Dare To Lead skipper Ryan Gibson - picture Clipper Race

Daring to lead is our team skipper, a 34-year-old experienced ocean sailor, Ryan Gibson, with more than 95,000 nautical miles under his belt. Ryan demonstrates a compelling interest, respect and passion for the ocean and sailing. He’s no stranger to extreme conditions, having sailed to remote ports in Svalbard in the Arctic and Alaska and has crossed the Atlantic five times.

Ryan’s competitive streak puts him in good stead as skipper of Dare To Lead in the 2023-34 edition of the Clipper Race. He’s previously competed in both small boat regattas and big boat races including the Oyster Palma Regatta, Palma Classic Regatta and The Superyacht Cup.

Ryan is looking forward to safely leading his competently trained, yet non-professional, crew around the world and passing on his knowledge and skills to other people. Whilst Ryan has got a competitive edge and will be looking to drive performance success and encourage crew through difficult situations to form a strong team.

When Ryan’s not sailing, you’ll find him in the great outdoors surfing, wakeboarding, kiteboarding or snowboarding. Ryan is an Advanced PADI open diver and enjoys travelling, fishing, tennis and golf. He holds dual Dutch and South African nationality.

Charlie Warhurst, 23, from Sheffield, is the AQP (Additionally Qualified Person) aboard Dare To Lead who will be supporting our skipper Ryan Gibson. Charlie is a recent university graduate who has already sailed 21,000 nautical miles in his career as a Mate, Watch Leader, and Skipper. He has crossed the Atlantic multiple times on iconic events such as the ARC and raced extensively around the Caribbean. He’s completed multiple yacht deliveries and has worked as a sailing instructor in the UK.