Sydney to Hobart yacht race 2023: Navigator excited by challenge ahead, latest news and update

She's all smiles now but that could be about to change for Sydney to Hobart navigator Alice Parker - and her rivals on other boats in the famous race starting on Boxing Day.

Alice Parker discussing the long range forecast for the Sydney to Hobart. Picture: Andrea Francolin/CYCA.

She's all smiles now but that could be about to change for Sydney to Hobart navigator Alice Parker - and her rivals on other boats in the famous race starting on Boxing Day.

Parker won’t be doing the grunt work on deck in the race but will be sweating it out down below in the confined space of the navigation station on the Sydney to Hobart overall contender URM, which has won a series of lead-up races.

And it’s where she and fellow navigators and tacticians will be working overtime to piece together one of the most complicated and erratic weather forecasts in recent times.

“It a moving picture,’’ Parker said of the long range race forecast which needs plenty of monitoring ahead of the December 26 start of the race.

But Parker, one of the few women in the race navigating on a top contender of the overall honours, is embracing the challenge.

Alice Parker in the nav station on URM. Picture: Andrea Francolini/CYCA

“I find it a little bit exciting when the forecast is this uncertain, because anything can happen,” she said.

“There’ll be opportunities for little boats and opportunities for big boats.”

URM, a 72-footer, in action in a previous race.

Veteran navigator Adrienne Cahalan, on the former winner Alive from Tasmania, said she wishes she and her crewmate had the luxury of multiple weather experts on the yacht as does the 100-footer Scallywag.

Chris Wild will be joined by Spanish legend Juan Villa to call the weather shots and tactics son the supermaxi.

“I envy the boats having two navigators because if ever there was a race for that then this is it,’’ she said.

“To have someone to bounce ideas off is something great to have.’’

A fleet of around 100 yachts will set said in this year’s race to Hobart, including defending line honours champion Andoo Comanche and 19 two-handed boats.

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