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Old Dane Dee Caffari is first female skipper in Volvo Ocean Race

Old Dane and International yachtswoman Dee Caffari is the first female to lead a team in the 2017-18 Volvo Ocean Race. The Volvo Ocean Race is often described as the longest and toughest professional sporting event in the world; it is certainly sailing’s toughest team challenge and one of the sport’s 'Big Three' events, alongside the Olympics and America’s Cup.

Dee is skipper of the ‘Turn the Tide on Plastic' joint male/female crew, and the team’s guiding mission is to amplify the United Nations Environment’s 'Clean Seas: Turn the Tide on Plastic' campaign throughout the eight months of the race. Dee is the only woman to have sailed solo around the world in both directions, (east and west) as well as being the only female to have sailed around the world three times, non-stop. Dee also holds the female-crewed monohull Round Britain and Ireland speed record, a record she established in June 2009, and has also previously competed in the Vendée Globe, the Global Challenge, the Barcelona World Race and four transatlantic races. This year’s competition will be the longest course in the history of the race at 45,000nm, (the previous longest racecourse was 39,270 in 2011-12).The race will cross four oceans and take in 12 major cities: Alicante, Lisbon, Cape Town, Melbourne, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Auckland, Itajaí, Newport RI, Cardiff, Gothenburg and The Hague.

Students and staff at St Clement Danes School wish Dee and her team every success in this prestigious and most challenging race!

To follow the Dee and her team's progress please follow the link below:

https://twitter.com/deecaffari

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20th March

Duke of Edinburgh update: A busy month for our pupils

It has been a landmark month for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award at the school, with pupils across all year groups pushing their boundaries from the local landscape of Chorleywood Common to the rugged terrain of Scandinavia. The Gold Award cohort has seen an impressive 54 pupils sign up this year, many of whom recently gathered for a specialised food tasting session. This practical workshop allowed the Year 12s to trial various expedition rations, ensuring their packs are filled with both nutritious and palatable fuel ahead of their demanding practice trek through the Lake District this March. Preparation for the Gold Award reached a new peak on 1st March during a comprehensive training day led by Hepworth Adventures. The sheer scale of this year’s ambitions was evident as pupils mapped out diverse routes; 25 participants are currently preparing for the wilds of Otta in Norway, 13 are bound for Poland, and another 13 are focusing on UK-based expeditions, while one pupil prepares for a bespoke kayaking challenge. Under the guidance of Hepworth staff, these pupils fine-tuned their menu planning and equipment lists, ensuring they are fully equipped for the specific demands of the Gold environment and their upcoming qualifying aims in early summer. The spirit of the award is equally vibrant in the younger year groups, with 91 Year 10 pupils recently completing their Silver training day. Guided by a dedicated team of St Clement Danes staff and parent volunteers, the pupils took to Chorleywood Common to sharpen their navigational skills through a series of practical exercises. The day also involved intensive route planning for their qualifying expeditions in May and June, alongside sessions on the logistical challenges of group catering in the wilderness. Meanwhile, the Year 9 Bronze Award continues to see record engagement, with 182 pupils set to undergo their own training day on March 7th. Led by the School of Outdoor, this upcoming session will provide the foundation for their first expeditions, with photos and details of their progress expected to follow soon. Beyond the physical challenges of the trail, the school community recently gathered to celebrate the formal achievements of our participants. The Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire presided over a prestigious award presentation, during which he commended the pupils for their resilience and commitment. For those who missed the event, the full presentation slides and the keynote speech have been made available online, documenting a proud chapter in the school’s long-standing history with the DofE program.