Flying Officer Orla Gray's first attempt at the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race has been a test of resilience, teamwork and adaptability.
Although she and the crew of the Cookson 12 yacht, Calibre, retired less than 12 hours into the race, Flying Officer Gray said the experience highlighted the challenges and rewards of competing in one of the world's most gruelling sailing events.
"It was a super tough race. We jammed a lot into 12 hours," she said.
Flying Officer Gray, who is a registered nurse currently posted to RAAF Base Tindal, said even though the team retired early there was still plenty of challenges to overcome in that short time.
"When you're pushing the boat that hard, there's a lot of wear," she said.
"We broke the topper, kicker, wore through a kite sheet, broke the steering and eventually ripped a hole in the main, which forced us to retire from the race. Trying to fix all these in big seas, in the dark, while still racing takes a lot of teamwork."
After retiring, the team had to pull into Batemans Bay to tie everything down and wait for a southerly change to take them back up to Sydney.
'The RAAF training I've been through has constantly challenged me to be adaptive and think outside the box for solutions.'
Further complicating the race, one crew member suffered a head knock from the boom.
"We had to drop her off at the emergency department in Shellharbour on the way back to Sydney to make sure she was OK," Flying Officer Gray said.
"The teamwork required to navigate these situations was incredible."
Flying Officer Gray credited her Air Force training for helping her stay focused and adapt to the unpredictable conditions.
"The RAAF training I've been through has constantly challenged me to be adaptive and think outside the box for solutions … definitely needed for this race," she said.
"My training has also proved the need for resilience, even when you're sleep-deprived, hungry and everything is going wrong. You just keep pushing. I've learnt a lot about myself and just how far you can push, which is much farther than I thought."
Reflecting on the team's preparation and response, Flying Officer Gray said whenever anything went wrong, people went straight into fixing mode.
"Despite working for two years on this campaign, no one let those emotions distract us from trying as hard as we could to continue racing. Obviously having to retire was super emotional for the team and we definitely made time for that later, but in the moment the teamwork and support to prioritise racing was incredible," she said.
The tragic loss of two sailors during the race cast a sombre tone over the event.
"I know it was so awful for everyone," Flying Officer Gray said.
"They did a beautiful memorial in Hobart. All the post-race celebration was very subdued."
'Teaching others and seeing their growth on the water has been just as rewarding as competing.'
After the Sydney to Hobart, Flying Officer Gray flew to Tasmania to continue her summer racing with an all-women's team.
"I had more sailing to do before heading back to Tindal," she said.
Flying Officer Gray's love for sailing began at the age of eight when she joined the Lake Tuggeranong Sea Scouts in Canberra.
"My family joined the YMCA Sailing Club and I've raced everything from Pacers to Sharpies at national championships," she said.
"Sailing has always been about the people and the competition. It doesn't matter your age or gender - it's all about how well you sail."
Her passion grew over the years as she progressed from sailor to instructor and later chief instructor at the YMCA Sailing Club.
"Teaching others and seeing their growth on the water has been just as rewarding as competing," she said.
