The Fastest Woman Circumnavigator: Adrienne Cahalan
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Adrienne Cahalan





Name: …Adrienne Cahalan………………………………
Place of Birth: …Sydney Australia………………
Profession ……Yachting and Meteorology
Age started sailing: …14…….…
First Boat Sailed: ……Hobie 16……………………….
Age started racing: …17…………
First Boat Raced: ……Laser & Windsurfer………….
What inspired you to take up sailing: I grew up on Sydney Harbour and my local friends were involved in sailing

How did you buy your first boat: At 17 I bought a laser with money saved from waitressing and working in a nursing home part time while I was at school.

Name your first sailing club: Lane Cove 12 foot Sailing Skiff Club
First event competed in: Club Championship Races & Australian Laser Nationals in 1983.
First event won: …Sydney Harbour 12ft Skiff Championship 1986

Principle achievement(s):
Round the World Record April 2004 (navigator): 58 d, 9 h: first and only woman to ever break this record
24 hour record (co-skipper & navigator): 695nm June 2002
18 foot skiff Grand Prix champion 1992-93 skipper (first woman to win a major title)
Admirals Cup win (navigator) 2003

Detail the personal highlights of your sailing career to date:
4 times nominated for World Female Sailor of the Year (1998, 2002, 2003, 2004)
Australian Yachtswoman of the Year 2002-2003 and nominated 2003-2004
8 World Speed Sailing records including Round the World (2004), Cross Channel (twice 1997, 2002), 24 hour (2002), Transatlantic (1997).

Sailing Aspirations:
To compete in and win the Americas Cup
To win the 18ft Skiff World Championship
To break the Round the World Record in a shorter time than 58 days
I would also like to compete in the Olympic classes again one day.

Briefly state what sailing means to you:
It is a great source of enjoyment, satisfaction and inspiration but it also means being wet and cold sometimes in the Southern Ocean which is not so great!

Who has had the greatest impact or inspiration in your sailing career and why?
The crew of Australia 2 for winning the Americas Cup and the early circumnavigators such as Francis Chichester, Naomi James and Joshua Slocum for their sense of adventure, freedom, bravery and their desire to cross the oceans of the world.

Who do you consider to be your sailing hero if any?
Iain Murray: 6 times world 18 foot skiff champion and Americas Cup helmsman

What other sports do you participate in outside of sailing?
Golf and social tennis

Who do you consider to be the greatest sailor(s) in the world and why?
The early navigating and racing explorers such as Magellan, Cook, Baudin and Flinders who raced around the world in the 1700-1800's in their ships and navigated and chartered the coastlines of Australasia and the world in very difficult conditions.