North Sails Cowes Week celebrated Women’s Day Tuesday with 102 women helms registering for Women’s Day. More than one third of all competitors at North Sails Cowes Week are women this week.
The Women’s Day Trophy, awarded annually since 2006 during Cowes Week to recognise the outstanding contributions, commitments and achievements of women in sailing, was awarded this year to Hannah Mills OBE.
As Co-Founder, Team Principal and Skipper/Helm of Athena Pathway, Hannah is leading Britain’s challenge in the Women’s and Youth America’s Cup while creating a long-term pathway for the next generation of female sailors to reach the highest levels of the sport. Through her leadership, advocacy and commitment to opening doors for women in sailing, Hannah embodies everything the North Sails Cowes Week Women’s Day Trophy celebrates.
James Hall of Spinlock, which so generously sponsored today’s awards, presented trophies to the Women’s Day winners: in third place, Lijia Xu on Team Magenta, second, Isabelle Waha on J/99 Further West, and winner Dawn Bee sailing Sonata Dick Dastardly.
Adding to the celebration comes a major announcement and another milestone for women in sailing, the signing of former British Sailing Team kitefoiler Jemima Lines to the GB1 British America’s Cup team, a landmark moment for women competing at the highest level of the sport.
Lines’s signing comes as the Louis Vuitton 38th America’s Cup approaches a landmark moment in the event’s 175-year history, as it will be the first time the competition has mandated that at least one crew member on-board the AC75 race boat must be female.
Jemima said: “It’s an absolute honour to be joining GB1 at such a transformative moment for our sport.
Lines joined the North Sails Cowes Week Women’s Day presentation following Tuesday’s racing, hosted by The Magenta Project. This award-winning charity is dedicated to advancing equity and inclusion across sailing and the wider marine industry.
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