September 30, 2024
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Steering the Course coaching workshops and regattas promote opportunities for women in Olympic sailing
This year’s Steering the Course, World Sailing’s global women’s sailing festival, focused on promoting the pathways for women in Olympic sailing, and following a successful week-long event in May further courses in the Caribbean, South America, Europe and the Middle East will grow the sport and support the dreams of women across the globe.
In July, the Caribbean Island nation of Barbados held a Technical Training Course with 12 women attending. Facilitated by World Sailing’s Para Sailing Manager Hannah Stodel with support from Development Manager Cat Duncan, and the Barbados Sailing Association (BSA) the Level 1 course focused on classroom and water sessions, as well as a beach cleanup exercise. Upon conclusion of the week-long training, each participant was awarded with a coaching certificate.
“It was a truly epic seven-day World Sailing Technical Coaching Course hosted by the Barbados Sailing Association,” Stodel said. “I am so grateful to get the opportunity to lead these courses, and to meet incredible women like this. Time to head home for the next adventure!”
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Eleven women gathered for the first ever Technical Course for Coaches in Cochabamba, Bolivia, at the same venue that hosted the 2018 South American Games. Through cooperation with the local naval school, training took place at their facilities from 16–22 September. Throughout the Level 1 course, Coach Developer Maria Hackerott focused on possibilities for introductory sailing programs, working with the local sailboats available to coaches.
In Türkiye, the Istanbul Sailing Sports Club organised the IYK Opti-ILCA Women’s Cup 2024 in Kalamış Bay, the first time a women’s race has been held in the Dinghy classes.
The race featured a course set up in front of the club, live race commentary for spectators, and race committees comprised almost entirely of female race officers, which reinforced the Istanbul Sailing Sports Club’s commitment to gender equality in sailing. Nearly 40 athletes competed in the Optimist, Optimist Junior, Optimist Bambino, ILCA 4, and ILCA Junior categories – most of whom were beginners and intermediate level sailors.
Still to come in this year’s Steering the Course is the ladies Sail Training at Theewater Sports Club in South Africa on 28 September, followed by the South African Sailing Online Women’s Discussion Panel on 6 October and the Stadt 23 Ladies Championships on 12 October also at Theewater.
At the 56th Barcolana Regatta in Trieste, Italy, starting on 4 October, female sailors will compete for the Generali Trophy.
An Umpire Clinic will be held in Athens, Greece from 11-13 October, the annual SheSails Conference on 22 October will feature Pınar Coşkuner Genç, the first female Principal Race Officer for the Olympic Games. Later in the year, a Race Management Clinic has been organised in the UAE, from 27-29 November, to develop the region’s capability to host regional and international regattas.