The Price You Pay

Ashlee Daunt's Teenage Sailing Hobby Has Now Become An Olympic Family Dream

• Natalie Cook • Season 3 • Episode 9

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What does it really take to chase Olympic sailing as a sibling team when boats, sails, and travel chew through your budget before you hit the start line? We sit down with Australian sailor Ashlee Daunt to unpack the organized chaos behind a mixed 470 campaign with her brother Brayden—how they split roles, handle conflict, and keep the long game in view from LA 2028 to Brisbane 2032.

Ashlee shares how a late start at 14 turned into freedom on the water, quick progress in the 29er, and a smart move into the 470 where size, skill, and strategy suit their build. She leads tactics and the main; Brayden drives power on the wire, trims, and keeps the boat flat and fast. Together they navigate regatta pressure, a steep 470 learning curve, and the reality that true crew flow can take up to a decade. That means patience, systems, and communication when fatigue and noise threaten to fracture decisions mid-race.

We also zoom out to the money. European regattas taught them more than speed; they revealed the actual cost of competing with the world’s best. Ashlee, an accountant, owns the budget, logistics, and fundraising while Brayden handles boat work—an approach that keeps the bow pointed forward without burning out. With support from the Aussie Athlete Fund, their club, and family, they’re building recurring backing through sponsors and patrons to fund the runway that high performance demands. Their mum, Kerri, offers a moving perspective on raising a “trio,” stepping back, and cheering for two kids who turned a school sport into a national dream.

Become a part of our athletes' success stories: Whether its a personal donation, a corporate partnership, a round of golf, or simply by spreading the word, your support has the power to uplift our athletes and inspire countless others!

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Luke Morrison:

My name is Luke Morrison and I'm from the Garanji Granji Mall, and I wish to acknowledge the lands on which the Price You Pay podcast is being recorded on the Mi and Jin country. I feel the spirits of my indigenous ancestors having my back as I step into the boxing room. This podcast pays homage to the tradition of storytelling when it shares athlete journeys and wishes to extend its respect to all Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Nat Cook:

Welcome to season three of the Price You Pay podcast, hosted by myself, Nat Cook, five-time Olympian and gold medalist, alongside our superstar interviewer Sarah from Chatterbox Media. Through conversations with Aussie Athlete Fund recipients, the truth emerges of what it truly takes to reach the highest echelons of sport in this country. By introducing family and key members of the athletes' journey to the discussion, we uncover the hidden costs and barriers they face while getting a sense of the impact it has on their communities. Indulge me as I take you on a journey of my legacy project that spurred the creation of this podcast and the need to share these amazing athletes' stories. I created the Aussie Athlete Fund to provide our next generation aspiring to or wearing the green and gold with the financial skills, tools, networks, and opportunities to take care of that financial well-being. I personally retired after 20 years, $300,000 in debt, two medals, no superannuation, and I don't want that for the next generation. I don't want them to continue to pay a price for the honor to represent our country. I'm most proud of the athletes in the Aussie Athlete Fund designing their own initiatives to fundraise. We show them a tool for their fundraising roadmap, and then they go about finding the networks, finding the businesses, asking people for uh support along their journey. They get to deal with rejection, they get to deal with success, they have a community, a connected community, so they know they're not alone in this process. And I really love how they take ownership for their own journey. And that is what I'm most proud of. My vision for the Aussie Athlete Fund in the short term is to grow the awareness of the fund, but also of these athletes' journeys to inspire businesses and individuals who have the means to connect with these athlete journeys. They work so hard on the track, in the pool, on the court to represent this great country. And we need people to back their journeys. We need people to get emotionally connected. So that's it in the short term. I need to raise funds, I need to grow awareness, and I need to teach the athletes how to be responsible, be responsible for their own fundraising journeys. In the next seven years towards 32, I want people to know how important the green and gold athlete is for our country and how it not only inspires our next generation of athletes, but our businesses and the whole country to lift to be the best they can be. It's so important to share this podcast not only with our athletes so they have a tool for their fundraising to share their stories with people that might like to back them on the journey, but also so that people know the depth of effort that these athletes go to. Not only the athletes, their family and friends and their supporting community to help them rise to represent all of us on a world stage. And I want people to be able to be inspired and motivated like I am when I hear all these athletes' stories to want to help them fundraise and help them look after their financial well-being. So enjoy listening to the stories. Pick one or two that you want to back in and make sure they know that you're supporting them. And now, with complete trust and confidence, I hand over the microphone, and I know that might be hard for you to believe, but I have to go out and fundraise for our athletes. As she continues the conversation, our star interviewer, Sarah.

Sarah Maxwell:

Today I sit down with avid sailor Ashley Daunt, whose dream it is to be the first Aussie sibling team to compete in the mixed 470 event at the Olympics. And she plans to do that with her brother Brayden. Ashley started late into the sport at age 14, but success came early to her in the junior ranks, earning her a place in the QAS in 2021 in the 29er class. But she has recently made the switch to 470 mixed, a new category since the Paris Games, and now sails with her brother. The duo has been working extremely hard to hone their skills and even made their way to Europe for three major regattas to test and learn against the best boats in the world. Try and get your head around some of the costs associated with this sport. Not just the flights and accommodation, but buying a boat, the sails, transporting the thing. You have to transport the boat, of course you do. There's wetsuits and there's more. Look, sailing is often associated with the rich for a reason. And yet this family has two children in the sport. No wonder Ash works her accounting degree three days a week at Deloitte. I'm looking forward to hearing how Mom Carrie, who's joining us today, worked out having her two children in this expensive sport. So are you ladies ready to sail into this? Absolutely. Okay. I did my, it's like dad jokes when I say things like sail into this. But I'm not sure, but I just I just do them anyway. So what happens, Ash, when you're over 40, it just the care factor goes. So you have that to look forward to. There's a freedom coming. You're very young, so not yet. But I am very curious about your European adventure that you and your brother Brayden just embarked on. Um, but before that, I want to know what it looks like. A week juggling work and hours on the water. Like, can you walk us through a typical week in the life of Ash?

Ashlee Daunt:

I'm gonna be honest, a typical week, um, to put it politely, is organized chaos. Um I would say like between work um and the training hours of probably maybe upwards of 15 hours, including on water time, gym, um, and then 30 hours of working a week. Um yeah, I would love to say that I'm in like a routine and thriving, but you do what you do. You can get it.

Sarah Maxwell:

And you've just moved house, Ash. So I mean, now you've got boxes everywhere to deal with as well.

Ashlee Daunt:

Yes. Luckily, we're having a bit of an off-season period at the moment. So I'm not on water on my weekends. So my weekends at the moment are spent unpacking um and settling into my new place. Um, it's my first time living out of home, so it's a bit of a fun adventure, a bit uh eye-opening, if you will. Um, but yeah, it's all good.

Sarah Maxwell:

Are you I was just actually thinking, maybe all this chaos is training for when the waters are hectic. I mean, you can't really tell the the ocean how to perform. So maybe this is training.

Ashlee Daunt:

Potentially. I mean, yeah, you have to be quite responsive on water with all the things that happen with the weather and mother nature. But um, I feel like sailing has almost prepared me for life in that way, actually.

Sarah Maxwell:

Who's better with chaos? You or your brother?

Ashlee Daunt:

Oh.

Sarah Maxwell:

Should I ask mom? Maybe ask mom that. Okay, hold on, Mom. That wasn't going to be your first question, but let's just go over to you, Carrie. Which of your children, she calls herself organized chaos. Who do you think is better with chaos between the two of them?

Mum Kerri:

Um, I mean, uh organized chaos. Ashley's definitely more organized. Um, but I think Brenda's probably the chaos side of the together they're organized. Yeah, together they organise chaos. Um but she, yeah, I I guess it depends on on the situation, you know, like um, you know, like if if one is is struggling, the other one will also, you know, like try and step in there and and you know help with that that chaos. Um Ashley, maybe, yeah, probably a little bit better with with the with the chaos. Um she didn't know. She's your favorite child.

Sarah Maxwell:

She's she's your favorite child too, right, Carrie?

Mum Kerri:

Oh, she's my favorite daughter, absolutely.

Sarah Maxwell:

She's good. I'm I have three brothers, and mom always has that line too. You learned that at mom school, I think. That's so funny.

unknown:

Absolutely.

Sarah Maxwell:

Okay. I'm just gonna catch mom off guard so she's get her all stressed out over there. But back to you, Ash. Like you started sailing at age 14. So, what even got you into a sailboat in the first place? And did you love it straight away?

Ashlee Daunt:

Um, I probably didn't love it straight away. Mum thought it would um, when I went to high school, try sailing as an extracurricular sport. So through my high school, they um, because we're right on the river, they offered sailing as one of those um sports that you try uh before you attend the high school and to meet people that you're going to school with eventually. Um, so because mom had, I guess, some great childhood memories of our grandfather owning his uh, I guess a small 30-foot yacht um and her like skipping it around the bay, she thought it would be something that I enjoyed um and would be a great way to meet people. And so yeah, it kind of snowballed from there. I eventually started at high school, did it for the first did school sailing, I guess, for the first two years, and then um yeah, just continued to love it. And I was lucky enough to then um buy get my own boat, a little sabo, which is a um essentially no bigger than a bathtub.

unknown:

Yeah.

Ashlee Daunt:

One sail. And before I could, yeah, drive a car, I was out on the water, just out in the bay sailing around. Um, which was yeah, I love to say like pretty cool, like to have that freedom and to just go wherever you wanted to in your own vessel.

Sarah Maxwell:

And what did let you know you loved it? Like, you know how you said you didn't love it at first. It was sort of mum's idea and you were just trying it. What was it that let you know that you were feeling that freedom? And like, do you remember a moment?

Ashlee Daunt:

Um probably when I got my own boat. Like, I think um the school sailing aspect of things is very just like social and the sailing component um is not yeah, it's not much of a factor as the social component is. Like, I think on water time when you're at school sailing is probably like 30 minutes to 45 minutes, whereas like um when you're doing it by yourself, you're out there for hours. So um, yeah, probably getting my own boat and experiencing launching it myself and sailing out of the harbour at Manley by myself and then into the big wide bay, which can be really scary at first, and kind of overcoming that fear factor. Um, I think everything then just like, yeah, kind of clipped into place. And I just love that that freedom aspect and just being open and being able to breathe without any like people around, any like that's I didn't even have to know distractions that way.

Sarah Maxwell:

Yeah, you described that really beautifully because I didn't think about the fact that you couldn't drive a car because driving was when I remember feeling that freedom, but yet you could have it on the water in your own boat and overcoming your fear like that. So that's a really interesting perspective. So thank you for sharing that. Um, Ash, I did want to know a little bit about all these successes that you were having as a junior in the 29er. Why or what led you to take on the mammoth task of a mixed 470 with your brother?

Ashlee Daunt:

Um, so my yeah, my 29er journey was, yeah, uh a really, I guess, accelerated journey in a way. Like I jumped in the boat having come from a sabo straight into one of the youth classes, which uh it's not an easy boat to sail, it's quite difficult, especially to handle, um, and requires quite a unique skill set. So yeah, I guess like the challenge in overcoming that in and of itself, um yeah, was pretty, I guess, huge. And I eventually, in my last couple years in the 29er, decided to team up with my brother in that boat. Um, and that's where we probably had our best performance in my final year in the 29er with Bray, and we won't during COVID times, and unfortunately we couldn't have a nationals, but we won every single event that we were able to attend, um, which qualified us for the Queensland Academy of sport. And so naturally, knowing that uh like I just at that point in time was loving sailing with my brother, um, it was kind of yeah, a natural decision to uh figure out, I guess, look at the Olympic format and see, yeah, figure out which class was most suitable for Bray and I to be able to stick together as a team. Um and that happened to be, yeah, the mixed 470, being that it's I guess it doesn't require, yeah, it's mixed, obviously, and it doesn't require, I guess, you to be uh such a big size if you're like it's it's a lighter weight class than the other sailing uh disciplines.

Sarah Maxwell:

Meaning your size or its size? Like are you a pocket rocket?

Ashlee Daunt:

Um our size, yeah.

Sarah Maxwell:

Yeah, okay. Are you a little pocket rocket?

Ashlee Daunt:

Yeah, so I'm really five foot three. Um and yeah, in terms of like weight, I'm not the biggest human in the world. So um if I were to go into a different class, say maybe a NACA 17, which is also mixed, so boy, girl, um, I'd have to bulk up significantly. And so would Brave Ray's tall, but he's not the biggest human either. So yeah, it was just kind of a natural fit.

Sarah Maxwell:

And whose idea was it initially when you said you started to before the Mix 470, you were with in the boat with your brother? Whose idea was it to start that?

Ashlee Daunt:

Um sorry, I had taken a year off, a year break, and I I was in I think university. So I went on a couple exchanges and stuff. Um and it was actually a kind of a collective decision in a way. I wanted to hop back in the boat, but I didn't want to hop into a boat with a stranger um and try and teach someone how to crew. And I knew Bray had been spending that year that I was having off um crewing for someone else. And so because I'm yet a helm, I just and I wanted to get back into it. I was like, well, we have a boat. I have this crew that also wants to maybe potentially pair up with me, and conveniently he's my brother. So it kind of just it just worked out and um we were just like, yeah, let's give us a crack. Like I think we'd be really good together. Um, and we ended up our first event, we were just gonna trial it out, and I think it was a a New South Wales states, and we ended up getting third.

Sarah Maxwell:

Wow.

Ashlee Daunt:

And having sailed maybe two weeks beforehand. We were like, okay, like this seems like it will work. Um, and ended up, yeah, getting getting a coach on board, um, Shane Smith, and he really yeah, kind of drove our campaign that year. I think it was um 2021. Beautiful.

Sarah Maxwell:

Love that. Mom, thank you for being so patient. Because I I really do want to hear what it's like having two children in one sport.

Mum Kerri:

Expensive.

Sarah Maxwell:

I did think that.

Mum Kerri:

I did wonder. Um, it's um, you know, like they've I guess they're really best friends, like the the two of them. They are they um you know, they they support one another, they'll get frustrated with one another, but they they support one another. Um, you know, like it I guess it just means I'm not, you know, dragged between soccer and you know, netball or you know, like those sort of traditional, you know, sports where, you know, like we go to those events together and it's meant that we've been able to travel together throughout Australia, you know, up the east coast of Australia, seeing lots of different places that we probably never would have thought to have visited. Um yeah, it it's definitely been a positive, um, you know, a positive thing, you know, in terms of our sort of family life. It's it's very much since Ashley was you know five years old and Braden was three years old, it's sort of been the the three of us, um, you know, their the dad and I sort of split up at that stage and um and it's yeah, we've we've sort of worked our way through um through all of that. And no, definitely definitely a positive experience.

Sarah Maxwell:

You're the trio.

Mum Kerri:

You're the trio, yeah.

Sarah Maxwell:

Trio. And so were they always close? The like, you know, hearing that they were best friends or that they're best friends now, were they always really close?

Mum Kerri:

Um, probably not as close as what they have um developed into, you know, like as as young adults. Um they've they've sort of always had to, you know, particularly when I had to go back working full-time, they sort of had to then start to rely on each other, um, you know, in terms of you know, putting the rice on, or you know, like just different things. They've they've had to, you know, come together. And um, you know, somebody said to me, um they were they they're amazed at how close the the two of them are. And I said, well, you know, potentially it's it's a product of how we've had, you know, it's been the three of us, and they've also rely on each other um for that. We've had to be a team, you know, together. The three of us, we've sort of grown up together and and and and had that that team environment. Whether, you know, if if their dad had of you know, you know, been around all the time as well, it may not have been such a close team environment, but that's that's how we've um we've dealt with it over the years.

Sarah Maxwell:

Sorry, Ash.

Ashlee Daunt:

Sorry, Ash, you got I said that's just how we've operated. Yeah, yeah.

Sarah Maxwell:

Like it's funny how life trains you, but without you sometimes realizing it when you think about depending on each other and and in in a way well before you you stepped into a boat, it's like you guys were learning how to support each other and depend on each other. And so it's actually quite interesting to hear that, Carrie. So thank you. Um, Ash, I want to hear about your goals for LA 2028 and Brisbane 2032. So do you and your brother, or did you and your brother, sit down and map out this vision, or did you just so miraculously align in your goals?

Ashlee Daunt:

Yeah, I think we um yeah, had a moment of just alignment to be honest. I think, yeah, going back to the 29er and how everything kind of just naturally like progressed into what it was, or this is working, like let's keep going. I think that's kind of where the goals kind of were derived from. We just yeah, thought, well, we're doing well, we continue on an upward um progression. Yeah, there's a few been a few dips here and there in performance overall, but uh we're on a pretty good trajectory. Well, like let's keep going, like um sort of thing. At the moment, we have taken a bit of a a step back from the campaign um with just a few life things, um, maybe getting some more finances together to keep the push to LA. Um, but yeah, the goal is still there, almost still both aligned, and yeah, doing it our own way, if you got it.

Sarah Maxwell:

So it was that influenced by your trip to Europe? So you competed in three regattas, which means like different cities, you know, you're in Spain, you're in France. Like, I know there was a lot of exposure over there to the competition. What has that shown you and has that influenced what you just said in terms of doing it our way and finances?

Ashlee Daunt:

Yeah, I think so.

Mum Kerri:

I think um obviously it's like a hospital put in mum. I was I was gonna say it's you know, like you're looking at the the long game, not a short game, you know, like it's uh, you know, and and you're at the start of the cycle as well. Sorry to butt in. Um but yeah, you're you're at the start of a cycle. So it's um, you know, you've got to think of the the long game, and and that comes down to the the finances as well. It's there's no point, you know, putting all this money forward, you know, straight up and not have anything for that that final push towards the end. So it's uh yeah, it's a strategic um, you know, there's a lot of you know strategy, you know, and and forward thinking that you need to to do rather than looking at the short term.

Sarah Maxwell:

So do you participate, Carrie, in that strategy in terms of finances?

Mum Kerri:

Um not really. Most of the decisions are made with the kids, um, with the I should say kids, the my my children. Um you know, like it's uh um they they they sort of you know do their own own goals and and and how they want to do that. There is, you know, they they're also very considerate in terms of you know finances and expenditure and and how they want to to move forward with that. So they don't they're also yeah, they're not all about me, me, me. They they look at the bigger picture and they're very good at that.

Sarah Maxwell:

But so Ash, do you and your brother um well you're an accountant, so do you guys does that do you guys budget together?

Ashlee Daunt:

Do you sit down and write out your budget or um I would say like I we kind of because sailing is so I guess requires so much in terms of like organization, just generally speaking, um, we kind of divide and conquer in a way. So I do all like the budgeting and like logistics planning and um funding and all that kind of stuff, whereas Bray does a lot of the boat work and like the practical stuff um to get us like on water. So he doesn't he has a say and he I'll keep him in the loop and talk him through what's going on and what I'm thinking and um like overall campaign-wise planning our events, like we'll both have input into that. But when it comes down to what amount of money is going where, he'll just tell me what we need in terms of boat equipment and stuff like that, and I'll go out and figure out how to make that happen.

Sarah Maxwell:

Yeah, well, okay, that's a big gap though, Ash. Like, how do you figure out how to make that happen? How do you how to you're like, okay, because when you said, Oh, I'm in charge of funding, I'm like, how do you do that, Ash?

Ashlee Daunt:

Um yeah, it's a tricky one. Um I obviously I've a part of the Aussie Apple. I've been working with them to do a lot of the fundraising, um, which has been yeah, a huge help. Um, but also yeah, I guess communicating like with my like with my mom and then um our grandparents have been a huge support as well. And then we also get some like funding from um our club, Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron. So um they as part of I guess the club's program, they have um an athlete fund um which essentially supports club athletes um to go overseas and represent um Royal Queensland overseas. Um and in return, you just have to, I guess, stay involved with the club and write articles for their club magazine and and do those kinds of things. So yeah, I'm doing all that kind of stuff. Doing that stuff, yeah, and making sure our forms are in play every six months and yeah.

Sarah Maxwell:

And Carrie, what have you noticed about Ash in terms of that journey financially and even you know, her involvement with the Aussie Athlete Fund and learning more about fundraising? What have you noticed in terms of her growth in this area?

Mum Kerri:

Oh, she's um yeah, I'm I'm super proud of, you know, how she she's she's always been super organized and super onto everything. She's just um, you know, like she's she's taken it on board and she's just sort of run with it. Like I I sort of look at her in awe sometimes and go, wow, you're an amazing little human being. The way you um, you know, like just take this and and and run with it. She just um yeah, I like I've you know, I guess in the last few years I've taken a big step back from you know, be you know, the involvement and and it's it's their it's their thing, and and I'm there as as backup and and let them run with it. But yeah, as I said, uh, you know, I I just sort of look back and go, wow. Yeah, that's right. Like they're taking it amazing, you know, like yeah, between the two of them, and and yeah, it's just some of the stuff that Ashley finds and you know, like um, yeah, puts together and you know, like for the the fundraising, and yeah, it's um it's definitely definitely inspiring.

Sarah Maxwell:

Carrie, was that transition of you taking a step back, was that a welcome transition or did you find that tricky?

Mum Kerri:

Um definitely tricky. Um I think it sort of came with the two of them getting that older as well. It's it's definitely um, you know, it's something that I guess every parent goes through. It's it's a big transition watching your, you know, like your babies come, you know, come through. You've always had a massive involvement in their in their lives in and in the decision making and and sort of trying to take that step back. And um, and it's been a gradual thing, something that I've had to learn. It's um, you know, I guess the whole parenting thing is something that you sort of learn as a day-to-by-day basis. But yeah, it's it's definitely I did struggle for a while there, um, but it has gotten easier over time to to sort of take that step back. And um, you know, every now and then they do need me, and and that's also also you know, like a really nice, you know, thing to be wanted or needed. But um, yeah, it's very much um support crew in the in the background now.

Sarah Maxwell:

Yeah, and as you shared about the trio that you were, um it's yeah redefining the new roles, hey? Absolutely. Which all all I think all parents go through that moment, but yours is almost like highlighted even more because of this dream that they have.

Mum Kerri:

Yeah.

Sarah Maxwell:

So um, okay, so here's the thing, Ash. I'm getting a sense that which is actually really good. I didn't really understand how you kind of need to divide and conquer, meaning your brother has talents as a boat's concerned, you've got like your financial prowess, but I want to talk me through the you both on the water. Okay, so I'm just trying to, and we're gonna should throw shade on your brother too. So get ready. But firstly, we'll be nice. So tell me on the boat, on the water, when you're in a I was gonna say tournament, in a regatta, um, what are your roles like on the boat?

Ashlee Daunt:

Yeah, so um my role is uh skipper or helmsman. Um, so I steer the boat and in the 470 I also trim the main sheet, which is the biggest sail. Um yeah, that's in its simple format. There was a lot of other responsibilities that I also have. Um, and then Bray, he's standing on the side of the boat almost parallel with the waterline trapeze. So he's essentially got a harness on and he's attached to a wire. And he stands kind of outside the boat over the water as almost, I guess, weight to kind of a sailboat goes fastest when it's flat, so he kind of assists by pushing his weight um out as far as possible um on the wire to kind of he's just like dead weight, just dead weight laying just not quite. Um yeah, I mean, if we're gonna throw shade, yeah, he's dead weight. No.

Sarah Maxwell:

Um I have to work at it because you guys get along so well, you see. They're not there really.

Ashlee Daunt:

But but yeah, his his role on the boat and in the 470 is super physical. Um, there's a lot of kinetics involved in his body movements, um, it through what we call pumping. And so there's a various different style styles of that he might be um. Um, running up and down the side of the boat bowed astern, or he might be, I guess, using his heels to pump the leech of the sail, or um it might be that he's off the wire and um essentially doing a very strange movement on the wire where he's like pumping the boat with his hips. Um there's a lot going on and it's all to make the boat go really fast while he's um trimming the jib as well, and that's just upwind. When we turn back downwind, we also have a third sail that goes up our kite and he trims that also.

Sarah Maxwell:

This is hilarious. It's like a whole other language, Carrie. Do you know the language? Are you do you speak both now?

Mum Kerri:

No, after all these years. I still have to really think about which is which is star, but oh my gosh, that was so good, Ash.

Sarah Maxwell:

Just all of a sudden we realized, Carrie, where are we? We are we are in a different land and it's their land. Um who's who's the tactician? Like who makes the tactical choices in the race?

Ashlee Daunt:

Um, I would say I'm predominantly tactician. However, um, we like to say like there's two brains on the boat. So if there's something that he notices and needs to be done, um, or we need to yeah, think about something else, um, yeah, he'll have involvement in that. But in terms of overall strategy as well, we both have input into that. We decide on the strategy and then we both just make it like make it happen.

Sarah Maxwell:

Do you ever get in a fight or disagree?

Ashlee Daunt:

Oh, 100%.

Sarah Maxwell:

Do you? You guys do.

Ashlee Daunt:

Yeah, yeah, 100%. It's not all smooth sailing. Um said.

Sarah Maxwell:

Oh, that was a pretty bad joke. Good, good.

Ashlee Daunt:

Um yeah, no, we definitely get into um get definitely get frustrated at each other. Um, because sometimes we're just not aligned and sometimes we're not on the same page. And I think with sailing, there's so many different factors that you need to consider that if it's not communicated clearly, that can easily happen. Um, and especially when you're a a team that has relatively limited experience in a 470 fleet and especially an international 470 fleet, yeah, tensions can boil over and a lot, yeah, a lot is going on, and it became can become really overstimulating, and you can take it out on each other for sure.

Sarah Maxwell:

Is either one of you do you get the silent treatment? Like, or do you just yell?

Ashlee Daunt:

Um, a bit of both, I would say. I think it depends on the situation. I think um both of us can bottle it up and then both of us can just explode at each other. Um in the best way possible. I think we never boil over and get into punch-ups or anything like that's a bit ridiculous. We're both a little bit more mature and we respect our relationship enough for that not to happen. But in terms of blow-ups, it might be just a I guess a disagreement, and one of us just needs to take some time to process and we kind of are still learning and figuring figuring out those um, I guess, boundaries. Because when you're in such a high pressure environment that like you are pushing each other's boundaries and you are pushing the team to the limit. So yeah, when you're still learning as a combo, um that does happen, and everyone says in our fleet that it takes a good eight to ten years to really get a crew dynamic to function fluidly, like get the flow going essentially. So um, yeah. And I think siblings complicates that as well.

Sarah Maxwell:

Well, again, like mom, they've been in training in a way. So other teams, like you said, they didn't live together, they didn't grow up together the way you guys did. So it's incredible advantage.

Ashlee Daunt:

Yes.

Sarah Maxwell:

Um, and so I just want to come back before we end on this idea, Ash, that you said we're taking a moment to, and mom kind of solidified that you you're taking a broader view of your goals and your dreams, like the long game. Um what have what are you currently doing to put your long game in in play from the fundraising um, you know, the sort of learnings that you've had with the Aussie Athlete Fun fundraising challenge? Like what have you learned that you're now putting in play for your long game?

Ashlee Daunt:

Um that's a good question. I think at the moment we because we have taken a step back and we're taking a bit of an off season, um I'm at the moment prioritizing like a few other life things like moving out and all that kind of stuff. But from a fundraising aspect, I really want to work towards um, I guess, uh locking in a few more uh relationships in terms of financial support. I think that's one of my big goals, and I I think that's something that's quite achievable um in terms of maybe getting sponsors involved or just regular financial donors or patrons or something like along those lines. Um so yeah, as soon as I can close down some of my life things, I want to work towards that at the end of the year and take this, use this break really to yeah, gain some funds and work towards Europe again next year um to kind of level up, um yeah, level up our skills and get more.

Sarah Maxwell:

Yeah, I I can hear that in you that thank you for bringing up life stuff because you know sometimes we forget to mention that you're growing up and like there's things that are important, whether it's work and relationships and and like all that kind of stuff and moving out and all those unique things that are coming up that's important. So I I wanted to give mom the last word. Um you were the one that thought sailing was a good idea, mom. Yes. Back when they were 14, and you thought it would be this small thing. So now that it's become a big thing, how do you feel about their dream?

Mum Kerri:

Um, I'm fully supportive, yeah. You know, like and and I'd I'd be supportive no matter what they they want to do. It's you know, it's it's their dream, it's their lives as to how they want to live that out. And um, you know, like I'll always provide guidance if it's if it's required, or um, but it's more so them coming towards me, you know, coming to me to you know have that that backup support. Um, yeah, I I'm super proud of of both of them and and their achievements as to as to what they've done and um and you know achieve in the future. Um yeah. Beautiful they're both awesome.

Sarah Maxwell:

They they it's coming through. It's really beautiful. I love the vision of the trio and all that these two are now off achieving. So it's really exciting to watch them flourish. And thank you for sharing the sailing journey because it is a unique one, and just knowing that it started as this extracurricular social thing that you've discovered your freedom and your independence, Ash, and the process, and now you and your brother are gonna do something really special as siblings. So thank you all for sharing your life.

Ashlee Daunt:

Thank you so much for having me and having mom.

Nat Cook:

Thank you for joining us on another episode of the Price You Pay podcast. We hope we've inspired you with the insider's look of the challenges faced by our aspiring athletes. The highs and lows of playing sports at such an elite level. And what's possible when you're so devoted to your craft. It's our mission at the Aussie Athlete Fund to create a sustainable funding model to support our athletes for both their financial well-being and education for their own athlete economy. To be part of the journey, please visit our website at www.aussieathletfund.com and choose how you would like to be involved. Whether that's as a corporate partner teaming up with an athlete in the Million Dollar Challenge or hosting your very own event to help raise funds. Choose your own adventure. The Aussie Athlete Fund mission, or even an episode, is how we grow and expand the reach we have in supporting these young athletes. Be a part of changing the narrative. And one last thing, press the follow button and rate apps for season three so these stories can travel further and wider. Be sure to join us next time for more captivating stories of triumph and resilience on the next episode of The Price You Pay.

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Natalie Cook

Host
Contributor

Sarah Maxwell

Co-host