Wendy Tuck to join Zoe Taylor aboard Grace O’Malley for Sydney-Hobart

A year ago Wendy Tuck overtook Zoe Taylor within sight of the finish line to claim the honour of being the first female skipper to complete the 2017 Sydney to Hobart. This year, there will be no confusion.

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A year ago Australian sailor Wendy Tuck overtook Zoe Taylor within sight of the finish line to beat her to the honour of being the first female skipper to complete the 2017 Sydney to Hobart.

But at the time, neither knew.

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Tuck was at the helm of Sanya Serenity Coast, using the Sydney to Hobart as part of the Clipper round the world race, and Taylor was steering her own yacht, the 40-footer Grace O’Malley she named after a pirate.

Wendy Tuck with skipper Zoe Taylor at the CYC, Sydney. (Brett Costello)

“That was hilarious, neither of us knew it was happening and I think we only beat her by a few minutes,” said Tuck, who went on to become the first woman to win a round the world race as a Clipper Race skipper this year.

“We could see her caught up in a parking lot on the Derwent but didn’t realise who it was until we overtook.”

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Tuck was awarded the Jane Tate Memorial trophy, in honour of the first woman to complete the race south back in 1946.

This year there will be no confusion with World Sailor of the Year finalist Tuck joining Taylor aboard Grace O’Malley for the race south.

Also aboard is young sailor Emma May, a graduate of the youth sailing academy at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia which runs the annual race to Hobart.

Wendy Tuck with her crew in Hobart in 2017. (Sam Rosewarne)

Given the right conditions, Taylor believes she and her mixed crew could be in the running for the prestigious corrected time trophy won a year ago by Matt Allen and his crew on the 52-footer Ichi Ban.

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“We’ve shown we can be competitive in lead-up races which is a good thing,” says Taylor.

“But our division is ruthless so you have to be on your game.”

Along with the overall win last year, Ichi Ban also claimed two longstanding course records to become the fastest conventionally ballasted (fixed keel) yacht in history by beating Brindabella’s 1999 mark of 1d 20h 46m 33s and also the fastest yacht under 55 feet by bettering Yendys 2008 record of 2:00:57.05.

From this year on the Ichi Ban trophy will be awarded to fastest conventionally ballasted and open race record holders and be engraved with the names of all past winners.

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