Interest in this year's Women at the Helm event at Howth Yacht Club has been 'extraordinary', making it one of the most significant club events of 2025 when it sets sail on Friday, 29th August, according to organisers.
With 78 women and 31 boats already entered ahead of Monday's closing date the excitement is building for an evening of competitive and celebratory sailing.
Three fleet races are scheduled across a wide range of classes, including J80s, J24s, Puppeteers, Howth 17s, Squibs, Melges 15s, and IDRA14s. The race management team will be led by the highly respected Scorie Walls, whose recent arm injury won't stop her from expertly guiding competitors around Olympic and Windward-Leeward courses. Judith Malcolm, the only female driver in the fleet, will helm the newly commissioned committee vessel North Star.
The J80 class promises fierce competition, with standout sailors like Laura Dillon and Diana Kissane at the helm. Laura, Rear Commodore of RORC, is a seasoned big boat racer and a regular aboard J/99 Snapshot and Big Picture. She previously won the Women at the Helm award from the National Yacht Club and was the top female helm at Cowes Week. In 2024, she helmed the winning Class 2b boat Winsome in the Round the Island Race around the Isle of Wight.
Diana Kissane, Vice-Chair of World Sailing's Equipment Rules Sub-Committee, will also be vying for top honours in the J80 fleet. In 2024, she was the top female helm at the GP14 World Championships in Wales and has competed in the Women's International Match Racing Series. Diana is a multi-time winner of the female division of the ISA All-Ireland Championships.
In the Puppeteer fleet, familiar faces like Suzie Knowles, Sarah Robertson, and Gillian Molyneux will be joined by GP14 sailor Katie Dwyer, who is switching fleets for this event.
Howth's Puppeteer 22 fleet is part of the Women at the Helm 2025 event line up Photo: Afloat
The newly formed Melges 15 fleet will feature experienced sailor Karena Knaggs, HYC's Junior Affairs Officer, recently returned from the USA and eager to make her mark.
Karena Knaggs, HYC's Junior Affairs Officer Photo: Michael Chester
The Squib fleet expects eight boats on the starting line, with HYC Rear Commodore Jill Sommerville among the contenders in what promises to be an exciting three-race series.
HYC Rear Commodore Jill Sommerville at the helm of her Squib keelboat Photo: Bob Bateman
The historic Howth 17 class, the oldest fleet in the club, has six confirmed entries with a few more expected. Traditionally dominated by male helms, this year they're stepping aside to let their female crew members take the lead. One inspiring story is Rima Macken, who arrived in Howth a decade ago from Lithuania with no sailing experience, bought and restored No. 16 Eileen, and now competes regularly.
Event organiser Jill Sommerville shared her excitement: "Everyone is looking forward to great racing and camaraderie on the water. Interest has been so strong that we're considering expanding to a full-day event next year. It's especially rewarding to see so many of our strongest helms coming through the IODAI training system. Girls who started sailing at age 7 and represented Ireland internationally by 12 are still actively racing at club, national, and international levels."
Racing for the newly commissioned Baltic Gold Trophy takes place Friday, 29th August and HYC is grateful to the many sponsors who are contributing to this event, Irish Sailing, Tots and Co Childcare, WaterWipes, Image Skincare, Hermans Hair salon, The Wright Group, Dãha Wellness, Mitchum, Batiste, Bondi Sands and Michum.
Entry remains open till Monday, 25th.
