Sligo Sailors Win Women at the Helm Regatta on Dublin Bay

18th August 2019

Treasa Cox

HYC 2 skippered by Jenny O'Leary representing the Howth Yacht Club competing in the SportboatsJ80 at the Irish Sailing Pathfinder Women at the Helm 2019 regatta hosted by the National Yacht Club. Credit: Irish Sailing/David Branigan

The first Irish Sailing Pathfinder Women at the Helm finished in Dun Laoghaire today with 61 boats and well over 200 people taking part at the National Yacht Club.

The “All Female Crew” prize was won by The Lady Caroline, a J24 boat from Sligo Yacht Club. The team was helmed by Rachael O’Dwyer who said “we entered because we’ve all been sailing with mixed teams and we never get a chance to helm. We wanted to show everyone, and ourselves, what we can do”.

All the racing was completed on Saturday which saw choppy waters and gusts up to 35 knots in Dublin Bay, making the courses challenging and blustery for the boats. Racing on Day 2 was cancelled due to the weather conditions.

Amongst the prizewinners was Louise McKenna who won the “Silver Sailor” prize for helms over 60. The Roy Family Club Perpetual Trophy for the most successful club was won by the Royal St George Yacht Club (Dun Laoghaire).

Women have been sailing with and against each other for decades, but this is the first regatta to be held at a national level. This was a truly unique event where women were actively encouraged to develop their leadership skills by only allowing women helms. (Men also sailed but women had to make up 50% of the crew, and all boats were required to be helmed by women).

Irish Sailing event organiser Gail MacAllister said “while there is already equality in sailing with boys and girls competing against each other from an early age, the regatta was designed to reverse the trend of women leaving sailing when careers and family take over – and to show to younger or less experienced sailors that women helming and being a leader can become the norm”.

For all the results here

Published in Irish Sailing

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Irish Sailing

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Treasa Cox

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Treasa Cox is Head of Communications at Irish Sailing

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Irish Sailing

The Irish Sailing Association, also known as Irish Sailing, is the national governing body for sailing, powerboating and windsurfing in Ireland.

Founded in 1945 as the Irish Dinghy Racing Association, it became the Irish Yachting Association in 1964 and the Irish Sailing Association in 1992.

Irish Sailing is a Member National Authority (MNA) of World Sailing and a member of the Olympic Federation of Ireland.

The Association is governed by a volunteer board, elected by the member clubs. Policy Groups provide the link with members and stakeholders while advising the Board on specialist areas. There is a professional administration and performance staff, based at the headquarters in Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.

Core functions include the regulation of sailing education, administering racing and selection of Irish sailors for international competition. It is the body recognised by the Olympic Federation of Ireland for nominating Irish qualified sailors to be considered for selection to represent Ireland at the Olympic Games. Irish sailors have medalled twice at the Olympics – David Wilkins and Jamie Wikinson at the 1980 games, and Annalise Murphy at the 2016 games.

The Association, through its network of clubs and centres, offers curriculum-based training in the various sailing, windsurfing and powerboating disciplines. Irish Sailing qualifications are recognised by Irish and European Authorities. Most prominent of these are the Yachtmaster and the International Certificate of Competency.

It runs the annual All-Ireland Championships (formerly the Helmsman’s Championship) for senior and junior sailors.

The Association has been led by leading lights in the sailing and business communities. These include Douglas Heard, Clayton Love Junior, John Burke and Robert Dix.

Close to 100 sailors have represented Ireland at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Membership of Irish Sailing is either by direct application or through membership of an affiliated organisation. The annual membership fee ranges from €75 for families, down to €20 for Seniors and Juniors.