Former First Mate from 2023-24 Race Returns as Skipper
Following the success of its debut visit to the US capital, the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race will return to Washington, DC in the summer of 2026 with a home boat also sailing back to its namesake port. In this edition, most of the race crew hail from the greater Washington Metropolitan area and three of them will take on the entire round the world adventure.
Twenty-one-year-old Skipper Ella Hebron will take the helm of Team Washington, DC, making it back-to-back female skippers for the USA yacht. Hebron competed on the Washington, DC team entry on the last edition as First Mate and will sail round the world for a second time.
Events DC, the official convention and sports authority of Washington, DC returns for a second time as both a Host Port and Team Sponsor. The previous year was hailed a success, driving $7.2 million dollars to the area during the Clipper Race’s ten-day stopover of the 2023-24 edition.
“Washington, DC is proud to host the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race in 2026. In 2024, we brought the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race to the nation's capital for the very first time and set a record for the most tours at any stopover in the history of the race,” said Events DC President and CEO Angie M. Gates. “We look forward to showcasing the very best of the District and making even more history when Team Washington, DC and the rest of the fleet return to our nation’s capital.”
The Clipper Race and Events DC’s visions align with legacy. For the Clipper Race, legacy is about its unique offering of opening ocean racing to everyday people, its longstanding international partners and the career pathway it offers professional sailors. For Events DC, they thrive on legacy and the lasting economic and community benefits that events have on the residents and businesses of the District of Columbia.
The partnership with Events DC sees the race returning to the nation’s capital, which on its last visit saw more than 228,165 people visiting The Wharf alone, with 29% of people making the journey from out of town just to see the Clipper Race spectacle.
This is combined with the legacy of pathway as it is announced that Ella Hebron, First Mate of Team Washington, DC on the 2023-24 edition, steps up to take the helm as Skipper for this lap of the globe.
“I’m absolutely delighted that our boat sponsor this year is Events DC! I had the privilege of being First Mate on the Washington, DC boat last race, and the partner was fantastic,” Hebron said. “Events DC was genuinely supportive, enthusiastic and deeply invested in the life-changing journey each crew member was on. From encouragement at sea to the incredible welcome and unforgettable celebrations in port, they made a real difference to our racing experience.”
“As skipper this time around, I’m incredibly proud to be continuing our partnership and championing Washington, DC once again. As a team, we can’t wait to represent them on this extraordinary adventure around the world. We’re determined to do them proud,” she said.
With its focus on social and economic impact, Events DC will build on the results seen on the first visit to the city and solidify Washington, DC as a top sailing destination on the East Coast.
One of the Race Crew hopping on board this edition is Chris Ruotolo, a 42-year-old Training and Development Manager from Arlington, Virginia, who first learned about the experience during last year’s stop in Washington, DC. The stopover, which welcomed 2,100 visitors on board the fleet, broke records in participation and gave insight into what life is like above and below deck on a Clipper 70 racing yacht.
“I remember hearing about the Clipper Race for the first time during the 2023-24 edition when they came through The Wharf, and I knew immediately that I wanted to be a part of it,” Ruotolo said. “I grew up within five miles of where the Clipper Race boats will depart from Washington, DC, so naturally, I feel an immense amount of pride and excitement for having been selected as part of Team Washington, DC. I'm also thrilled to have a great group of local friends and family that are going to be supporting me at the start and end of the race.”
Divided into eight legs and up to 14 individual stages, Race Crew representing over 50 nations and from all walks of life, will complete the full circumnavigation or select individual legs in the next edition. With the adventure starting on August 31 this year, the Clipper Race is the only race in the world where organizers supply a fleet of identical racing yachts, each with a fully qualified skipper and first mate to safely guide the crew.
Throughout the 11-month adventure, Race Crew on board Team Washington, DC, and its nine fellow competing yachts, will face storm force winds, tackle waves higher than a two-story house, work through searing hot and freezing cold temperatures, electrical storms and waterspouts, all while racing for 24 hours a day.
DC AND VIRGINIA CREW
Tina Brower-Thomas | Washington, DC | 53 | Scientist | Leg 4
Gardell Robinson | Washington, DC | 54 | Leg 1
Anthony Sennhenn | Alexandria | 40 | Military | Circumnavigator
Christopher Ruotolo | Arlington | 42 |Training and Development | Leg 8
Maria-Marta Andrade | Washington, DC | 67 | Retired | Leg 2
Tim Boatwright | Vienna | 56 | Director | Leg 4 |
Mruthyunjaya Gonchigar | Potomac | 64 | Medical Director | Circumnavigator
Ieva Notturno | Washington, DC | 42 | Manager | Circumnavigator
The Clipper Race fleet, including Team Washington, DC will depart from Portsmouth, UK, on August 31, 2025.
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About the Clipper Race
The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race is one of the toughest endurance challenges on the planet. This unique, epic event sees teams battle extreme conditions as they race more than 40,000 nautical miles around the globe in a true test of fortitude and determination.
The Clipper Race is the only event of its kind which trains people from all walks of life to become ocean racers, and many have no previous sailing experience before signing up for the intensive four levels of training prior to racing. Led by a professional Skipper and First Mate, Race Crew can complete the full eleven-month circumnavigation or choose to test themselves on one or multiple legs.
The Clipper Race was founded in 1996 by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, the first person to sail solo and non-stop around the world.
https://www.clipperroundtheworld.com
About Events DC
Events DC, the official convention and sports authority for Washington, DC, delivers premier event services and flexible venues across the nation’s capital. Leveraging the power of a world-class destination and creating amazing attendee experiences, Events DC generates economic and community benefits through the attraction and promotion of business, athletic, entertainment and cultural activities. Events DC oversees the LEED Platinum-certified Walter E. Washington Convention Center, an anchor of the District’s hospitality and tourism economy and the historic Carnegie Library at Mt. Vernon Square. Events DC manages the RFK Stadium-Armory Campus (RFK Campus), including Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, Festival Grounds at RFK Campus, The Fields at RFK, the non-military functions of the DC Armory and the Skate Park at RFK Stadium. Events DC also built and serves as landlord for Nationals Park, the first LEED-certified major professional sports stadium in the United States. Events DC manages Gateway DC, R.I.S.E. Demonstration Center and CareFirst Arena all conveniently located in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Washington, DC. For more information, please visit www.eventsdc.com and find us on social media – Facebook, Instagram and YouTube (Events DC), and Twitter (@TheEventsDC).
