Awe-inspiring anniversary
SailGP has marked the all-important one-year anniversary with its Women’s Pathway Program, with female athletes now on board F50s for 100 percent of races.
26 September 2022
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In a landmark year for women’s sport across the world, SailGP celebrated its own milestone in the quest for gender equity at the Spain Sail Grand Prix | Andalucía – Cádiz presented by NEAR.
The sixth event on SailGP’s Season 3 calendar, the Spain Sail Grand Prix marked one year since female athletes raced onboard all F50s for the first time as part of SailGP’s Women’s Pathway.
Since then, female athletes have been on board all teams in 100 percent of races, honing their skills and providing a visible example for aspiring professional athletes.
SailGP introduced the Women’s Pathway in 2021 as part of its better sport strategy to accelerate inclusion, inspire change and provide opportunities at the elite level of sailing.
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The goal of the program is to achieve gender equity, creating an inclusive sporting championship where the best athletes in the world have equal opportunity to compete on the F50.
“This year we’ve seen fans captivated by the UEFA Women’s Euro 2022, the Women’s Cricket World Cup and the Beijing Winter Olympics, inspiring a new wave of fans and athletes around the world,” said Fiona Morgna, SailGP Global Director of Purpose and Impact.
“We’re proud that this week SailGP is also celebrating a milestone in women’s sport, with our female athletes having been onboard all F50s during racing for the last year.
“Over this time, we’ve made strides in closing the experience gap and providing a visible example for those wanting to pursue a career in professional sailing. We want to inspire the next generation and show anything is possible.
“We recognise we’ve still got a lot of work to do to make our sport more inclusive, but we’re fully committed to addressing the need to accelerate change.
“Through the Women’s Pathway, SailGP has one of the best opportunities in sport to really break existing boundaries and have a gender equitable league which I’m incredibly excited about.”
Since the Spain Sail Grand Prix in 2021, 25 female athletes have been onboard during racing, building a strong roster of athletes capable of competing at the highest level of sailing.
“The Women’s Pathway brought me back to competitive sailing,” said Canada SailGP Team athlete, Isabella Bertold.
“In 2019 when I stopped Olympic sailing, I finished my university degree and never thought that I would be back racing at an elite level.
“There were a few women who had managed to jump into professional sailing, but it did not seem like a credible path forward.
“When SailGP brought in the Women’s Pathway, not only was there now a path into professional sailing, but the support on the skill development side to start playing catch up.”
SailGP female athletes typically race in the role of strategist in a six-crew configuration and in the role of grinder in a four-crew configuration.
However, over time SailGP expects to see more female athletes racing in other roles onboard the F50 as development progresses.
In just its first year, the Women’s Pathway is already reaping rewards, with SailGP Season 2 WASZP Inspire Champion Hattie Rogers being involved with the Great Britain SailGP Team.
She then stepped in to train with the team in San Francisco (Season 2), represented the Great Britain SailGP Team as the fleet reserve female athlete in Plymouth (Season 3) and is now involved in the team’s Athena Pathway Program.
Natasha Bryant (AUS) was also an Inspire program participant and is now a part of the Australia SailGP Team in Season 3.
The female athletes who raced at the Spain Sail Grand Prix | Andalucía – Cádiz presented by NEAR are:
Laurane Mettraux (SUI)
Natasha Bryant (AUS)
Liv Mackay (NZL)
Georgia Lewin-LaFrance (CAN)
Nikki Boniface (GBR)
Paula Barceló (ESP)
Erika Reineke (USA) – first event
Katja Salskov-Iversen (DEN)
Manon Audinet (FRA)
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