Howth Yacht Club's Women at the Helm Regatta once again demonstrated the value of creating dedicated opportunities for women to take the helm, with another hugely successful event bringing together sailors of all ages, backgrounds and experience levels.
A total of 38 boats took to the water across three fleets, with every boat helmed by a woman and the entire race management team also made up of women. Three races were completed in excellent sailing conditions, delivering competitive racing and a great atmosphere at the event.
This was a showcase of the strength and depth of female participation within Irish sailing, with experienced racers sailing alongside newer helms in classes including J80s, J24s, Puppeteers, Howth 17s, Squibs, Melges 15s, IDRA14s and PY boats. Just as importantly, it created an environment where women could build confidence, develop leadership skills and enjoy racing together in a supportive setting.
Irish Sailing is proud to support initiatives such as Women at the Helm through Sport Ireland Women in Sport funding. These grants help clubs create opportunities that encourage greater female participation, remove barriers to involvement and inspire more women and girls to become active within their local sailing communities.
The success of the Howth Yacht Club event last week shows that Women at the Helm is about far more than a day's racing. It builds confidence, strengthens club communities, creates visible female role models and encourages more women to become skippers, race officials, volunteers and leaders within the sport.
Irish Sailing is encouraging clubs around the country to consider hosting their own Women at the Helm event. Whether it is a dedicated regatta, an evening race, a coaching day or a fun club competition, these events can make a lasting impact and help grow female participation at every level of the sport.