Wow……… We interviewed 30 boats before the start, we were there live for the start when CQS “capsized” and Beau Geste was second out of the heads, and then when Perpetual Loyal broke the record in Hobart. We were live for the next 13 boats across the line, and then in Customs House for some chat and banter. “Sailor Girl Live! Brought to you by Zhik” was just incredible. A big thanks to our champions, Harken & B&G for their amazing input, as well as our supporters, BoaTEC Australia, Pantaenius Sail & Motor Yacht Insurance, Growing Teams, Pipeline Drillers & Optical Solutions Australia. More about our friends, here.
All of the action from over the course of the event is below, or check out our social media channels, @SailorGirlHQ (the feeds are in the right hand column of this page!! >>>>)
If you haven’t entered already for your chance to win a share of $1,000 of Zhik kit, make sure you check out our competition below!
COMPETITION DETAILS (prize drawn on 1 Jan 2017 UTC+11)
Sailor Girl Live: And that’s a wrap for 2016
The wrap of your live #RSHYR coverage brought to you by Zhik!
Thanks to our champs Harken Australia & B&G for their involvement – has been awesome ⛵💙
Make sure you check out our dedicated RSHYR page to catch up or re-live all of this year’s live action – and also to have a look at our full list of supporters – give them some love xx
Next up for me is my Nationals, and then off to Quantum Key West RW and then the Festival of Sails! Can’t wait – but for now it is time to get some rest in transit 😉

Sailor Girl Live: “Balancing Sheep”
Black Sheep, and Balance (winners of IRC Div 1, last year’s overall winners). Plus a spilt drink, and some room mates :p All standard for Customs House!

Sailor Girl Live: From Customs House with IRC Div 3 winners

Sailor Girl Live: Balance & UBox
#RSHYR: Paul Clitheroe on his “bloody brilliant” defence, and celebrations with the UBox team!

Sailor Girl Live: Ichi Ban on the dock
#RSHYR: Ichi Ban docking, a look over Chinese Whisper and then a chat with Sophie Ciszek and Matt Allen from Ichi Ban. These guys were so close but for that bloody Derwent!

Sailor Girl Live: CQS & Alive
#RSHYR: CQS Racing finish; a chat with Ludde Ingvall and Sir Michael Hintze, as well as a chat with Josh Torpy and the finish of Alive Yachting. We also got to see Chinese Whisper coming into Constitution Dock.

Sailor Girl Live: In bound to the dock + sleep
#RSHYR and #SailorGirl personal health update: HA! I’m baaaaack! 💪🏻☔️🔥
What’s been happening, and what’s next for me to cover!

Sailor Girl Live: Beau Geste Racing on the dock
#RSHYR update: With Beau Geste Racing at Constitution Dock. Fifth across the line – and some very happy kids. Was a little tough to get any of these guys to chat to me – even some of my mates… Rob Duileu stepped up to represent the team – great to hear they had a good run to the Tassie coast, but unfortunately the Derwent had to have some victims this race, and TBG were one of them…

Sailor Girl Live: Black Jack Yachting in Hobart

#RSHYR Update: Great to talk to the Black Jack Yachting crew as always! Some great banter and chats with Anthony Nossiter and Gary Van Lunteren. Awesome effort from this QLD team.

Sailor Girl Live: Rain and distant boats

#RSHYR update: it’s still raining, but we might just catch Black Jack Yachting, Maserati and Beau Geste Racing as they FINALLY approach the finish! ☔️😳🌧

Sailor Girl Live: Anchoring in the Derwent & Brad Kellett back with Loyal
#RSHYR update on using anchors in the Derwent, and caught up with Brad Kellett for the second time today. Awesome boat captain, back with his ship while the crew are all in Customs House! ☔️⚓️

Sailor Girl Live: It’s raining and there is no wind
It’s raining, it’s pouring! 🌧🌧🌧 And no wind!
Maserati, Black Jack and Beau Geste are all within 0.1nm of each other and have been becalmed for over an hour under 2nm from the finish………
In other news I can report I have fallen asleep on my keyboard multiple times….. #slowerThanStop #welcomeToHobart ⛵

Sailor Girl Live: Greeting Giacomo, second on line honours and possible IRC winner
I can report that the Derwent has now shut down due to showers…. Giacomo and Scallywag just managed to get through. I had to choose between greeting Scallywag and Giacomo, I chose to see Giacomo as they have done so well on IRC. Ended up helping them to dock then waited my turn to have live chats with Brad Jackson & Robert Greenhalgh ⛵

Sailor Girl Live: Behind the scenes in the rain
Waiting for Giacomo and Scallywag to come into the dock, when no one knew where they were docking, AND it was pouring. Sounds like fun hey???!

Sailor Girl Live: Interviews on the dock
More Sailor Girl Live for your Sydney Hobart coverage, brought to you by Zhik!
Live interviews with a few Perpetual Loyal key crew members after their prize giving; Brad Kellett, now on 25 Hobarts and a with a few records, Tom Slingsby, tactician, and Anthony Bell, skipper.
Almost time to head out and catch the Giacomo finish!

Sailor Girl Live: Loyal docking after their record breaking run
Perpetual Loyal docking in Hobart after their record-breaking win, beating Wild Oats XI’s record from 2012 by just under five hours! Massive effort!
Check out the boat docking, then a press conference with skipper, Anthony Bell!

Sailor Girl Live: Finish of Perpetual Loyal in Hobart!
The run for Perpetual Loyal up the Derwent in 10-15 knots of nor’easter in the pitch black! Awesome action! Great to see this team “come good” on the past two years of retirement.

Make sure you check out our competition!!!!!! About 1K of kit to giveaway 😉 with thanks to our major sponsor for the RSHYR this year, Zhik!
Sailor Girl Live: While we wait for Loyal…

Sailor Girl Live: Getting ready in the hotel (hostel)

Sailor Girl Live: In the cab on an adventure

Sailor Girl Live: On the way to Hobart

Sailor Girl Live: Your Sydney Hobart pre-game show!
The pre-race game show: over 30 interviews, boat tours, live chat and plenty of insights into the race!
We had a few issues with technology, but nothing a bit of gaffa tape couldn’t fix. I apologise for the camera wanting to focus on our faces all the time – but once we got the stream working I was just not every going to touch anything!!!

Sailor Girl Live: The start
Was amazing to be on the water for the start today – absolutely insane action! I also had a very special guest commentator with me, Mr Bob Fisher. An absolute legend, and it made for an awesome dynamic on the water today 🙂 Hope you enjoy! Just press play below.

Hope this helps you adventure along with us all for the event – enjoy xx

Our friends

A massive thanks to our friends as always for their support to make this event, our 47th for 2016 happen! Make sure you check out who is on board below, and have a look at our competition which is running over the length of our coverage…

Legends

Zhik

“Zhik have supported me for over eleven years. From being an athlete, to now working in sailing media, in sailing, Zhik always has be in the best gear technically as well as in terms of fit. The best technology in garments as well as style means that I don’t really need anything else in my suitcase as I travel the globe, in my adventures both on and off the water!” – Nic Douglass
Zhik provide the Sailor Girl with her clothing, both on and off the water, whether on screen, when presenting at events. or on the water. An Australian company, Zhik has taken the world by storm.

Champions

B&G

B&G have come on board as a “Champion” friend for this year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart broadcast! A big thanks to the team from B&G for coming on board, and keeping us on course for this year’s coverage!

Harken Australia

Harken Australia have come on board as “Champion” friends for this year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart broadcast! A big thanks to Harken Australia, who are always “At the Front” for making this year’s coverage possible!

Supporters

Pantaenius Sail & Motor Yacht Insurance

After coming on board to help with the SOLAS Big Boat Challenge in 2016, Pantaenius Sail & Motor Yacht Insurance have also signed on to support the Rolex Sydney Hobart broadcast. We think this is the beginning of a fantastic relationship of covering sail & motor yacht action from cruising to performance, just as Pantaenius Sail & Motor Yacht Insurance covers all aspects of our industry.

BoaTEC Australia

BoaTEC Australia is Sydney’s premier boat building company, managed and owned by professional sailor and boat builder Lindsay Stead. These guys have helped out with a few projects this year, both with Nic’s sailing and with broadcasts, and we are really happy to have them on board for the Rolex Sydney Hobart broadcast.
 

Optical Solutions Australia

A big thank you to our friends at Optical Solutions Australia, without them our live TV coverage for the Rolex Sydney Hobart start in 2015 would just not be have been possible and now they just keep coming back to help us out with technical solutions, on call at all hours, and with kit. Thank you so much for providing solutions on a continual basis!

Pipeline Drillers Group

Pipeline Drillers came on board as a friend in mid 2016. Nic’s DSLR camera was damaged in early June when her car flooded during a storm, and the Pipeline Drillers team were so supportive following her work at the VX One Midwinters from Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron that they offered to help her out in a big way to get a new camera and lens. Thank you so much for your contribution to our adventures!

Growing Teams

Growing Teams have been employing Nic to do public relations contract work, to help her make the adventures happen. Growing Teams is managed by Sandy Eastman, who was the late Roger Hickman’s partner. Nic will be paying tribute to Hicko in this year’s broadcast by playing her interview with him from last year in the same time slot, with Sandy’s blessing.

The backbone

As Nic Douglass is largely self-funded, her major sponsor would have to be Sunset Media, helping consumers to live vicariously through adventures. Nic loves helping businesses share their own adventures through a variety of media.