All-female crew to race Wild Oats X in 2018 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race

The move to fit the 66-foot Wild Oats X with the 13-strong female crew is part of a wider bid to encourage a stronger female representation in Australian sailing. It will be led by Stacey Jackson, a former Volvo Ocean Race competitor and Sydney Hobart race veteran (including claiming line honours aboard Wild Oats XI).

The crew, which will compete under the Ocean Respect Racing team banner, will also promote ocean health and sustainability via a tie-in with 11th Hour Racing. It has appointed former Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop as its ambassador.

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“To be able to sail with a fully professional all-female crew to Hobart is a wonderful opportunity and we are proud to build on the work of non-professional female crews who have previously raced,” Jackson said.

“Our crew will be training intensively in the lead-up to Boxing Day and we are excited to sail to promote and encourage women in the sport, and to engage with the Australian public on ocean health issues that are affecting us daily, both locally and globally.

“We are working with the sailing community to further educate ourselves, be proactive in mitigating our impact on the ocean, and to encourage others to consider ocean health and sustainability.” she said.

The idea of an all-female crew for the gruelling 682nm offshore trial was cemented at this year’s Hamilton Island Race Week where the Wild Oats X’s owners, the Oatley family, welcomed the proposal.

“Sailing is a sport that my family is incredibly passionate about and we were delighted to agree to contribute Wild Oats X to Stacey’s campaign at Hamilton Island Race Week,” Oatley said.

“We are looking forward to seeing both [100-foot super-maxi] Wild Oats XI and Wild Oats X on the starting line for what is expected to be a strong race” he said.

Aside from Jackson as skipper, the Wild Oats X crew will include Brits Dee Caffari (2IC) and Libby Greenhalgh (navigator), Dutch sailor Carolijn Brouwer (helm), Aussie Katie Spithill (tactics), Kiwi Bianca Cook (trimmer), Aussies Sue Cafer (trimmer), Vanessa Dudley (trimmer) and Jade Cole (pit), Kiwi Keryn McMaster (main trimmer), Aussies Sophie Ciszek (foredeck) and Faraday Brooke Martin (captain) and the US's Katie Pettibone (trimmer).

The all-female crew will have its first test under the heat of competition on December 11 when it takes part in the SOLAS Big Boat Challenge on Sydney Harbour, recognised as an early indication of a race crew’s Boxing Day form. Wild Oats X won last year’s Big Boat Challenge on handicap, and 11th overall in the Sydney Hobart and fourth in its class.

The 2018 Sydney Hobart Yacht Race starts on December 26.