Jersey Clipper Bursary

Published 11:01 on 20 May 2026

TWO STUDENTS CHASE THEIR DREAMS THANKS TO THE 2026 JERSEY CLIPPER BURSARY.

A ROWER who hopes to compete in the Coastal British Championships later this year has been awarded the 2026 Jersey Clipper Bursary, worth £1,000.

Ryanna Clifford (21) will use the funds for her travel and competition costs as she progresses towards the championships, taking place in Whitby in July.

The 2026 runners-up award of £500 goes to Tyler Horton, another young university student who races Etchell keelboats in the Solent as a member of the Southampton University Yachting team.

My ambition for 2026 is to progress as a coastal rower and represent Jersey at both national and international level, while gaining experience rowing in new and more challenging waters, explained Ryanna, now in her third year studying product design engineering at Loughborough University in Leicestershire.

Her interest in the sea began with the Jersey Sea Cadets where she tried fixed-seat rowing within the confines of St Helier Harbour. Once at Loughborough she joined the university rowing team and then the Jersey Rowing Club, achieving success in local races.

I began coastal rowing in Jersey in the summer of 2024, where the islands unique tides and conditions have given me a strong foundation and deep respect for the sea.

This year I aim to compete at the Coastal British Championships, testing myself against top athletes from across the UK. A key part of this ambition is the opportunity to row in different coastal environments, particularly areas
such as the North Sea where conditions, swell patterns and navigation differ significantly from Jersey.

I also aspire to compete at the European Coastal Rowing Championships in Spain, where I would race against international crews in unfamiliar and demanding conditions.

The Jersey Clipper Bursary will help fund my travel and competition costs, enabling me to pursue these opportunities. Ultimately, I want to grow as a rower by embracing new maritime challenges and proudly representing
Jersey on a wider stage.

For Tyler Horton (19), who is studying maritime engineering, the runner-up award will help her to compete in the highly competitive Etchell class, accelerating her development within keelboat sailing.

I began my journey in the 30-ft Etchells in January through the Royal London Etchells Youth Academy, said Tyler, and have gained invaluable coaching, world-class racing insight and connections within its sailing community.
Alongside this, I have competed for the Southampton University Yachting Team in the University Sailing League, match racing, and BUCS events, achieving 1st at the Rory Cheetham Match Racing Event, 3rd overall in the University Sailing League and 3rd in BUCS coastal yachting.

This season I have the opportunity to continue my Etchells campaign on an academy boat and the Jersey Clipper Bursary award will help me with my travel, accommodation and boat charter costs.

Having experienced the significant transition from sailing in Jersey to racing in the Solent I am motivated to help other local sailors navigate this step more easily, and I am committed to giving back by coaching with the Jersey Youth Keelboat Team.

The annual Jersey Clipper Bursary, a legacy from the Islands three campaigns in the Clipper Round-the-World Race, was established in 2007 through the generosity of UBS, Dandara and Les Pas Holdings, the main sponsors of Jersey Clipper.