An Australian woman has become the first person to sail around New Zealand solo, non-stop and unassisted in under 17 days. Lisa Blair embarked on her journey from Auckland on May 7, sailing more than 2,672 nautical miles before docking back in Auckland last Friday May 24. The trip around New Zealand took her 16 days and 23 hours, setting a new world record for mono hull solo sailing around the country in under 17 days.

She was able to complete the journey without stopping, surviving on 20-minute micro sleeps. Blair documented her journey through Instagram reel videos, showing her followers the extreme and the spectacular conditions she faced. The Aussie sailor encountered a pod of orcas, albatross and more, on some days sailing in picture-perfect conditions.

On other days, she faced enormous waves and sailed through two dangerous storms. But none of it stopped Blair, and speaking to after her journey, she said she was “incredibly proud” of herself. “I really worked hard the whole way around to set a time that I feel will be challenging to break,” Blair said, “and now I have no doubt a Kiwi will have a go soon.

” Blair only started sailing when she was 25 years old, and it was just seven years later that she broke her very first world record. In 2017, she became the first woman to sail around Antarctica solo, non-stop and unassisted. Surviving a dismasting at sea that nearly killed her, Blair went on to lead the first all-female team competing in the Sydney to Hobar.