'Rough couple of days': Olympic swimming icon Ian Thorpe lifts the lid on 'hectic' Sydney to Hobart race

Australian swimming icon Ian Thorpe has lifted the lid on his involvement in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race, admitting it was a 'rough couple of days' out at sea.

The five-time Olympic gold medallist traded the pool for the boat on Boxing Day as he joined the crew on board one of the race's top hopes, LawConnect.

In one of the most dramatic and chaotic installments of the iconic Aussie event, more than 30 boats were forced to retire from the race due to wild conditions.

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Speaking on Nine's Today after arriving in Hobart behind only Master Lock Comanche for line honours, Thorpe admitted there were some difficult times on board.

"It was really hectic," he said.

"As soon as we came out of Sydney heads, we hit a southerly which were three to four-metre swells. We were leading out of the heads which was amazing and it was something that the LawConnect team didn't expect.

"The next couple of days were a bit rough and we kind of arrived in Tasmania off the Bass Strait to weather like this and everyone's spirits once again lifted.

"We were first out of the harbour, which we didn't expect to be able to do and we were leading and then we had a few different kinds of mechanical failures.

"We broke just about every sail at one point and had very little left to be able to sail into Hobart. What was incredible about the team that LawConnect has put together is that we were able to regroup on each of those."

Thorpe was also asked how he and others in the LawConnect crew dealt with seasickness, which derailed many teams during the multi-day journey.

"Some people were taking them, other people weren't - I know a couple of teams that just because of seasickness had to withdraw from the race," he said.

"It's tough, as soon as one person starts vomiting from the seas, it really is [contagious].

"We were good, we were on shifts and it was working through what time that you did have to compartmentalise how long this was going to be."

The 43-year-old was also involved in a touching tribute for the victims of the Bondi terror attack on the first day of the race when the boats left Sydney.

Thorpe said it was important for all Australians to band together and not take great traditions such as the Sydney Hobart race for granted.

"In light of what has happened in Bondi and to Australia, it's important in all aspects of things that we do to not only recognise the huge loss that has happened to the Jewish community, but also what has happened to us as Australians," he said.

"We need to be able to do more to be able to have the freedoms we have been able to enjoy and the fact we can take a yacht race from Sydney to Hobart is one of those.

"We need to be able to appreciate what we have and have the right measures in place to protect that."

The race has continued through until Monday, with the overall winner yet to be decided.