Please select your home edition
Edition
Switch One Design

RYA Dinghy Show - ‘Sea and Summit’ sailing challenge revealed

by Susie NationGrainger on 1 Mar 2014
Natasha Lambert in the boat she used to cross the English Channel SW
British sailor Natasha Lambert, 16, was born with atheroid cerebral palsy, which affects her limbs and confines her to a wheelchair. Today at the RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show (Saturday 01 March 2014) she officially unveiled her incredible 2014 sailing challenge: ‘Sea and Summit’.

On the 24th July, Natasha will sail from her hometown of Cowes, Isle of Wight, to embark on a month-long challenge sailing her 21ft Mini Transat, Miss Isle Too, single-handed down the South West coast of England to Wales. Natasha does not have use of her hands and sails her yacht using her mouth to operate a ‘sip and puff’ mechanism that was engineered by her father and is based on a straw mounted inside a cycling helmet.



Having completed the sailing part, Natasha will then swap her boat for her special walking aid, called a Hart Walker and will climb Pen y Fan in the Brecon Beacons, the highest peak in Britain south of the Snowdonia mountain range.

Accompanied by her coach Phil Devereux, the Sea and Summit challenge will see Natasha sail 430 miles and climb 2,907ft whilst raising money for the RNLI, the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust and the RYA Foundation, as well as the profile of sailing for people with disabilities.

This will not be Natasha’s fist challenge. Last year, her sense for adventure inspired her to sail across the English Channel from Boulogne to Dover, a voyage which she completed in just four hours. In 2012 she conquered her first challenge sailing around the Isle of Wight.

Her father Gary said: 'We’re all really excited to officially launch Sea and Summit. It’s going to be Natasha’s hardest challenge yet but she’s determined to do it. Natasha can’t walk across the room unaided and to think she is planning to sail over 400 miles and then climb to the top of a mountain is just incredible. For Tash sailing means freedom, control and being able to do the things that maybe she isn’t able to do when she’s not sailing.'

Natasha started sailing through RYA Sailability which supports opportunities for people with a disability to experience sailing and to sail more regularly.


RYA Sailability

To find out more information about Natasha Lambert and to sponsor her challenge visit Miss Isle.

Maritimo M50Switch One DesignHenri-Lloyd Dynamic Range

Related Articles

Foiling Sport Congress gathers global players
To shape the Future of Foiling Last week, Malcesine hosted the first-ever Foiling Sport Congress — a by-invitation event organised to foster an in-depth discussion on the current state and future developments of foiling across all disciplines.
Posted today at 5:59 am
Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup Day 3
The best female wave sailors in the world showcase their skills on the global stage After the men had taken centre stage for the opening two days of the 2025 Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup, today was the day for the best female wave sailors in the world to showcase their skills on the global stage.
Posted today at 4:11 am
Transpac Onboard Episode 4
Anything Can Happen at Sea All Transpac 2025 competitors are now at sea and actively racing to Hawaii. We take a look at the Pasha Live Race Tracker and talk about the significant wind hole confronting a contingent of competitors.
Posted today at 3:06 am
Stops & re-starts in first two legs of AEGEAN 600
A tough first night and early morning spent fighting zephyrs getting through the Cyclades After a beautiful breezy start yesterday, but a tough first night and early morning spent fighting zephyrs getting through the Cyclades, at the end of today's daylight the AEGEAN 600 fleet is back on the move.
Posted on 7 Jul
Marblehead to Halifax Race Update
The front-runners are pushing hard toward the finish After nearly 24 hours at sea, the front-runners of the Marblehead to Halifax Ocean Race are pushing hard toward the finish. Temptation/Oakcliff leads the fleet in both elapsed and corrected time, with Boudicca – Gill Race Team close behind.
Posted on 7 Jul
British Classic Week Day 1
Northerly winds gusting 22 knots make for a brisk start Day one at British Classic Week in Cowes saw fast-paced racing around the cans sponsored by Spirit Yachts for over 50 classic and modern classic yachts.
Posted on 7 Jul
International Moth Worlds Opening Ceremony
137 sailors from 25 nations have gathered, featuring some of the biggest names in sailing After weeks of preparation and an intense lead-up, the 2025 Moth World Championship is ready to get under way. Official racing begins tomorrow, 8 July, on the waters of Lake Garda, with the event hosted by Fraglia Vela Malcesine.
Posted on 7 Jul
iQFOiL Worlds a Aarhus day 2
No racing, but spirits stay high in Aarhus Day 2 of the iQFOiL World Championship in Aarhus tested the patience of sailors, coaches, and the Race Committee alike, as the wind refused to settle across the bay.
Posted on 7 Jul
Foiling Frenzy at Fraglia Vela Malcesine
The Moth Worlds at Lake Garda are something else! The Moth Worlds at Lake Garda are something else! Regardless of where sailors are in their careers, or the reputation they have, everyone wants to be there and have a tilt at the title.
Posted on 7 Jul
Protect Your Skin, Stay Out Longer
Rooster know that long days on the water are what summer is all about At Rooster, we know that long days on the water are what summer is all about. But with the sun high and strong, protecting your skin is just as important as protecting your kit.
Posted on 7 Jul