MYC Helly Hansen Women’s Challenge 2015 - Ynglings on show

by Ivana Gattegno on 29 Mar 2015 MYC Helly Hansen Women’s Challenge 2015 - The Yngling is an International class and has racing fleets across three Continents - Europe, North Ameria and Australia. A World Championship Regatta is staged every year in a different country.

The boat is crewed by three female sailors. It is a small one-design racing keelboat (6.35 m (21') LOA, 645 kg.), that is an agreeable cross between a planing dinghy and a keelboat, and very manageable

In the Spirit of the Women’s Challenge a group of women take up the Yngling Challenge at Manly.
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Karyn Goinich (Olympic rep in Ynglings 2008, 2004, in 470 1988). Speaks of the Crew Makeup for the event

“The Participants in the Yngling class in the Women’s Challenge were made up of:
- Women who have completed the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron Keelboat Start Crewing / Start Helming courses under the banner LOTS 'Ladies of the Sea'. (Alexia Biggs, Nicky Howe (mother), Megan Howe (daughter), Meredith Kenned, Kylie Lloyd, Fiona Lynch, Julie Moloney, Kathleen Sweeney, Lucy Wilson)
- Women from the University of NSW Sailing Club (Ewa Lindelof and Annelise Kullmann) who have been trying out Ynglings with some Saturday racing
- Women from the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron Youth program (Joanna van Hagen)
- Plus Womens who are regular experienced sailors in the class (including national and international champions - Helen Impey, Ruth McCance, Karyn Gojnich (Olympic rep in Ynglings 2008, 2004, in 470 1988). Boat owners Jan Newland, Robyn Grosvenor and Rikke Kronborg.

On most boats it is the experienced sailors who are taking a back seat and mentoring relatively new sailors on the helm.

For some Women it will be their first experience racing, for some it may also be their first experience with a spinnaker.

From my point of view once you finish a course of any kind you need to be able to put your new skills into action. The MYC HH Women's Challenge is a perfect opportunity for all to experience some friendly competition. At the same time also see the amazing sailing community showcased and realise the potential sailing has to offer as an activity and sport for life.

To participate in the MYC HH Women's challenge would not be possible with out a helping hand from some of the male Yngling sailors and all boat owners making their boats available for the day.”