"It's a great feeling to have helped deliver Susie to the start line. We'll all watch on with an immense amount of pride when she sets sail on July 1st. But the fact that she'll complete the race around the time of our 50th anniversary makes it even more special for everyone at DHL," said Ken Allen, CEO, DHL Express. "This has been her dream from a young age and her determination and perseverance to make it a reality are truly inspiring. The qualities she'll need to take on this incredible challenge mirror the values we all share at DHL Express. She'll need speed to win the race. She'll need a can-do spirit in the face of adversity. She'll need to get things right first time. And she'll need passion to keep going when the chips are down. She may be sailing on her own, but 100,000 DHL Express employees in over 220 countries and territories worldwide are behind her all the way."

Once the race is underway, DHL's support will continue for example through the DHL radio network. From stations in multiple continents, DHL will contact Susie by SSB radio to keep her updated with world events, as well as exchanging messages between her and her family and friends.

"In some ways, it's a relief to be finally starting the race," said Susie. "It's taken a lot of hard work and preparation just to reach this position, and I could not have done it without the support of DHL. 300 days is a long time to be alone, however knowing that DHL's 100,000 employees are supporting me is a massive help, making me feel connected to the rest of the world even in the middle of the ocean. It's something only a company with truly global reach can achieve."

Susie and her fellow competitors set sail from Les Sables d'Olonne, France today. Their 48,000 km voyage will traverse the three Great Capes before returning to Les Sables d'Olonne in 2019.

To keep up to date with Susie's journey, visit discover.dhl.com