SHORAA is honored to have two esteemed sailors as Patrons, Lisa Blair OAM and Don McIntyre. They provide input and gravitas to our deliberations on important aspects of the Association’s management and the Race. SHORAA considers each of them to add significantly to our wisdom and knowledge of shorthanded sailing, ocean voyaging, event management and environmental conservation.

SHORAA is honored to have Lisa and Don aboard as our Patrons to offer guidance and support for the Race Around Australia 2028.

Lisa Blair OAM

Lisa Blair OAM, is the fastest person to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around Antarctica on her yacht Climate Action Now and holds 8 world records. Lisa has sailed 130,000nm. Lisa holds the singlehanded monohull record for non-stop around Australia! She has been at the extreme of singlehanded voyaging; after a Southern Ocean dismasting Lisa refitted and set off again. Lisa was awarded the Order of Australia medal for services to sailing in 2025. Lisa is an active limate advocate and promotes Climate Action Now through many initiatives.  Lisa is currently focused on her Arctic Impact Project, a solo circumnavigation around the Arctic Circle.

“I am delighted to accept the role of Patron and look forward to supporting an amazing race.”

Don McIntyre

Don McIntyre is a boatbuilder, solo ocean racer (BOC 1991), Antarctic adventurer and re-enacted Captain Bligh’s small boat voyage across the Pacific. Don founded the original shorthanded sailing Association in Australia, and conceived and ran the 1988 Bicentennial Race Around Australia. More recently, Don has re-stablished the Golden Globe singlehanded race around the world as well as the Ocean Globe Race and Mini Globe Race. As he says: Life Hey!

“The Two Sail Australia 88 race around the coast of the world’s smallest continent really was a classic challenge, huge adventure and an epic race of extremes. It certainly was not easy. All involved were pushed to the limit including the organiser”; said Don McIntyre Founder and Organiser of the first and only edition ever run. “The course would have to rank as one of the most demanding and tactically challenging for any coastal Ocean Race anywhere in the world”

“For the past 10 Years I have been encouraging sailors to think about an anniversary edition of that original Bicentennial Race Around Australia. I know there are sailors wanting to do it . Finally it is very exciting to see well known Australian sailor Guy Chester after months of planning pull together a great organising team and format for a 40th Anniversary Edition of that first Bicentennial race. Finally it is about to happen!!”

“I am particularly honoured to be Patron of this great event and look forward to helping Guy and his team make it something very special indeed!”