In this instalment of our Women in Sport series, professional offshore sailor Pamela Lee shares her sporting inspirations, goals and proudest achievements.
Pamela Lee is a professional offshore sailor from Greystones, Wicklow. She has sailed and loved water sports all her life, it’s also been a large part of her family life growing up. She moved to Brittany, France, as this is the ‘mecca’ for short-handed offshore sailing, Pam’s speciality.
In 2020, she set 3 World Records for the fastest sailing around Ireland. In 2023, she became the first Irish Skipper to race the Transat Jacques Vabre. Her next focus is to become the first Irish Sailor to compete in the Route du Rhum 2026 – the world’s toughest solo transatlantic race. Here she shares her sporting story so far.
Earliest sporting memory?
I have a lot, but probably messing around in sailing boats and learning to capsize with my dad, brothers and sister on family holidays in Ireland. Sport for me has always been about activity, ‘play’ and adventure, as well as competition.
How did you become involved in your sport?
Sailing has always been an important part of my life thanks to my parents’ passion for the sport. Although I have been regularly involved in other sporting activities from a young age—including hockey, athletics and swimming—sailing has always been a constant. It has allowed me to compete, to work, and at other times it has provided a place where I can relax, be with my friends and enjoy myself.
What message would you like to share with young women and girls interested in pursuing a career as an athlete?
You should absolutely follow your dreams and your passion, whether full-time or on the side. You will gain invaluable experiences and life lessons along the way, so enjoy the rollercoaster… or ‘surf the waves’, soak up the highs and the lows!
Also, think hard about what your dream is. There are so many different sports and opportunities, so don’t be deterred if you have to pivot along the way. And control the controllables!
Proudest moment so far…
Finishing the Transat Jacques Vabre Transatlantic Race in 2023. It was more than competition for me, I was proud of the work I put in to get to the start line, dealing with the challenges throughout 20 days at sea and delivering for my sponsors and my team. My family were there at the finish and it was so special to see them there, waving Irish flags.
The female athlete I admire most is…
I am really inspired by Orla Walsh, track cyclist now turned endurance cyclist. Her journey is unique, she’s a total trailblazer in a tough and lonely sport and a fantastic advocate for the life-changing effects that involvement in sport can have. She also demonstrates how to pivot and keep going when hurdles come your way!
I also admire my sister-in-law, Maire Ni Argain, who has continued to compete in running at the highest level in her free time and is hitting PBs still while raising a family. It’s super inspiring. She does it because she loves it!
Favourite sporting memory…
Achieving the World Records for Sailing Around Ireland. We really exceeded the expectations of ourselves and those around us, and so it felt like a huge boost of confidence and proof in the power of determination. It played a huge role in giving me the confidence to continue on this career path and also demonstrated the storytelling power of offshore sailing, consolidating my belief that sport can be activated as a driver for positive change.
Do you think there is still a stigma around women in sport?
Yes, I think this is clearly visible in the stats surrounding the participation rates of women and young girls in sport. For example, only 11 per cent of girls meet national physical activity guidelines, compared to 19 per cent of boys. It is definitely moving in a positive direction, but there is still work to be done, and I see that as part of my responsibility to keep driving change.
What is the biggest barrier to driving visibility in women’s sports?
That there are still those who think ‘women’s’ sports is different from sports… it shouldn’t matter what gender is competing. It’s the excitement, passion of the competition and the talent of the athletes. Offshore sailing is cool because there is no gender class; women and men compete in the same races.
The biggest misconception that exists in women’s sport is…
That you need to be ‘big’ to be strong… or that being ‘big and strong’ is not feminine. Neither are true. There are a million different sports and a million different body types that have strengths and weaknesses. A marathon runner isn’t going to look the same as a 100m sprinter! How you use your body and what you can do with it should be an impressive thing.
If I wasn’t an athlete I would be…
A photographer… Wildlife and surf documentarian or an art curator.
My favourite pre-competition meal is…
This is a big one for offshore sailors, because you know you are going to be eating freeze-dry for the duration of a race. I like to have something home-cooked, lots of veg and fruit, protein and complex carbs – as I know this is what I’ll crave when I’m offshore.
My pre-competition playlist includes…
- Zombie, The Cranberries
- Tout l’monde d’en fout, Sofiane
- Zeal & Ardor Devim is Fine Remix, Monumental
- Lioness, Swedish House Mafia, Niki & The Dove
My daily routine is…
My routine changes a lot depending on if we are in racing, training or boat refit season. When I am ‘on land’ in training periods, I aim to get up early and do my gym session. Then, it’s either to the boat for technical preparation or out on the water for training. I also have ‘office days’ to study theory and build the project sponsorship program. I aim to do cardio in the evenings to wind down. If there are conditions to go for a kitesurf or surf, I will do that.
My biggest sporting goal is…
Currently, to race the Route du Rhum, starting in October 2026. Beyond that, to race around the globe.
Sports brands I love (Irish or otherwise)…
Musto is the brand I use for all my sailing kit. I have been working with them for years and am an ambassador. They are super supportive and ask for my feedback on women’s kit development. They also have a cool ‘leisure’ range. And Bollé Eyewear are my sunglasses partner, I love both their watersports range and leisure range!
I also love bold slogans. For example, I have a few different versions of t-shirts brought out for the Olympics by @togethxr with the slogan ‘Everyone watches women’s sports’.
Biggest splurge to celebrate a win…
Staying out in the Caribbean for a holiday to go surfing, kiting and winging after finishing a transatlantic race!
How do you mind your mental health?
Professionally, I have worked with a coach, Lisa O’Carroll, for several years, and we have developed tools and techniques together to help me both on land and offshore. I’m now focusing more on an exploration into a high-performance mindset with Shane Craddock. We have an objective of where I want to be mentally for the Route du Rhum in 2026. It’s a continual work in progress.
I also try to keep it simple: exercise, sleep, good food. Getting in the water, even for just a sea swim, always gives me a big reset.
My three desert island beauty products are:
SUNCREAM! I spend so much time outdoors and in harsh conditions that suncream is a religion. I use a daily 50 SPF and then have a total block zinc that I add when sailing or doing water activities.
For restoration, I love La Roche-Posay Pure Vitamin C12 serum and Hyalu B5 Serum, and then their Cicaplast Baume to really help soothe my skin when it’s had a tough time.
I need 8 hours of sleep a night because….
I deal with serious sleep deprivation while I am racing, so when I’m on land, I try to keep the sleep tank filled up!
Confidence, to me, is…
Feeling solid within yourself, having a good relationship with your inner self, through the highs and the lows. Being able to surf the waves.
How do you get over a bad performance?
It’s a work in progress, but my objective is to take a break, clear my head. Do something I love. Then come back and dissect it, to see what my learnings are, so I can use it as a stepping stone forward.
Lastly, why is sport such an integral part of the community, on a club, local, national and personal level?
Sport is competition, but also play, activity, exercise… energy! It helps us experience life and share things with others. It also contributes to good health physically and mentally. I really believe that sport is an incredible human-connector. It teaches empathy, healthy competition through good sportsmanship and shared goals. All of these things are going to contribute to positive outcomes on personal, local, national and international levels.
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