Four female racing sailors from the Solent have announced a new women’s racing event for next summer: the inaugural Women’s Open Keelboat Championship hosted on 7 and 8 June by the Royal Southern Yacht Club, Hamble.

Dubbed “a girls’ weekend for sailors” and “a fun, convenient, testing and memorable regatta”, the crews will be 100% women, while “the men will be on the committee boat, driving RIBS and in the bar for the party in the evening!” 

Jody Slater, one of the team behind the event, said:

“We’re going to deliver top quality racing, accommodating a range of experience and age groups across key one design and handicap fleets.  The aim is to provide a format which is not currently available on the Solent racing calendar. Racing in an all girl team gives opportunities for women to take up all the crew roles.  The four of us raced together last summer and we figured others would be keen to join in too.” 

The event format will be tailored to the needs of the boats that enter, whether this is windward / leeward courses or round the cans.  It will probably be based upon the best out of 5 races, but again this will be arranged and decided by the race management once interest has been registered and the type of keelboats established.

Organisers Jody Slater, Emma Beagley, Stephanie Danby and Vicky Lincoln have promised a ‘memorable’ shore-side party theme of ‘frocks and flipflops’ and are encouraging interested parties to sign up on the event website: www.wokc.co.uk