Watching the commencement of the Sydney to Hobart Race each Boxing Day is a tradition for many Australians. For Old Girl Emily Sellens (’00), the 2024 race was extra special, competing in the race and ticking off her lifetime bucket list item. Following in the footsteps of her father, who participated in the race six times himself, Emily was able to reconnect with her lifelong passion for sailing which had previously been put on hold:

“I started sailing at eight years of age at Mooloolaba Yacht Club, and later raced out of the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron after moving to Brisbane to attend St Margaret’s. During my school years, I participated in state and national dinghy class titles as well as team’s racing events.

“Following school, I gave up sailing for about 15 years in pursuit of my studies and career. I studied Animal Science at The University of Queensland Gatton Campus, and later Veterinary Medicine and Surgery at Murdoch University in Perth.

“I found my way to back to sailing while studying at the University of Sydney, where I completed a PhD in veterinary epidemiology. Through the University of Sydney Sailing Club, I competed again in team’s racing events and made connections in Sydney which paved the way for sailing in the Flying Dutchman class for about a year.”

Her sailing career would once again be put on hold, however, after the birth of her daughter, Mila. Emily and her family moved to Maitland, NSW, while Emily was still completing her PhD and working fulltime. With little spare time and no local connection to a club, sailing wasn’t on the radar. However, a chance conversation would spark her return:

“I was working for a veterinary pharmaceuticals company as the lead for Pharmacovigilance (drug safety reporting and monitoring) and a colleague mentioned she was learning to sail at Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club and invited me to joint in. Despite already knowing how to sail, I went along for a lesson to see what the club was all about and meet some fellow sailors. From there I haven’t looked back!”

After completing her PhD and securing a position as a veterinary epidemiologist with the federal government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Emily was able to spend more time sailing out of Newcastle. This culminated in the purchase of a share in Mako, a Sydney 40, in 2024, leading her to become the first female owner in the syndicate of 10. Emily skippered the boat in the 2024 Sydney to Southport Race, covering 348 nautical miles, with a view to competing in the Sydney to Hobart race.

Preparing for the Sydney to Hobart was no mean feat, requiring extensive experience and necessary training to prepare for the physical demands of the race:

“To enter the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, all boats and their crew need to meet minimum experience requirements. This includes prior racing experience in long offshore events such as the Sydney to Southport race, onboard safety equipment, and training in first aid, radio communications, and sea safety and survival. So, there was a lot of preparation ahead of the race for both the crew and the boat.

“The 628 nautical mile course is one of the most gruelling long ocean races in the world, a challenge to everyone who takes part. Multiple weather systems over the duration of the race, strong winds and challenging sea states can create difficult conditions for competitors. This was definitely the case in 2024, which saw a third of the fleet retire and the tragic loss of two lives.”

When asked if she was scared or nervous for the race and the uncertainty of what lay ahead, Emily instead felt calmed

by the collegiality of her team and the trust they had in each other.

“When we are out there on the ocean, we really have each other’s lives in our hands. Being such a close-knit team, both on and off the water, meant we were very familiar with each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and we planned our race accordingly.”

Her crew’s journey was plagued by troublesome weather systems, but they crossed the line at 7:38am on December 30 after three days, 18 hours and 38 minutes of racing to place 31st over the line and 2nd in their division.

“After a glorious start on the harbour, the first two days were very wet and challenging. The wind was strong, and the swell was wicked. At night, there was cloud and very little moon, so visibility was very poor, it was basically pitch black. We sailed by numbers – that is the navigational instruments. We had very little warning, if any, before waves came crashing over the boat. It was truly relentless at times, and I did question our sanity on several occasions.

“Finally on day three we were ‘blessed’ (albeit at the expense of boat speed) with some light winds and sunshine for half a day. Spirits were reinvigorated as we dried out over our first (and last) hot coffee for the race. We were also in sight of land – Tasmania – and other boats, which was a huge boost to crew morale. From here on, it felt less like survival and more of a race. There were several familiar boats with fellow Newcastle sailors in the vicinity, and we raced them right to the line, finishing within about 10 minutes of each other after all that way! Although, that last night we were once again knocked around by waves in Storm Bay, breaking our engine mount at some point.”

Like many other St Margaret’s Old Girls, Emily is a strong advocate for engaging women in sport. She highlighted that the 2024 Sydney to Hobart was filled with an impressive group of female sailors, with 16 owners/skippers, three all-women teams, and over 135 women crewing across the fleet. Emily hopes to see participation grow further still, and is a member of the SheSails Committee through the Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club. SheSails encourages Australian women of all ages to try sailing through various training courses, as well as supporting their progression to different levels of the sport. If you’re interested in getting involved in sailing, further information on participating clubs and SheSails courses can be found online at: https://shesails.org.au/

In 2025, the 80^th year of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, Emily is keen to be onboard once again, with preparation already having begun:

“Ahead of this year’s race, we have a full racing calendar planned. We recently raced in Geelong, next up is Adelaide and Port Lincoln, and later in the year we will do the Southport race again, followed by the northern circuit in Queensland. This includes Southport to Mackay (520 nautical miles), and race weeks such as Airlie Beach, Hamilton Island, and Magnetic Island. Unfortunately, I can’t do everything with work and family commitments, but I’ll do whatever I can!”

We look forward to seeing how Emily and her crew will go in this year’s Sydney to Hobart!

By Lizzie Fowler (’19)

Relationships and Mentoring Manager