Introduction to Za Ocean Racing's WOmen's Program

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Hi I’m Annie, I'm a 26-year-old Brit from Harrogate, who traded the Yorkshire Dales for Sydney's sails and hasn’t looked back. When I am not wrangling code as a Software Engineer, you'll find me out on the water.I have been hooked on sailing since I arrived. 

I am adventurous, I love a laugh, and am always up for anything that involves the ocean (especially when whales are involved). I continue to push my skills in challenging conditions and am thrilled to be part of an all-female offshore crew!

 I’m Bayley, 20 years old, I've grown up with sailing, my dad was always sailing and I followed his footsteps as soon as I turned 7. I went through the Tackers program at RPAYC with Tommy Spithill as the coach. I then moved through the opti fleet, green, intermediate, and open. After optis I started sailing a laser, and went to the 2019 laser 4.7 youth worlds. While sailing the laser I got back into keelboats starting with the intermediate youth development program at RPAYC with Tommy as our coach again. While doing all this I was also sailing on a few bigger boats making my way into the 40 footers and stepping into offshore sailing. I decided to move on from lasers and focus more on bigger boats, this led me to join the Youth Development program at RPAYC. In this program I have learnt to match race, alongside this I jumped hard into the offshore world completing a couple thousand miles in a very short time finishing off with my first Hobart race at 19. Since then I have been doing as much as possible, sailing on fast 40s, TP52s, Farr 40s and more. Sailing is what keeps me sane, helps me find a reason to keep fighting despite my body shutting down on me at the age of 20, without sailing my chronic illnesses would have destroyed my life years ago.

Passionate about empowering women in sailing, I love adventure, connection, and continuous learning. Sailing brings me pure joy, whether racing, teamwork, or facing challenges with positivity. After just over four years on the water, I’m committed to growing my skills and supporting others.

Za’s Ocean Racing program is a dream opportunity to develop as a sailor and to work towards becoming an instructor and coach. I currently race on 38-50ft yachts in ocean races and enjoy harbour racing in Sydney Harbour. I’m also a dinghy sailor and own an RS Aero 7 and share an RS200 with my husband. I’m currently learning to trapeze on skiffs, flying downwind trimming a spinnaker is addictive and exhilarating.

As a proud mum of two boys, one with autism, I celebrate neurodiversity and believe our differences are strengths. Sailing is my journey of growth, connection, and joy—and I aim to inspire others that women can lead, succeed, and thrive on the water at any stage in their lives.

I'm an Irish offshore sailor with over 60,000 nautical miles of experience, including leading a team as First Mate in a circumnavigation race around the globe. My background spans offshore and ocean racing, expedition sailing, and youth engagement across diverse maritime environments in Europe, Asia, America, and the Caribbean. I grew up on a landlocked farm in Ireland, and my journey to becoming an Ocean Racer has made me deeply passionate about growing the sport of sailing and promoting inclusivity.

I currently work with SailGP’s Purpose team, delivering programs that aim to inspire and support the next generation of athletes. Passionate about life on the water and always ready for a new challenge, I’m excited to be joining the ZA Ocean Racing Squad this year.

Sailing has been a major part of my life since the age of five, and I’ve always been drawn to the sense of freedom it brings. Beyond the thrill of racing, what I value most are the friendships and connections that form through shared experiences, whether it's with teammates or fellow competitors.

I bring a wide range of experience across many classes and roles, from sailing Sabots and Lasers in my early years to captaining the Monte Sant Angelo Mercy College Teams Racing team. I’ve competed in twilight races on MC38s for LawConnect and several yacht clubs, and have recently taken to foiling on Waszps. I’m also part of the crew on the J111 Justified, currently leading the point score in the Winter Series, CYCA.

As a proud sailor and coach at Hunters Hill Sailing Club, I work closely with the Laser squad and am training on the 29er. I also enjoy spending time across various clubs; racing 16ft skiffs, foiling, or heading out on yachts at CYCA.

I’m deeply passionate about advocating for women in sailing. I’ve taken part in She Sails programs, the Australian Sailing Youth Leadership Program, and Magenta Foiling Clinics, all of which have empowered me and connected me with a broader community of inspiring women in the sport.

Joining Za’s ocean racing program represents an incredible opportunity, not only to grow as a sailor in a supportive, high-performance environment, but to be part of a movement that’s changing the landscape for women in sailing. I’m excited not only for what lies ahead for me but also for the opportunities this program is creating for others in the sailing community.

 I started sailing in the She Sails program at Tweed Valley Sailing Club in 2020 and began racing frequently in crewed dinghies, lasers and bigger yachts offshore. Competed in my first Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2022 as a trimmer and then my second Sydney Hobart was in 2024 with the Making Waves Foundation as helm. Some other sailing highlights have been the all-female team in the Round Hainan Regatta 2023 as bow and learning to foil in the waszp and 69F with Magenta Foiling Team. 

Whitney is a sailor, navigator, yacht owner and an aspiring storyteller with a deep passion for the ocean and adventure. Her mission is to inspire others to “dare to leave your comfort zone and show up anyway”—especially when the path forward isn’t easy.

Whitney spent a number of years working with Hood Sailmakers, where she focused on making custom covers, a few spinnakers, and learning the behind-the-scenes details that keep boats ocean-ready. She stepped back in early 2024 while navigating the complexities of her heart condition, which led to multiple surgeries—including open-heart pulmonary valve replacement in February 2025 (her third open-heart, just to keep things interesting).

Among many inshore and offshore races, Whitney competed as the navigator in the prestigious Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race—a rare role for a first-timer. Like Za, Whitney has only been racing for five years, as she rebuilds her strength and skills, she’s now preparing for a return to ocean racing with several offshore races on the horizon including the Sydney to Auckland Race, with her sights set firmly on navigating again in the 2025 Hobart, this time with a functioning heart.

Her recovery hasn’t been easy, but she’s met it with the same determination and grit that got her to Hobart. Currently, getting back into racing shape after a tough recovery, She brings focus, resilience, a bubbly personality, and an eagerness to keep learning and grow together.

Whitney also owns Luna, a 1984 Phantom 32 she’s been restoring with her partner—equal parts labour of love, chaos, and triumph. She’s also preparing to document an expedition to Antarctica, combining her love for storytelling, wild places, wildlife, science, and sustainability.

Whitney shares her journey to inspire others to embrace uncertainty, chase their wild ideas, and live boldly. go after what sets their soul on fire, while being raw and real. Because: “Strength doesn’t always look like what you expect. It’s not just muscle or brute force. It’s patience. It’s persistence. It’s showing up… even when it’s tough.”