Winds of change blowing through sailing as women create new world order
ONE sailed the world, another rules the world and others are helping create a new world order in the sport of sailing. We look at what’s happening in the sport on International Women’s Day.
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ONE sailed the world, another rules the world and others are helping create a new world order in the sport of sailing.
From the corridors of the sports governing body and the Olympic arena to administration, coaching, umpiring and Sydney to Hobart campaigning, the winds of change are blowing through the sport.
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Participation numbers are up and new pathways established in a sport where women were once so unwelcome they, like bananas, were banned from boats for being ‘‘unlucky’’
Sydney lawyer and Australian Sailing vice-president Sarah Kenny has been tasked by the World Sailing Council with the job of ensuring gender equity for athletes an in class numbers by the 2024 Olympics.
“We will have gender equity in athletes by Tokyo,’’ said Kenny, Chair of World Sailing’s events committee. “Change is being affected for women but it is still a challenge and it shouldn’t have taken as long as it has. But it is happening.’’
‘When I saw Jessica Watson sail round the world at 16 by herself I realised girls can do anything’
From administrators, coaches, sport scientists and rules experts to the Olympics, round the world racing and dinghy sailing, women are now major players in the sport.
Jessica Watson, one of the most recognised role models after sailing single-handedly round the world as a teenager, has written the book Indigo Blue to help encourage girls into the sport.
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“Hopefully they just realise how great it is and either come in or stay in it,’’ Watson, now 24, said.
A youngster Watson inspired with her epic round the world journey at just 16, India Howard, is seeing first hand changes sweeping the sport, sailing her first Sydney to Hobart race last year with one of the most blended crews in the fleet of six men and five women.
And Windsor’s Evie Haseldine, an Australian champion at just 14 with crewmate Will Cooley, is one of the new breed of sailors jumping into a mixed class with a pathway direct to the Olympics.
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“The more classes like this the easier it is for us girls to sail,’’ she said.
Other women steering the sport into new waters are Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club general manager Suzanne Davies, Cruising Yacht Club of Australia sailing manager Justine Kirkjian, who runs the Sydney to Hobart, former Olympic gold medallist turned coach Belinda Stowell and international umpire Danielle Pascoe, two years ago the youngest female sailing umpire in the world.
Out on the water Lisa Darmanin hopes to be part of Australia’s first mixed crew to win gold in Tokyo in two years, Liz Wardley, Sophie Ciszek and Stacey Jackson are benefiting from new rules in the Volvo round the world race which allows teams additional numbers if crews are mixed while Wendy Tuck is hoping to be the first Australian skipper to lead a team to victory in the Clipper round the world race.
“As women I know there are obstacles but I haven’t been exposed to it yet,’’ Howard, 20, said. “Hopefully if girls see us just doing it, more will follow.
“I know when I saw Jessica Watson sail round the world at 16 by herself I realised girls can do anything.’’