Sydney to Hobart yacht race: Stacey Jackson in race celebrating 75 years of women

Round the world racer Stacey Jackson is part of a group of sailors doing a very special Sydney to Hobart this year.

Stacey Jackson, right, Juliet and Clare Costanzo and Nina Curtis are all racing to Hobart this year.

When Stacey Jackson competed in her first Sydney to Hobart she didn’t get very far.

Hit by wild winds from a twister off the NSW coast, she and her crewmates were among the first retirements of the 2001 race.

Now, nearly two decades on she is part of a vanguard of women preparing for a race celebrating 75 years of women’s participation this year.

Stacey Jackson two years ago skippered an all-female crew of professional sailors to Hobart.

And while the former round the world campaigner is one of 60 odd women competing this year, she would prefer simply prefer to known as a sailor.

“I do like to see us as not male or female, I just see us all as sailors,’’ she said.

“As sailors bringing a different skill set or experience on board.’’

Jackson, whose all-female crew two years ago came within a whisker of winning the Sydney to Hobart overall, is this year racing south aboard Oroton Drumfire.

“It wasn’t a dream first Sydney to Hobart for me,’’ Jackson said.

“We suffered structural damage and retired.

“It wasn’t until a year later that I got to experience the whole thing of sailing up the Derwent to the finish.’’

Around 60 women will race to Hobart this year.

Two women sailed in the second race to Hobart back in 1946. One made it - Jane Tate on the little wooden boat Active - while Dagmar O’Brien and her crew returned.

Jackson two years ago won the trophy named in honour of The which recognises the first female skipper to Hobart.

“A massive highlight in my career. To be involved in that little bit of history is an honour,’’ she said of receiving the trophy named for Tate.

MORE SPORT

Story behind BBL’s teenagers great debut

School’s out: Rugby’s Generation Next

Shy ex soccer player from rugby school now in AFL

Ironwoman’s Olympic-sized challenge