90% Leadership, 10% Sailracing

That is the Clipper Around the World Yacht Race in 4 words.

During the ’25-’26 race I was the proud Skipper of Team Power of Seattle Sports and led a total of 53 amateur sailors safely around the world. Onboard there were 8 core crew members (worlders) and after every Leg 5 – 10 crewmembers changed. 

Did I do everything right as a leader? Absolutely not. Real leadership isn’t found in a textbook. It is forged when everything goes wrong at 3am in freezing temperatures.

As a Dutch skipper leading a diverse international crew, I learned lessons the hard way. I am direct. In the heat of the moment, when I raised my voice to be heared over the roaring wind, people sometimes thought I was angry. The team wasn’t always happy with me.

During the first 3 legs we struggled, which was very frustrating because other teams seemed so happy. It made me doubt myself, as a skipper and as a leader. 

When we started the final race from Oban towards Portsmouth (leg 8) we were in second place overall defending the podium position. During the race we were leading the fleet by 13nm when we hit a massive windhole. The other yachts diverted course and never stopped. 

We finished in 10th place and tumbled off the podium from 2nd to 4th place overall. And the team? They were happy, they were proud and they felt like winners. 

We survived, we performed and we stayed united. That is real leadership – managing friction, overcoming cultural gaps and executing under pressure.

In both ocean racing and modern businesses, environments shift in seconds. True leadership is not about avoiding the storm, it is about commanding your crew through it.

What I talk about:

Leading through chaos – how to pivot your strategy when your original plan gets wiped out

The ‘direct Dutch’ guide to teamwork – how to handle friction, address ‘elephant-in-the-room’ problems and keep a team united under pressure

Decisions under stress – making high-stakes choices when performance and safety collide

Do you need an inspiring, unfiltered story for your next corporate event? Contact me for more information.

angela@angelasails.com
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