington (7,200 nm).
The final leg of the Clipper Race then leads back to England, where the winning team will be crowned at the end of June/beginning of July 2024 (4,400 nm). In total, the fleet will sail around 40,000 nautical miles in around eleven months. The German Andreas Zerr will also be on board with Hannah Brewis. He has been preparing intensively for the race for two years and will contest five stages.
