Boarding the "iconic Australian" racing yacht Helsal 3 will be Junee doctor Darren Corbett, Wagga resident medical officer Ramandeep Kaur and Wagga orthopaedic surgeon Adrian van der Rijt who joint owns the vessel.

Dr Corbett said the race would be his first in the prestigious competition.

"I am very nervous, but we're taking 17 people, two crews of eight and a navigator so there's plenty of support," he said.

"I have sailed on this boat before, too, on and off over the last two years, so I know the ropes so to speak."

For Dr Corbett, it won't be the hard work and dangerous conditions that will present the biggest challenge.

"Coping with the sea sickness will be the most challenging part I think, I'll be taking a bucket load of tablets and a spare bucket just in case," he said.

A keen sailor, the rural doctor said he had high hopes for the race. "I was a very keen recreational sailor when I was a young boy, then kids came along and things got busy but I'm hoping we can make it in good time by the 29^th," he said.

The race begins at 1pm on December 26, when Dr Corbett will be the mainsail trimmer.

Fellow sailor Ramandeep Kaur first sailed aboard the Helsal 3 yacht during the annual UNSW rural clinical school trip to Airlie Beach Race Week where he caught the offshore sailing bug and has since competed in a number of offshore races in Tasmania and NSW.

Over the past five years, Helsal 3 has also taken medical students from the local clinical school to the Whitsundays, according to Gundagai rural doctor Paul Mara who joint owns the yacht.

"Our aim has been to show students that a career in rural medicine and living and working in a rural or regional area does not limit professional or personal opportunities," he said.

Helsal 3 will sail under the hashtag #destinationrural to promote the benefits of regional medicine.

The majority of UNSW Wagga students now stay in the district for their junior hospital training, and of the 18 students who sailed to the Whitsundays this year, eight have expressed a strong interest in rural medicine.

The Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine and the Rural Doctors Association of Australia will also feature in this year's campaign and support promotion of the country and rural medicine.

"Wagga has a great sporting pedigree but with Helsal 3 it can proudly claim offshore yacht racing to that heritage," Dr Mara said.