Another young English lass

When she took part in the Vendée Globe for the first time in 2008, Sam Davies was bound to remind people of another English sailor, Ellen MacArthur. But Sam, brought up on the Solent before gaining experience with the top sailing names in Britain (Nick Moloney, Tracy Edwards…) was not just there to be a pretty face or fulfil a secret ambition of being made a Dame by the Queen like Ellen. Anyone following closely the Figaro circuit, which she had been deeply involved in during the previous few years, will know only too well that behind the good looks there is a yachtswoman to be feared, capable of surprising everyone by finding the most incredible trajectories. She always seems to be perfectly at ease at sea, particularly in long distance races. In 2005 in particular, Sam impressed everyone by moving up in Mid-Atlantic with the potential winners in the Saint-Nazaire-Cuba transatlantic race.

By finishing fourth in her first non-stop solo round the world race after what was a perfect voyage, Sam Davies confirmed all the good things people were saying about her. Looking beyond the sporting achievement, she showed her immense joy and pleasure at being at sea and her natural communication skills meant she became the public’s favourite. Everyone has been looking forward to seeing her take part for the second time in the Vendée Globe, and the British sailor has raised her ambitions and hopes to win a place on the podium.

www.samdavies.com