Battling 30‑knot winds and four‑metre swells, the Army’s Rising Sun crew completed the Sydney to Hobart yacht race last month just six minutes behind their Navy rivals, following a gruelling 624nm passage south.

The two Defence teams remained locked in a gripping duel up the River Derwent to the finish line.

Navy ultimately crossed the line less than a nautical mile in front – a razor-thin margin after about 1100km of open water.

For head‑sail trimmer Corporal Lachlan Vest, the arrival at Hobart’s Constitution Dock was more than just the end of a race – it marked the fulfilment of a personal ambition.

“With my goals, I always strive to put a marker really high and just aim for that,” he said.

“Since early last year my drive was to get out and sail more, get the experience up, and make the team for Sydney to Hobart.”

The race is considered one of the most challenging offshore events in the world, and opportunities to compete are highly sought after.

Corporal Vest said he knew how fortunate he was to earn a spot on the Army crew so early in his competitive sailing quest.

“A lot of people spend years trying to get the opportunity to race in the Sydney to Hobart,” he said.

“I was quite fortunate that in the first year Army came back into doing Sydney to Hobart, on the new Army Sail Training Craft Rising Sun, I was selected to race.”

An early storm set in shortly after the fleet left Sydney, bringing heavy seas that triggered bouts of seasickness among some of the crew. This placed further pressure on those unaffected, making each watch rotation much more physically and mentally demanding. 

'It’s one of those situations where you can’t get out of, so you keep pushing through.'

“Rotating through two six-hour shifts during the day, and then it was three four-hour shifts at night,” he said.

“We did have a few members on the boat who ended up being quite sick. It’s one of those situations where you can’t get out of, so you keep pushing through.”

The storm continued until the boat reached Bass Strait, by which stage 30 per cent of the racing fleet had retired because of the conditions. The crew battled the conditions but fell back 20 miles behind the much more experienced Navy crew as they approached Bass Strait.

With the yacht constantly pitching and rolling, coordination between crew members became critical, made particularly difficult by the size of the boat and the roar of wind and waves.

“Between the back of the boat and the front of the boat is 30 to 40 feet. You have to articulate your words and be really loud,” Corporal Vest said.

Every task became physically demanding, with every movement needing to be braced against the heaving deck. 

“Just trying to hold on and do your job at the same time, but it grows a lot of people because it really builds that resilience,” Corporal Vest said.

Calmer seas off Tasmania, along with grit and teamwork, allowed the Army crew to reel in the Navy team during the final 24 hours of the race. Ultimately, the finish line came just too soon.

Despite the exhaustion and discomfort, Corporal Vest said the experience reinforced why sailing continued to attract people from all backgrounds.

He encouraged others to get involved, regardless of experience level.

“The community is always there to help beginners. It doesn’t matter if you have a lot of experience or you’re a novice,” he said. 

“Every time you jump on a new boat it’s a new experience, and you’re only going to grow from there.”