A Tunbridge Wells teenager is spending her Christmas at sea by competing in a global sailing race - despite having no previous yachting experience.

Ellen O'Brien has left Fremantle in western Australia to embark on a 3,400-mile journey to the Whitsunday Islands, which lie between the northeast coast of Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef.

The 18-year-old is the youngest crew member to be taking part in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, which will see her spending the festive season racing 24 hours a day for three weeks as part of the fourth stage of the competition.

“I’ve always wanted to do something out of my comfort zone and something totally different," she said.

"I am a bit of a water baby – I’ve always loved watersports – and it seemed like a really good idea.

“I love the fact everyone is different ages.

"When I went back to school after doing my first level of Clipper Race training I was like ‘I am friends with a 30 year-old’ and they were like ‘what?’ but when you’re here it’s so normal and I love listening to people who are so much older and wiser than me and hearing all these crazy life stories.

“It’s going to be so weird leaving my family but I guess I have a new family on board the boat, GoToBermuda, so I’ll be spending Christmas with them this year.

“There is so much I want to achieve doing the race – I want to show myself that I can do anything if I put my mind to it and that there will always be days that are really, really tricky but those days will pass and there will be really, really good times as well.

“It sounds cliché but I want to show myself that the world is my oyster and do these endurance challenges to live my life to the fullest.”

Ellen is due to arrive into Airlie Beach, Whitsundays, on the west coast of Australia, between January 9 and 12, but her friends and family will be able to watch her progress through the live Race Viewer and blogs that come back from her yacht, which is sponsored by the Bermuda Tourism Authority.

Dad Chris flew out to Fremantle to wave her off and said: “I am immensely proud. Of course, there’s a bit of apprehension – as a parent, who wouldn’t be? But I am immensely proud and I think it will be something that changes her life.

“To be honest, I didn’t think it would be something she would ever do but I am so pleased she’s decided to go for it and its brilliant to be here and watch her live her dream.”

The Clipper Race is the only event of its type that gives everyday people, regardless of previous sailing experience, the chance to race the world’s oceans, with 40% never having sailed before signing up to take part.

In total, almost 700 crew will take part in the 41,165 nautical mile circumnavigation, which takes 11 months to complete before finishing in London next summer.

Crew can choose to race around the world or take part in one of more of the eight individual stages with the global route.

Each team, led by a professional skipper and first mate, is crewed by everyday people, from all walks of life and representing 43 different nationalities.

On juggling her studies with ocean racing, Ellen jokes: “You’ll have to ask my headteacher to see if I’m making it work.

“But I am making it work. In some ways its motivating me to do more work because I am totally focused at school and then I am completely focused on sailing when I am doing the Clipper Race.”

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