2023 Women-on-Water Regatta celebrates 20 year of sailing in Detroit

Women-on-Water Regatta © Bayview Yacht Club

Women sailors of all ages and abilities will celebrate 20 years of Women-on-Water Regatta (WOW) Aug. 19-20, at presented by Bayview Yacht Club (BYC) with sailboat races, an on-the-water clinic and plenty of shoreside fun.

Over the years, the WOW has introduced women to the sport, given experienced women who crew in other positions the chance to skipper, and helped women learn the sport's rules, tactics, and other tools for success.

The event also demonstrates BYC's commitment to growing the sport of sailing, which is part of the mission of the 108-year-old club. This year, several boats will include mother-daughter duos, and a few groups that sailed the original event will reunite.

"I am thrilled to support this event, which was conceived by women, is run by women and is exclusively for women sailors," said Paul Hulsey 2023 Bayview Yacht Club Commodore "We are fortunate to have an excellent contingent of successful women sailors at Bayview, and I look forward to watching their ranks grow even more with younger and newer sailors coming on board."

More than 30 boats and 150 sailors are expected to participate over the WOW weekend.

Participation is open to the public. To learn more or register, visit the WOW website. There will be social activities and spectating on the BYC club lawn with food and drink available for purchase throughout the weekend.

With its focus on creating a competitive sailing opportunity for women, the WOW regatta weekend began in 2004 with a single race on Lake St. Clair. It's grown into a way to introduce more women to the sport of sailing. The 2023 event includes a point-to-point course on the lake, short one-design racing on the Detroit River, and a match racing clinic for new and seasoned women sailors.

"The WOW has evolved over the years, adapting to our audience. From a point-to-point race with a handful of boats, to a multi-day event with a hands-on clinic and multiple classes racing both windward-leeward and point-to-point races. I am not only proud to see the continued success of the event, but also excited to welcome women and girls to Bayview for a weekend enjoying our sport," said Lynn Kotwicki, founder of the WOW Clinic and Regatta and the 2022 Bayview Commodore.

Two fleets will race for the Natalie J. O'Niel Trophy, which is awarded to the first-place winners with all-women crews. The races will be held on the Detroit River in front of BYC for spectators to watch and one will be farther upriver on Lake St. Clair with a finish in front of the Bayview Clubhouse.

A hands-on match racing clinic will once again be led by America's Cup winner and Michigan native Dawn Riley on Saturday. She is currently the executive director of Oakcliff Sailing in Oyster Bay, New York. As CEO and captain of America True, Riley was the first woman to manage an America's Cup sailing team. She has raced on four America's Cup and two Whitbread (now The Ocean Race) teams. A former president of the Woman's Sports Foundation, Riley served on the board of US Sailing, and is an advisor to several public service organizations.