Lisa Blair OAM · Records & Recognition
8 world records. 150,000 miles.
The fastest person to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around Antarctica, Australia and New Zealand, and the first woman to sail solo around Antarctica.
8world sailing records
150,000 nmsailed across the world's oceans
OAMOrder of Australia Medal, 2025
92 dayssolo, non-stop around Antarctica
Timeline
Records & achievements
2026
Recognised in NSW Parliament
- Recognised by Jacqui Scruby MP (Pittwater) on 24 September 2026 for her world records, the Next Gen boat research with ACM CRC, UNSW and Steber International, and her climate advocacy
2025
Order of Australia Medal
- Awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for services to sailing
- Gold Stevie Award, Documentary of the Year by a Woman, for Ice Maiden (Stevie Awards for Women in Business)
- Gold Stevie Award, Climate Protection and Sustainability Campaign of the Year, for Climate Action Now!
- International Honorary Member, Zonta International
2024
Records 6, 7 and 8
- Fastest person and first woman to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted from Sydney to Auckland: 8 days, 3 hours, 19 minutes
- First person ever to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around New Zealand: 2,672 nm in just under 17 days
- Gold Stevie Award, Climate Hero of the Year, for Climate Action Now (Stevie Awards for Women in Business)
- Highly Commended, Boating Industry Sustainability Award (Boating Industry Association)
2022
Fastest person around Antarctica
- Fastest person to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around Antarctica: 92 days, taking 10 days off the record
- First woman to sail non-stop below 45° South, and a new record crossing all tracks below 45° South
- Australian Geographic Adventurer of the Year
- Australian Sailing Offshore Sailor of the Year
- Southern Cross University Alumni of the Year
- Expedition endorsed under the UN Decade of Ocean Science
2018
Around Australia
- Fastest person and first woman to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around Australia: 58 days
- First eco-powered boat to complete the voyage
2017
First woman around Antarctica
- First woman to sail solo around Antarctica, with one stop, below 45° South: 183 days, surviving a dramatic dismasting
- Australian Geographic Spirit of Adventure Award
- Ocean Cruising Club Seamanship Award
Earlier
Firsts on the race course
- Skippered the first female Sydney to Hobart team in 16 years (2017)
- Part of the first double-handed female team to finish the Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race
More awards and recognition to be added.
In her words
"Just do, because the world is changed by doers."
Lisa is an RYA Yachtmaster Offshore, author of the bestselling Facing Fear (Australian Geographic) and star of the documentary Ice Maiden. She speaks around the world on resilience, mental agility and climate action, and is now preparing for her biggest challenge yet: the first solo, non-stop, unassisted circumnavigation of the Arctic Circle.
