Jessica Lundh Appointed Australian Sailing Performance Pathways Manager
by Lisa Darmanin / Australian Sailing Team 9 Aug 23:45 PDT
Jessica Lundh © Australian Sailing
Australian Sailing is pleased to announce the appointment of Jessica Lundh as the new Performance Pathways Manager, bringing extensive experience across high performance sport, coaching, education and athlete development to the role.
Lundh joins the High Performance program following a career spanning international competition, coaching, leadership and education, giving her a unique understanding of the athlete journey from grass roots participation through to Olympic campaigning.
As Performance Pathways Manager she will provide strategic leadership and operational oversight of Australian Sailing's Performance Pathways program, supporting athletes as they progress from club and youth sailing through to the Australian Performance Pathways program. The role plays a key part in identifying, developing and supporting Australia's future Olympic talent through a holistic Athlete Development Framework.
A former Australian Sailing Team athlete, Lundh represented Australia in the Women's Match Racing class during her campaign towards the London 2012 Olympic Games, earning multiple podium finishes at World Championships and World Cup events.
Having experienced the pathway first-hand, Lundh understands both the opportunities and challenges athletes encounter as they progress through the high-performance system.
Following her competitive career, Lundh has remained deeply involved in the sport, serving as an Australian Sailing Senior Coach and national program leader. She also led the strategic development, implementation and national expansion of SailLAB, Australian Sailing's curriculum-aligned STEM education initiative, demonstrating her passion for building strong pathways for athletes and future generations.
Prior to her work with Australian Sailing, Lundh was a senior science teacher, where she developed strong relationships with students, parents and colleagues while supporting young people through important stages of their development. That experience further strengthens her people-first approach to athlete and coach development.
"Australia has an incredible history of producing world-class sailors, and I'm excited to play a role in supporting the next generation. Strong pathways are built through collaboration, and I look forward to working closely with our athletes, coaches, performance support team, clubs and class associations to continue building on the excellent work already undertaken," Lundh shared.
"The Athlete Development Framework provides a clear vision for how we develop athletes, and I'm passionate about ensuring it is embedded throughout the pathway so that every athlete has the opportunity to develop with confidence, enjoy the journey and achieve their potential."
Australian Sailing High Performance Director Iain Brambell said Lundh's breadth of experience made her ideally suited to lead the next phase of the Performance Pathways program.
"I love the fact we are welcoming another AST alumna back into the high performance program. Jess has first-hand lived experience within our pathway, giving her a deep understanding of what athletes and coaches need to succeed at every stage of their journey, and we're excited to welcome Jess into this important leadership role," said Brambell.
Australian Sailing also extends its sincere thanks to Haylee Outteridge, who has decided to step away from the role after 18 months.
"Haylee has made a significant contribution to Australian Sailing throughout her time as an athlete, coach and leader," Brambell shared. "As High Performance Pathways Manager, she has played an instrumental role in shaping and strengthening our Performance Pathways program, helping to create greater clarity, alignment and connection across the athlete development pathway."
"We thank Haylee for her dedication and commitment and wish her every success in her future endeavours."