June 10, 2024
4 minutes reading time
Steering the Course 2024 opens up new Olympic Pathways for women in sailing
The first edition of the 2024 Steering the Course saw activities take place across the world all with a focus on exploring Olympic pathways for women in sailing. In an Olympic year, where the Paris 2024 Olympic Games are set to be the first Games with an equal number of male and female athletes, sailing had an early opportunity to showcase the opportunities within the sport available to all.
Activities began with a social media campaign run by World Sailing called Steering My Olympic Course featuring role models Sophia Papamichalopoulous of Cyprus, Mina Stanikic of Serbia and Khouloud Mansy from Egypt.
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The RYA also created a campaign to highlight the journeys of several sailors as they prepare to take the next steps in their career. Ali Young explained the transition from sailor to coach, Anna Burnet shared the importance of broadening pathways for women, Wimbledon Park centre manager Erica Bishop offered an insight into working at a busy centre in central London and how to get into the marine industry.
There was also a series of interviews with race officials about their experiences as women volunteering in racing and how they first got involved.
Surfclub Domaša in Slovakia organised a Sailing Taster for Ladies which began with a presentation from national race officials about sailing rules and regatta organisation and then introduced participants to the most accessible equipment at the club, including Optimist, windsurfing, Wingfoil and paddleboards.
This was followed up later in the week with a special Teach Mommy to Sail session organised by Škola Jachtingu at the Marina Liptov. Young sailors shared their skills with their mothers, creating a unique bond between mother and daughter and encouraging the parents to return to learn to sail on a regular basis.
In Ireland, the National Yacht Club in Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin, became a hub of energy and excitement as it hosted the ‘Women at the Helm’ event. Women at the Helm is a unique sailing event aimed to empower women by encouraging them to take on various roles on the boat, particularly those they might not usually have the chance to experience.
Things kicked off with talks from Olympic Silver Medallist Annalise Murphy and The Famous Project sailor Joan Malloy. Both sailors regaled a packed room with tales of their, sometimes, very different experiences.
Racing began the following morning in breezy conditions of 14-18 knots. This first day of competition was combined with Dublin Bay Sailing Club’s regular Saturday racing to allow for maximum participation.
Shona Gibson from Irish Sailing, said, “The success of ‘Women at the Helm’ at the National Yacht Club is a testament to the growing movement to promote gender equality in sailing. Irish Sailing along with clubs across Ireland hope to inspire more women to take up sailing, pursue leadership roles, and continue to challenge the status quo in their sport. Irish Sailing will be supporting a further 22 events over the course of 2024 aimed at promoting women on the water.”
The Hebe Haven Yacht Club in Hong Kong, China, organised six days of events. Highlights included an open evening to launch Steering the Course activities, beginning with an interactive forum featuring leading young sailors in Hong Kong, Amelia Ralphs of Ocean Yachtmaster, Nancy Highfield and Stephanie Norton, the first women’s dinghy sailor to reach the Olympics via a competitive route, who all shared their sailing stories.
A Girls Night brought sailors aged six to 13 back from Trio Beach with games and an interactive talk with the representatives of Marine Police to learn about ‘dos and don’ts’ of marine safety, followed by the Arts & Crafts session hosted by Sara Houghton.
The club also hosted a Race Management Training session to teach the theory and allow participants to experience hands-on race management aboard Hebe One with 6 J/80s for practice racing. The sessions were a huge success, and all of the participants embraced the opportunities with enthusiasm.
Finally, Sailability Hong Kong hosted a group of 14 women from the Asian Women’s League. All were aged over 50 and sailing for the first time. On the last day of Steering the Course, Sailability Hong Kong hosted groups from Po Yan School, the Cancer Information Centre, a group of Domestic Helpers, and a group of elderly women – 38 sailors in total aged from 10 to 78 years old using Hansa boats, which proved particularly suitable for people who are trying out sailing for the first time. Over the six days, 145 female sailors and 40 female volunteers participated in Sailability’s activities.
In Malta, as part of Yachting Malta Race Week, sailor Maya Podesta shared her journey in the sport to a packed room of attendees who left ready to embark on their own adventures.
The Royal Malta Yacht Club and Vikings Sailing Club hosted a series of taster sessions, where women got to try sailing first hand. Participants got to try out sailing on RS Quests and then took part in workshops led by experienced sailors.
Focus now shifts to the next Steering the Course Technical Course for Coaches in Barbados from 6–12 July. Penny McIntyre, Barbados Sailing Association Executive Officer said, “We are extremely grateful to Steering the Course and World Sailing for their help in bringing sail training to a higher level in Barbados and are excited at the opportunity this will provide to increasing the participation from the wider community.”
The second edition of Steering the Course 2024 gets underway on 27 September. For more information, please visit Steering the Course on the World Sailing website.