Yachting NZ helping pave the way for women in sailing
by Yachting NZ 26 Mar 2020 19:06 PDT
Bianca Cook is one of few women in NZ who has progressed into the professional realm of sailing in the last few years - March 2020 © Volvo Ocean Race
Yachting New Zealand have developed a wide-ranging women and girls in sailing strategy to attract more female participants, retain those already sailing and advance equal opportunities.
There are clear inequalities for women and girls when it comes to participation and wider involvement in our sport. Girls make up approximately 20-30 percent of those sailing in New Zealand in the junior classes; by adulthood it drops to 20 percent. Like many sports, sailing loses participants as they progress through adolescence but, for sailing, it means attenuation of an already small pool of females.
Understanding that greater diversity will enhance our sport, Yachting New Zealand have developed a wide-ranging women and girls in sailing strategy to attract more female participants, retain those already sailing and advance equal opportunities.
The three main focuses of the initiative are culture, pathways and programmes.
For more information, see Yachting NZ's website.