Syd-Hob’s Maud Demazure literally born to sail
Jasper Bruce |
Maud Demazure was born and raised on a boat, sailed while seven months pregnant and is now the woman in charge of Cyan Moon’s comeback from back-to-back Sydney to Hobart retirements.
Five years ago, Demazure sailed her own boat to Australia to begin a new life, having grown up in Brittany in northwest France on one her father built.
In those days, it was Demazure’s mother, father, sister and dog Toto all living on a 30-footer, sailing locally and embarking on off-shore passages from time to time.
“I was literally born on a sailboat,” she told AAP.
“There was no electricity. It was pretty simple.
“In Brittany, you’ve got a very, very big playground. It would be similar to Tasmania.”
From her father, Demazure learnt the ins and outs of old school sailing.
“He’s a very traditional sailor, all by sextant, old seamanship. That’s what I grew up with,” said Demazure.
Demazure has since transitioned into sailing professionally, counting Cyan Moon’s victory in the 2022 Hobart’s PHS category as a career highlight.
Boats entering the PHS category are subject to less rigorous handicap requirements than those racing on IRC – the other major handicap category that determines the race’s overall winner.
“The main highlight was winning the Hobart on this boat in 2022,” said Demazure, who is about to open Panache sailing school in her adopted home Coffs Harbour.
“Then I went on to having a little kid so I’ve got a two-year-old now, I took four months break. I was sailing up to seven months pregnant because I was preparing for the double-handed Melbourne to Osaka (race).”
It hasn’t been smooth sailing for Cyan Moon in the Hobart since that 2022 win; she retired in 2023 with a rigging issue, and again last year with battery problems.
This year, the boat has been fitted out with new sails and needed some repairs after her masthead plate broke during the Gold Coast to Mackay Race in August.
Demazure returns as skipper after sailing on two-hander Celeste in last year’s Hobart, with Cyan Moon’s crew hopeful the bad luck is finally in the past.
“Fingers crossed. It seems like we’ve got a nice race, good weather. Let’s hope for the best,” said navigator Matt Kardas.
Back in France, the Demazure family will be up at all hours in the days after Christmas to cheer the boat on.
“In my family, we’ve got a lot of people who love sailing and everybody back home probably won’t be sleeping much and watching the tracker, ensuring we are still in the leading position,” Demazure said.
Demazure brings an eclectic crew down to Hobart including right-hand woman Louise Cotter, a nurse who took up sailing 16 years ago at the urging of a patient.
“They put me on a boat and I’ve sailed every week since then,” said Cotter, who is sailing her sixth Hobart.
Aside from his role as navigator, Polish native Kardas will also be responsible for climbing the mast mid-race if any instruments need adjusting.
No one else on board Cyan Moon put their hand up for the treacherous role, which has left Kardas with plenty of bruises over the years and once a gash to his head.
“Sometimes in 30 knots and four metre swell, you have to go up (the mast) because you can’t rely on what you see on the screen. I really enjoy doing that,” he said.
“I used to rock climb a lot, so it reminds me of old times, when I was climbing. Feeling the height is always very exciting.”
AAP
