September 08, 2024

Big Seas & Massive Winds - A Sailor's Life Through The Eyes of Mark Richards, Stacey Jackson, Nic Douglass and Alice Parker at Hamilton Island Race Week

1 hour 8 minutes

This week we are bringing you something a little bit different - Nicola and Di recently headed off to Hamilton Island Race Week and interviewed a collection of world-class sailors whilst they were there. This week’s episode brings you all 4 of those inspiring chats.

First up we talk to Alice Parker - a remarkable 30-year old navigator who’s raced in 4 Sydney to Hobarts, as the only female on an all-male crew, as well as several world championships that have taken her to many different countries. We hear about Alice’s best moment at sea, as well as the most frightening, which happened during one of her Sydney to Hobarts. Not only is Alice an incredible young sailor, she’s also a physiotherapist and is back studying at uni again to upskill in some maths and physics. You’ll want to hear Alice’s answer for who she wants to meet at the back fence because it’s truly beautiful.

We then get the chance to chat with Mark Richards, the sailor and boat builder that many listeners would know as the long time skipper of Wild Oats, who has won the Sydney to Hobart a stunning 9 times! We hear the amazing story of how Mark got started in sailing and how he credits it to being adopted by the right people. Mark tells some great stories about his friendship with Bob Oatley, the comradery of the sailing community as well as his greatest achievements and most harrowing moments at sea.

Our third conversation is with the dynamic sailor girl Nic Douglass. When you listen in to this chat you’ll hear just how much passion and enthusiasm Nic has for sailing. Having just returned from the Olympics where Nic was part of the team commentating for the crowds on-the-ground in Marseille, we hear how the work she does now and the media company she started actually came after she was at one of her low points when she didn’t qualify for the London Olympics in 2012. Nic is proof that sometimes it’s the low moments in our lives and careers that become turning points and lead to really great opportunities.

Finally, we talk to the incredible Stacey Jackson who has sailed in a whopping 16 Sydney to Hobarts and is nowhere near stopping! Not only that but Stacey has also competed in a 9-month round-the-world race not once, but twice including conquering Cape Horn, which is known as the Mt Everest of the sailing world. We hear what it was like the first time Stacey sailed around the world and the most incredible story of how her crew survived after their mast broke shortly after they’d rounded Cape Horn on her second trip around the world. Stacey was also the skipper on Wild Oats when Julie Bishop famously jumped off the back of the boat after the start of the race in Sydney.

This week’s episode is full of so many great stories and wonderful personalities. It was so much fun recording on location up in Hamilton Island and we really hope you love tuning in to this one.

Follow Alice Parker on IG here

Follow Wild Oats XI on IG here

Follow Palm Beach Motor Yachts on IG here

Follow Sailor Girl Nic Douglass on IG here

Follow Stacey Jackson on IG here

Follow Hamilton Island Race Week on IG here

Follow Nicola and Di on IG here

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By Diana and Nicola

55 ratings