Female crew creates history in Launceston to Hobart Yacht Race
The first all-female crew are competing in the Launceston to Hobart Yacht Race, which began Wednesday. But they’re certainly not there to make up the numbers.
Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
They’re an all-female crew of “absolute weapons” about to make history, but ‘Lawless’ skipper Orla Gray was as relaxed as the Beauty Point water before the start of the Launceston to Hobart Yacht Race on Wednesday.
Gray will lead the first all-female crew aboard the 31-foot Lawless in the 285 nautical mile event, and they’ve targeted a podium finish in the handicap categories.
The six person crew has already competed in three all-female keelboat regattas, including winning the Australian Women’s Keelboat Regatta at Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron in June.
Gray said getting the boat, which has claimed line honours in the past, up to racing standard had been a long but satisfying process.
“It’s been pretty intense because we started this campaign from the ground up a few months ago,” she said.
“We didn’t have any offshore racing stuff and had to start from the beginning, but it’s been a huge team effort and everyone’s pulled their weight.
“For the race requirements we have to go through a ‘Cat’ audit, which is getting all our safety equipment and life rafts, have our keel audited, make sure the rig is stable and all our personal equipment.
“And we have to get ourselves ready. We went out for an overnight training session and had a really hectic 40 knot breeze hit us.
“That was a good way to test the boat, it feels amazing. She’ll get us to Hobart no matter what, how fast we get there is up to us.
“They (crew) are absolute weapons. We’ve got a team of women who will step up to an any job.
“It’s so great to sail just with a crew of all women because you can. This is a sport where a woman can do any job.”
Gray is confident they can compete with the best crews in the fleet.
“Getting there is the first goal but I think we can do better than that. We’d like a podium in one of the divisions for sure,” she said.
“We’ve been racing as an all female crew in a few different regattas, but it’s good to see the entire sailing community get around us.
“We’ve had so many people offer their expertise and advice which is really helpful. While it is making history it’s also a bit scary, so it’s great to have everyone backing us.”
Derwent Sailing Squadron’s Porco Rosso will be searching for line honours as it uses the race to help prepare for next year’s Sydney to Hobart.
They’ll face stiff competition, headlined by Gary Smith’s nine-time winner and defending champion Fork in the Road.
Skipper Paul McCartney said they are fully focused on being first to Castray Esplanade before they take on Australia’s most iconic sailing event in 12 months’ time.
“We’d like to do that in due course but we’ve got great respect for this race,” he said.
“We’ve done a major refit of the boat over the last 18 months and it’s come together really nicely.
“We felt this was the best first run for it. It’s obviously a little shorter than Sydney and a bit more manageable.
“The competition here is good so we’ll be racing, no doubt.”
“We want to get it out and test it in some heavy breeze, which it looks like we’ll get that around the Tasman.”
Defending line honours champion Sundowner is hopeful of repeating the dose after it was successful in its first race since the late nineties after hours of renovations from crew member Tom Stearnes.
“It’s not going to be nice (conditions) further down the coast,” crew member Alice Grubb said.
“We feel a bit more organised this time. We know the boat better.”
“Last year (winning) was very much a surprise. Maybe a bit of luck and favourable conditions for us.”
Crisis time: Roo fury over NTFA demotion bid
The Deloraine Kangaroos are hopping mad after a failed bid to demote them from the inaugural NTFA Premier League has left league officials scrambling for answers.
Inside the plans to renew north against south footy rivalries
The evolution of Tasmanian football is almost complete with the north against south rivalries set for a new chapter. Here’s what we know with the changes close to completion.