FINDING A WAY INTO PROFESSIONAL SAILING
Becoming a professional sailor wasn’t something Ellie knew was even possible when she first started.
“I loved sailing when I was at school, but I wasn’t at a level where I could jump into the Olympic development squad. So, I spent a year doing all kinds of sailing, building up skills, and making the most of every opportunity. There wasn’t a big ‘lightbulb’ moment, but around May 2016, I started to see how I could make sailing my full-time career.
BREAKING THROUGH IN A MALE DOMINATED SPORT
“For sure, it was difficult at first. Yacht racing was very male-dominated, and it was hard to see how I could make a career of it,” Ellie says.
“But that’s why I love Olympic sailing, everyone is equal. You’re all chasing the same goal. It doesn’t matter who you are; all that matters is how you perform.”
She’s honest about the challenges, but also optimistic. “I’ve had great opportunities based on results, not gender. I haven’t seen much genuine misogyny in sailing, but I’ve always believed that respect is earned, not expected. That’s helped me a lot, especially in bigger teams.”