SBS interview with Sydney to Hobart participant Payal Pattanaik

SBS News Tasmania correspondent Sarah Maunder interviews Payal Pattanaik who won her Sydney to Hobart position in an office lucky dip. She had a fear of the ocean which she has now overcome. She can add Sydney to Hobart yacht race participant to her resume.

Sydney to Hobart participant Payal Pattanaik, who won her spot on LawConnect in an office lottery. (SBS)

She wasn't sure where Hobart was until recently, but Indian-born sailing rookie Payal Pattanaik has conquered her fear of the ocean and embraced the challenge of tackling the Sydney to Hobart race on a supermaxi.

LawConnect finished second in the 2022 Sydney to Hobart yacht race.

Pattanaik works for one of the companies owned by LawConnect owner Christian Beck, who through a lottery each year, reserves a few places on the boat for some of his employees.

Software engineer Pattanaik has only been in Australia for two years and had never sailed back in India.

She was part of the LawConnect crew for this month's Cabbage Tree Island race, spending more than 13 hours out on the water.

Pattanaik was designated the job of sail handler and is also part of the team responsible for looking after the live stream content coming out of LawConnect, the first Sydney to Hobart boat to provide that service for the entire race.

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