Lancaster sailor takes part in trip of a lifetime

Lucie Carrington, 27, from Lancaster, recently took part in a trip to the RC44 Cascais World Championship in Portugal as part of a group of three graduate volunteers from the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust.

Hosted by Britain’s Team Aqua, one of the most experienced teams on the RC44 Championship Tour, Lucie was given the chance to learn the ropes from the experts.

Lucie first sailed with the trust after she finished treatment in January 2006 for Ewing’s sarcoma at the Christie NHS Foundation and currently volunteers for the cancer charity.

She said: “The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust introduced me to sailing four years ago, during remission from a bone cancer I had in my left forearm when I was 16.

“The trip transformed my physical and mental confidence and since then I have fallen head over heels for the sport.”

Warmly welcomed by the Team Aqua sailors, Lucie spent three days as part of the crew during the World Championship event.

She acquired knowledge and new skills by getting out on the water, watching the practice racing and learning from the pros.

Having completed the final leg of the 2013-14 Clipper Round the World Race as an ambassador for the trust, Lucie is always keen to take on new challenges.

She said: “The RC44 trip has just reaffirmed how special sailing is!

“The sea quite simply sets me free and this trip especially just helped put everything back into perspective.”

Launched in 2003, the aim of the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust is to give young people in recovery from cancer the chance to rebuild their confidence through sailing.

The trust receives no government funding and therefore relies entirely on voluntary donations to provide sailing trips free of charge. It is thanks to dedicated supporters like Team Aqua owner, UK-based businessman Chris Bake that the trust is able to foster long-term relationships with the young people it works with and offer programmes, such as the trip to the RC44 Cascais World Championship.

To become a friend of the trust and help them to continue to provide support and encouragement to young people in recovery from cancer visit: www.ellenmacarthurcancertrust.org.