As a Corowa school girl, Olivia Hughes never imagined that one day she’d compete in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.

As a kid she says she knew nothing about the race except for occasionally glancing at the television.

But this year, for the second time, Olivia sailed through Sydney Heads on Boxing Day and headed south into a strong southerly and four to five metre swells.

Just over four and half days later, on board Navy One, a Beneteau First 40 owned by the Royal Australian Navy, she sailed up Hobart’s Derwent River

In conditions more experienced sailors described as “horrendous”, more than 30 yachts had retired from the race with mechanical failures, damage, seasickness or injuries.

Olivia grew up in Corowa and after school she joined the RAN’s gap year program then joined the Navy full-time.

“I started sailing for sport on Sydney Harbour … just rocked up and started learning,” she said.

“Then I put in an expression of interest for the Sydney to Hobart.

“I thought I’d be on the return trip in 2023, but I got on the race crew.”

The southerly wind and competing westerly swell may have made for choppy and unsettled conditions this year, but Olivia said 2023 was worse, sailing in storms most of the time.

“The scariest moment was crossing Bass Strait,” she said.

“You’re racing so you want to go as fast as possible, and it hits like a wall … uncertain, noisy, the boat creaks quite loud, it’s raining and all your senses are overloaded.

“It was a little scary when we keeled over; you just have to concentrate and get the job done.

“I was a bit oblivious that year, I didn’t know what I was getting into.”

This year, Navy One with a crew of 10, finished in 60th place overall, from 103 starters, and won the Oggin Cup for the top performing yacht from the armed services.

“We had to hunker down for the first 48 hours, but it was pretty nice after that,” Olivia said.

“We had nice weather going into Bass Strait, but the swell was hitting us at a funny angle so helming (steering) was a challenge to counteract the waves.

“The two-metre swell is not that bad; it’s the angle that makes it like a washing machine.”

At 24, Olivia has been in the navy for six years, and says she’d consider doing another Sydney to Hobart.

“It all depends on the crew, and we had a really great crew this year,” she said.

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Thursday, 2nd February 2023

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