Four case studies about women in sailing

The second edition of Steering the Course, World Sailing’s global women’s sailing festival, is currently underway in the Southern Hemisphere. To mark the occasion, World Sailing has published four case studies to demonstrate success stories in key areas of the sport and share the blueprints for creating more opportunities for women in sailing.

The four case studies are:

• Snipe Class – Raising Numbers: Taking a look at the initiatives the international class association has taken to increase female participation by encouraging back to the sport by creating a female-friendly environment with women running events and clinics, family events and low-cost charter fees. Full report.

• The Magenta Project – Mentoring Program: Started in 2018, the mentoring program has supported young women to progress along the sailing pathway by connecting them with women with similar aspirations. This is a predominantly ‘off-the-water’ project focusing on wider development not just hands on skills, and centers around inspiring talented sailors while addressing issues they face. Full report.

• Sail Africa – Girls in Sailing: Based in Durban, South Africa, this project supports the Government’s National Development Plan by introducing girls from townships to sailing and water safety. Sail Africa works with schools to host a weekly sailing class, established a Sailing Club at Durban University of Technology and introduced programs to build a pathway through to competition level. Full report.

• Kanto Intercollegiate Sailing Association – Ladies Championship: The regatta is well-established but female participation in university teams has historically been low. A separate women’s event was developed to aid women’s sailing in Japan and has become the sailing ground for many prominent Japanese female sailors. Full report.

For more information, contact training@sailing.org.

Supported by the IOC Development Fund, Steering the Course promotes equity in sailing and encourages more female sailors and coaches to take up the sport.

Following the success of the first edition in the Northern Hemisphere, where sailing clubs from 20 countries ran events which focused on encouraging female participation, 10 more countries signed up to host activities October 1-10, 2021.

If took part in an event during Steering the Course, you can share your photos and videos on social media using the hashtag #SteeringTheCourse and also tag @worldsailingofficial on Facebook and Instagram and @worldsailing on Twitter. Content can also be sent directly to content@sailing.org.

Source: World Sailing