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If you come across Lisa Blair, her boat won't go unnoticed. Her hull design features thousands of colorful notes inscribed with ideas for climate protection. As we saw in pART ONE since 2017, the Australian has set a string of records, including the 92-day solo non-stop circumnavigation of Antarctica. Beyond sporting performance, Lisa Blair aims to raise public awareness not only of environmental issues, but also of the place of women in sailing: every mile covered on her Class40, Climate Action Now, becomes an opportunity to remind people of the urgency of these causes. In Part 2, we take a look at how this passionate campaigner uses her voice to advocate.
Narrowing the gender gap in sailing
In a move designed to strengthen the place of women in the world of sailing, Lisa Blair took part in the 2017 Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race at the helm of her yacht Climate Action Now. In collaboration with The Magenta Project, she marked a milestone by lining up with an all-female crew, a first in 16 years for this legendary Australian race.
At 628 nautical miles, the Rolex Sydney Hobart is considered one of the world's most formidable ocean races. It starts every year in Sydney Harbour on Christmas Day and finishes in Hobart. Thousands of spectators flock to the docks to support the participants, as the sailors face the might of the Southern Ocean and the winds of the Roaring Forties.
For the 2017 edition, Lisa's sailboat welcomed 8 crew members, including 4 experienced sailors and 4 novices. This composition made it possible to establish a mentoring system offering young women an opportunity to acquire skills and develop. The goal shared by Lisa and the Magenta Project is to accelerate the integration of women into sailing and the boating industry by creating pathways, strengthening leadership and driving change in the sport.
Records that inspire
Following her new 2024 world record as the fastest person and first woman to sail solo from Sydney to Auckland, Lisa Blair launched her " Cross the Ditch for Climate Action Now "(Cross the divide now for climate action). This initiative aims to raise public awareness of ocean pollution issues and encourage everyone to take action to preserve the oceans.
Meanwhile, during her trip to Antarctica, Lisa collaborated with the Australian Institute of Marine Science to carry out the largest-ever study of microplastics in the Southern Ocean. The results were alarming: every sample contained plastic, 64.8% of which was microfiber from the textile industry. The data collected underline a worrying crisis: the concentration of microplastics under Australia reaches up to 357,500 particles in a volume equivalent to an Olympic-sized swimming pool. On average, 58,000 particles were found in the waters surrounding Antarctica. " I simply couldn't stand by and watch the Antarctic data without taking action. For me, this project is about inspiring change and sharing the shocking results "she declares, with a clear vision of the future: " I want to see a happy, healthy planet, and people won't protect what they can't understand. "
In addition, Lisa has been involved in several important initiatives, including the deployment of 8 drifting buoys for weather detection and the installation of an Argo search float. She also set up a mobile weather station for the Bureau of Meteorology and helped provide seabed depth data to the Seabed 2030 program. It has also contributed to the United Nations Decade of Ocean Sciences through the Ocean Ops Odyssey program.
Through her records aboard Climate Action Now, Lisa Blair embodies a spirit of perseverance and responsibility. Convinced that every adventurer must become both storyteller and communicator, she shares her passion for the oceans, inspiring future generations to care for our precious blue earth and rethink the place of women in the world of sailing.
