Nicole Douglass

Nicole Douglass (born 18 February 1985) is an Australian sailor, commentator, presenter, multi-platform journalist, and PR consultant. She is also known as "Adventures of a Sailor Girl" and Nic Douglass. Nicole was awarded Australian Sailing's 'Sport Promotion Award' for three years running (2017, 2018, 2019) for "taking the sport to new audiences through her live coverage and 'on the ground' approach" and "[generating] great interest, putting sailors and the community that makes sailing, front and centre".
As a sailor, Nicole's most notable results include two Grade One gold medals from the new Olympic class of Women's Match Racing for the Australian Sailing Team, (Australian WMR National Championships Sydney 
Harbour and Kieler Woche World Cup - WMR (2009)), 1st in Match Cup Sweden (2009) and three World Championships (current) in the Tasar dinghy (2005, 2009 and 2019).
==Early Life==
Nicole was born in Sydney, Australia, and moved to Milton, New South Wales when she was 7. She started sailing at a very early age with her father, fellow three-time world champion Tasar sailor Robert Douglass. At the age of 3, she remembers sailing with her father in Sydney Harbour, "around the mast" of his Laser (dinghy). She began sailing Manly Juniors at the age of 8 and then moved to Tasar sailing, her first international competition being at the age of 12 in the Sandringham Tasar World Championship 1997-98.
==University==
Nicole holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication (Public Communication) from the University of Technology Sydney where she double-majored in Advertising and Public Relations. It was during her studies at UTS that Nicole won her first Tasar World Championships, Darwin 2005. Nicole was a UTS sports scholar (2004-2006) and was awarded UTS Blues Sporting Awards (2005) 2006 to recognise her "outstanding sporting achievements". After completing her Bachelor of Arts in Communications, Nicole went on to complete a Diploma of Marketing Communication at UTS. Nicole also undertook further part-time study gaining a Graduate Diploma of Psychology from Charles Sturt University. 
==Publicity Work - Advertising and PR==
In July 2006, Whilst studying her bachelor of Communication at the University of Technology Sydney, Nicole interned in Advertising and PR at M&C Saatchi. In December 2006, she became a Freelance Public Relations Technician for Open Dialogue PR (now Access PR - an internal PR agency of M&C Saatchi at the time). In July 2007 she also took on the role of Media Centre Assistant and Casual Snow Reporter for Thredbo Mountain Resort.
In September 2007, Nicole took up a position as Marketing Manager and Client Liaison at BwE Eastcoast Sailing, whilst also continuing her work as a Freelance Public Relations Technician for Access PR Australia (previously Open Dialogue PR). In October 2008 Nicole became a Community Relations Coordinator for Baulderstone on their Port Botany Expansion Project, taking leave to travel overseas as a member of the Australian Women's Match Racing Team.
In 2010, Nicole joined the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) as a communications officer following an early exit from her campaign for the 2012 Olympics in Women's Match Racing. In 2012, Nicole left ASADA and joined the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner in Sydney as a Communication and Support Officer. In 2014, Nicole joined North Sails as a Media, web content and social media manager on a freelance basis while still working full-time. She left ASADA in July 2014 to focus on "Adventures of a Sailor Girl" and her commentating and presenting work.
==Commentating and Presenting==
===Television===
 
In 2016, Nicole as "Sailor Girl" joined the Nautical Channel (NC) Sports team as their new sailing correspondent, a position she held until 2019, broadcasting to an audience of over 22 million people on televisions globally on networks such as Sky. Main deliverables included a daily television show which also streamed online for the 35th America's Cup.
She also worked for ABC TV, radio and iView, as the Official Commentator for the Invictus Games (2018).
===Podcasts===
March 18, 2021 Nicole was featured on "The Cup podcast: The future generation of women sailing in the America's Cup". presented by Newshub. You can find The Cup podcast on Apple, Spotify, Omny, Amazon, and all major podcast apps. 
===Commentating===
Nicole has worked as the Official commentator for: ABC Rolex Sydney Hobart (2018, 2019), ABC TV, radio and iView for the Invictus Games (2018), Argo Gold Cup, Bermuda (2018, 2019) ( also official Host), Qantas Brisbane to Gladstone Race (2018, 2019), Rolex Commentator at SailGP Marseille (2019), Newport to Bermuda Race (2018) (including livestream) and the Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Race (2017, 2018, 2019).
===Presenting===
 
Nicole has also worked as the VIP presenter for Oracle at SailGP Sydney (2019, 2020) and the official presenter for the Trofeo Princess Sofia Iberostar, Palma Mallorca (2019), Cowes Week (2019), and Official Presenter and MC for Cowes Week (2017, 2018, 2019). 
===Radio===
Nicole was a volunteer radio presenter for Sailing Chix at Radio Northern Beaches (2012-2013), including broadcasting two Sydney to Hobart starts (2012 and 2013) on radio, featuring as "The Sailor Girl".
==Adventures of a Sailor Girl==
===Overview===
Through the business name 'Adventures of a Sailor Girl', Nicole has produced content on various media channels and promoted sailing events, brands and sailors at a range of events in Australia and worldwide. She was awarded Australian Sailing's 'Sport Promotion Award' for three years running (2017, 2018, 2019) for "taking the sport to new audiences through her live coverage and 'on the ground' approach" and "[generating] great interest, putting sailors and the community that makes sailing, front and centre"
In 2017, Nicole was the first person to broadcast the finish of the Rolex Fastnet Race, and in 2018 her Rolex Sydney Hobart line honours finish coverage on facebook received over 127,000 views worldwide. 
===How it started===
Nicole started “Adventures of a Sailing Girl” in 2005 as an athlete’s blog, during her studies at UTS. She continued the blog, and whilst working as a volunteer radio presenter for “Sailing Chix” in 2012 and 2013 on Radio Northern Beaches she featured as “The Sailor Girl” on their Radio broadcast of the Sydney to Hobart Starts. 
===Expanded coverage===
In 2014, “Adventures of a Sailor Girl” started covering sailing events live across Australia, producing content at 31 regattas including the Rolex Sydney Hobart Start (radio)
, SOLAS Big Boat race, Extreme Sailing Series (Sydney), Audi Hamilton Island Race Week (sailing with Alive RP66 and Beau Geste TP52) and the Land Rover Sydney to Gold Coast Race. 
In 2015, [sailorgirlhq.com “Adventures of a Sailor Girl”] grew to cover content internationally, this time covering 43 events including the Volvo Ocean Race (stopovers in Auckland, Newport USA, Lorient France, and the finish in Gothenburg), Moth World Championship (Sorrento VIC), ISAF World Cup (Weymouth), Extreme Sailing Series (Cardiff), Stena Match Cup Sweden, J70 World Championship (La Rochelle), America’s Cup World Series (Gothenburg and Bermuda), Argo Gold Cup, World Match Racing Tour (Bermuda), Volvo Ocean Race HQ tour (Alicante), Parasailing World Championship (Williamstown), Musto International Match Racing Regatta (CYCA), Sailing World Cup Melbourne (official MC and presenter for World Sailing), Extreme Sailing Series Sydney, SOLAS Big Boat Race and Rolex Sydney Hobart. 
In 2016, Nicole as "Sailor Girl" joined the Nautical Channel (NC) Sports team as their new sailing correspondent, a position she held until 2019, broadcasting to an audience of over 22 million people on televisions globally on networks such as Sky. Main deliverables included a daily television show which also streamed online for the 35th America's Cup.
Since 2017, Nicole’s business as “Adventures of a Sailor Girl” has continued to cover national and international sailing events. In 2017, Nicole was the first person to broadcast the finish of the Rolex Fastnet Race, and in 2018 her Rolex Sydney Hobart line honours finish coverage on facebook live received 127,000 views worldwide. 
During the Covid Crisis in 2020 Nicole continued to cover events where possible through live-streaming. She created the “Adventures Weekly Show” a podcast including interviews with sports people including :John Bertrand, Kay Cottee, Jessica Watson, Stan Honey, Rob Mundle, Bob Fisher, Hannah Mills, Carolijn Brouwer, Iain Murray and Terry Hutchinson. The episodes can be found on Apple Podcasts.
As “Adventures of a sailor girl” she has also been the media/AV manager and photographer for the Etchells Nationals and Australasian Championship, Media/AV Manager for Sail Paradise and has covered the America’s Cup and the Vendée Globe remotely.
==Sailing==
As a sailor, Nicole's most notable results include two Grade One gold medals from the new Olympic class of Women's Match Racing for the Australian Sailing Team (Australian WMR National Championships Sydney 
Harbour and Kieler Woche World Cup - WMR (2009)), 1st in Match Cup Sweden (2009), and three World Championships (current) in the Tasar dinghy (2005, 2009 and 2019). For a full list of results see below. 
===Olympic and World Championship Results===
Date 	Class 	Event 	Grade	Position
Jul 2019	Tasar - Open 	Tasar World Championship Hayling Island Sailing Club, GBR	 	1st
Aug 2013	Tasar - Open 	Tasar World Championship Cascade Locks, USA 	 	7th
Sep 2011	Tasar - Open 	Tasar World Championship Torbay, GBR 	 	2nd
Sep 2009	Tasar - Open 	Tasar World Championship Wakayama, JPN 	 	1st
Jun 2009	Elliott 6m - Women	Kieler Woche (Olympic Classes 19-24 June) Kiel, GER 	W 	1st
Jul 2007	Tasar - Open 	G4S - Tasar World Championship Phuket, THA 	 	2nd
Jul 2005	Tasar - Open 	Tasar World Championship Darwin, AUS 	 	1st
Jun 2003	Tasar - Open 	Tasar World Championship Victoria, BC, CAN 	 	7th
===ISAF Grades 1 & 200 Results===
Date 	Class 	Event 	Grade	Position
Dec 2012	470 - Women 	ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne Melbourne, AUS	200 	4th
Dec 2009	Laser Radial - Women	Sail Sydney Woollahra, AUS 	1 	13th
===Australian National Results===
Date 	Class 	Event 	Position
2019 	VX One - Open	Australian VX One Championship Geelong, VIC 	3rdRabbel
2018 	Tasar - Open 	Australian Tasar Championship Darwin, NT 	1st
2017 	470 - Open 	Australian 470 Championship Wangi Wangi, NSW 	10th
2017 	Tasar - Open 	Australian Tasar Championship Port Stephens, QLD 	1st
2016 	Tasar - Open 	Australian Tasar Championship Townsville, QLD 	2nd
2015 	Tasar - Open 	Australian Tasar Championship Geographe Bay, WA 	2nd
2014 	Tasar - Open 	Australian Tasar Championship Blairgowrie, VIC 	2nd
2013 	Tasar - Open 	Australian Tasar Championship Victor Harbour, SA 	1st
2011 	Tasar - Open 	Australian Tasar Championship Woollahra, NSW 	1st
2010 	Tasar - Open 	Australian Tasar Championship Airlie Beach, QLD, NSW	1st
2008/2009	Tasar - Open 	Australian Tasar Championship McRae, VIC 	2nd
2007/2008	Tasar - Open 	Australian Tasar Championship Adelaide, SA 	2nd
2006/2007	Tasar - Open 	Australian Tasar Championship Perth, WA 	1st
2005/2006	Tasar - Open 	Australian Tasar Championship Lake Macquarie, NSW 	1st
2005 	Tasar - Open 	Australian Tasar Championship Darwin, NT 	1st
2002 	Tasar - Open 	Australian Tasar Championship Port Lincoln, SA 	2nd
2000 	Tasar - Open 	Australian Tasar Championship Darwin, NT 	3rd
==Volunteer positions==
Nicole was the Publicity Officer for the Tasar Association of NSW for a period of 10 years (2005-2015). She was also the Club Caption for Woollahra Sailing Club (2013-2014) and a volunteer radio presenter for Sailing Chix at Radio Northern Beaches (2012-2013), including broadcasting two Sydney to Hobart starts (2012 and 2013) on radio, featuring as "The Sailor Girl".
==Awards and Scholarships==
*University of Technology Sydney Sport Scholarship (2004-2006)
*University of Technology Sydney Blues Award (2005), 2006 to recognise her "outstanding sporting achievements".
*Australian Sailing 'Sport Promotion Award' (2017, 2018, 2019)
==Publications==
Nicole and her father, Robert Douglass contributed to chapter 29 of Frank Bethwaite’s book “Higher Performance Sailing” (2008, Adlard Coles Nautical an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc). Their section 29.5 was entitled “Tasar: risk management in racing”.
Nicole and her father, Robert Douglass also co-authored Chapter 8 - “Setting up and Handling the Tasar” of Frank Bethwaite’s book “Fast Handling Technique” (2013, Barnes & Noble). In the Author's notes, Bethwaite writes: 
"In about 2003, Rob and daughter Nicole teamed up to sail the Tasar. This was the start of many years of sailing at the world's highest level. Following two years of steady improvement, they won the Tasar World Championships in Darwin in 2005. They described their approach to this regatta in their contribution to 'Risk Management in Racing' in Higher Performance Sailing. 
At the next Tasar Worlds at Cape Panwa, Phuket, in 2007, they finished a close second to Jonathan McKee. Jonathan won Olympic Gold in the FD class at Atlanta in 1996 and Olympic Bronze in the 49er class at the Sydney 2000 Olympics. 
Rob and Nicole again won the World Championships in 2009, at Wakayama in Japan. At Torquay, England, in 2011, they again finished a close second. 
Two World Championship wins and two seconds in four consecutive regattas demonstrates formidable consistency."
Category:Australian sailors
Category:Australian people
Category:1985 births