From war zone to sailing dream

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SWAPPING one danger zone for another isn't everyone's choice of a holiday.

But for intrepid sailor Zoe Leffler, being bucked around and fire hosed by tonnes of water on the bow of a Sydney to Hobart racer for three or four days is the perfect choice for a break from her work in Islamabad, Pakistan.

The Swedish sailor, who works for the European Union in Pakistan, answered an advertisement in a newsletter to go sailing in December and is now part of the crew on the old Australian racer Helsal III.

While she has significant race miles under her belt, the 69th edition of the race will be her first Sydney to Hobart appearance and is part of Leffler's three-week vacation from work on the other side of the world.

"I miss the water when I am in Pakistan,'' admitted Leffler, who recently moved from Kabul to Islamabad for her job with the EU.

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"This, doing a Sydney to Hobart, has also been my dream since I was at university in Melbourne.

"When I saw the ad in the newsletter I get I just jumped at it.''

Leffler, who has a degree in law and politics, was born in Sweden and has completed three Atlantic crossings in boats, sailed dinghies during her childhood and has also done numerous Tall Ship events in Europe.

The former deckhand on super yachts around the world has also done a delivery from Hobart to Melbourne.

"I like being where it is wet and wild,'' she said of her job on the bow of the 29-year-old 66-footer.

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The well known Tasmanian yacht has been chartered by Gunnedah doctor Paul Mara, who has assembled a league of nations crew, including a British skipper in Paul Jackson and Corey Dollison, a carpenter from the Northern Territory.

This will be Mara's second race to Hobart after he made his debut in last year's race on the Sydney yacht Kioni.

"It was just something I always wanted to do,'' Mara said. "It's an incredible challenge.''

This years fleet of 94 is the biggest since 100 yachts started the 628 nautical miles in 2009.

The fleet ranges on size from the 100-foot fleet headliners to the 34-footer Wilparina.

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