In celebration of National Careers Week, Australian Sailing highlight Australian Sailing Team athlete, Laura Harding, who is successfully balancing her ambition to represent Australia on the world stage with developing a professional career beyond the boat park. Laura helms the 49erFX alongside crew Annie Wilmot, and together they have their sights firmly set on the LA 2028 Olympic Games.
Laura’s love of sailing began at just seven years of age at the Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron, where she learned the basics alongside her twin brother and older sister.
“My dad tied a rope to the front of our boats and would stand in the water with us for hours while we mucked around,” Laura recalled. Sailing played a big part in her family, with her Dad and Pa both being sailors and soon, it became more than just a pastime.
Driven by a strong sense of competition (especially against her brother), Laura quickly discovered a love for racing,“It wasn’t until we were both fighting at the front of the fleet, I realised how much I enjoyed the racing as well as the feeling of being on the water with friends.”
Her breakthrough came when she qualified for the Youth Sailing World Championships, which opened the door to international competition. That milestone, along with joining the Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS) Sailing Program at 16, helped pave the way for her transition from youth sailing to Olympic campaigning.
“The support provided by the VIS program allowed me to grow as an athlete as I navigated the challenges along the pathway to even get into Olympic campaigning,” explained Laura.
The journey hasn’t been without setbacks. Laura reflects on the difficulty of finding the right sailing partnerships and making decisions when the path wasn’t always clear.
“I let my love for the sport and my goals and aspirations drive these decisions which lead me to partnering up with Annie in 2021,” Laura shared. “Although the times leading up to this were rocky and unstable trying to figure out the right path, I always tried to put myself in the best position possible to be ready for opportunities when they arose.”
Juggling training and study has been one of Laura’s ongoing challenges as she strives for excellence both on and off the water. She is currently studying a Bachelor of Exercise and Sport Science at Deakin University and admits that finding the right balance is still a work in progress. To support her academic commitments, the 49erFX squad based much of their training in Melbourne over the summer rather than Sydney, helping Laura better manage the in-person demands of her degree. However, the shift to online learning during the 2020 lockdowns also provided a much-needed flexibility, making it easier to manage her dual career path.
“It wasn’t until I settled at a new university in a different course that I was learning how to balance my time on and off the water,” she said. “For me, it has been about finding the right moments in the Olympic cycle to know when to knuckle down in either career and try and find some consistency to keep the study going alongside training commitments.”
Laura’s journey reflects the Australian Sailing Team’s commitment to the Win Well Pledge, a national initiative of the Australian high performance sport system that recognises wellbeing as the foundation for sustainable, repeatable success. As a signatory, the Australian Sailing Team is dedicated to supporting athletes in pursuing excellence while also thriving in life beyond sport. Laura is a strong example of this balance in action.
Laura’s ability to adapt has helped her reach new heights. Most recently, she finished 5th at the 2024 World Championships in the 49erFX and took on the role of co-helm for Team Australia in the inaugural Women’s America’s Cup in late 2024.
She believes resilience, discipline and adaptability are essential to a long-lasting career in sport and for young athletes hoping to follow in her footsteps, Laura offers simple but powerful advice, “Know why you’re doing it. The road won’t always be clear, but if you keep working towards your goal, you’ll be ready when the right doors open.”
