Lane Cove sailor Adrienne Cahalan inducted into Australian Sailing Hall of Fame
This Sydney sailor has inspired a generation of sailors – male and female – and shown grit, determination and talent really can take you to the top of the world.
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She’s been the fastest woman around the world, a trailblazer, record-breaker, a motivator and now Adrienne Cahalan is an Australian Sailing Hall of Fame.
The Sydney sailor has inspired a generation of sailors – male and female – and shown grit, determination and talent really can take you to the top of the world.
But the modest Lane Cove sailor was still shocked to receive her award at a gala function in Sydney recently.
“It really is such an honour, I’m quite taken aback,’’ she said.
Cahalan, a maritime lawyer based at Woolwich Dock, has raced everything from skiffs and Sydney to Hobart supermaxis to round the world events and speed attempts.
One of her greatest achievements was as navigator aboard the maxi-catamaran Cheyenne which broke the non-stop Round the World Record in 2004 – slashing six days off the old mark after 58 days, 9 hours, 32 minutes and 45 seconds at sea.
Not only was the Sydney mother of two the fastest Australian to circumnavigate the globe, she was the only woman to ever be part of a crew to break the non-stop round the world record.
Cahalan was inducted into the Australian Sailing Hall of Fame alongside the famous Halvorsen brothers, Tryge and Magnus, Manly sailor Greg Hyde and sailing pioneer and entrepreneur Mark Foy.
In Australian waters Cahalan is perhaps best known for her extraordinary success in the Sydney to Hobart.
She is the most winning woman in the 75 year history of the race with six line honours wins on Nicorette and Wild Oats X1 along with two overall wins (Wild Oats X1) and two race records (Wild oats X1)
She is also the first woman to compete in 25 Sydney to Hobarts and planning to contest her 28th this year.
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