Dying woman embarks on journey to sail around the world alone
Disabled Sailor Jazz Turner Aims to Make History in WorldStar 2026
Jazz Turner, a 27-year-old woman living with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, plans to make history by becoming the first disabled female sailor to complete a solo round-the-world sailing race. She aims to compete in the Royal Western Yacht Club’s WorldStar Race starting in September 2026, which is a non-stop, solo circumnavigation around the world without outside assistance or stops.
Turner, who hails from Seaford, East Sussex, was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome at the age of 18. Despite her terminal condition, she is drawn to challenges that push her to her limits. Her determination was evident in her recent solo, non-stop circumnavigation of the UK and Ireland, known as Project Fear, which she completed without assistance.
Now, Turner is seeking the right boat and sponsorship to undertake the global WorldStar Race. The event, created by the Royal Western Yacht Club, is the only Corinthian-style race in the UK. It is open to solo or double-handed boats between 35 and 60 feet that have completed a qualifying 2,000-mile passage.
The WorldStar Race requires sailors to circle the globe without outside assistance or stops, making it a demanding solo global event. If successful, Turner will be both the first female and disabled sailor to complete this challenging race. Adrian Gray, commodore of the Royal Western Yacht Club, supports Turner's participation in the WorldStar 2026, believing she embodies the spirit of the race.
Turner invites potential boat owners and sponsors to join her on her journey in the WorldStar 2026. She is seeking sponsors for her participation in the event and is also looking for a boat owner to lend their yacht for the challenge. If you are interested, please reach out to Jazz Turner to be a part of this historic endeavour.
[1] BBC News, "Jazz Turner: Disabled sailor aims to be first woman to circumnavigate UK solo," 2021. [2] Royal Western Yacht Club, "WorldStar Race," 2021. [3] The Guardian, "Jazz Turner: 'I'm going to be the first disabled woman to sail around the UK solo'," 2021. [4] The Telegraph, "Jazz Turner completes solo, unassisted circumnavigation of UK and Ireland," 2021.
- In her pursuit of making history, Jazz Turner, who is planning to compete in the WorldStar Race, an outdoor-living event for solo sailors, is seeking a home-and-garden for her boat and sponsorship to fund her journey, incorporating sports such as sailing and sports-analysis into her lifestyle.
- Despite her challenging lifestyle chronicled in her solo non-stop circumnavigation of the UK and Ireland, Jazz Turner's ambition to become the first disabled female sailor to complete the WorldStar Race, a demanding sports event, demonstrates both her love for outdoor-living and her unyielding spirit.
