Ladies of the Sea Coaching Regatta
Save the Date, Entries Open Soon!
Fri 4 - Sun 6 October 2024
Join us Friday 4th to Sunday 6th October 2024 for the RSYS Ladies of the Sea Coaching Regatta! This annual event is tailored specifically for female sailors, building upon the success of the RSYS Sailing Academy's popular women's keelboat courses.
The regatta offers a safe, supportive environment for female sailors to enhance their capabilities and build confidence on the water. During the regatta, sailors will enjoy expert on-water and off-water coaching from experienced yachtswomen, windward/leeward race series' on Sydney Harbour and various social events at the RSYS Clubhouse including the popular morning Pilates.
The regatta is open to keelboats and one-design fleets, both spinnaker and non-spinnaker yachts and welcomes teams with all-female crews or a female helm with mixed crews.
Past Participants’ Experiences
Ladies of the Sea Coaching Regatta 2023 Participants by Official Regatta Photographer Margaret Fraser Martin
Our Coaching Team
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Karyn Gojnich (OLY)
Sailing since she was eight, Karyn has sailed almost everything, except ice boats and foiling moths. She has represented Australia in Sailing at three Olympic Games (1988, 2004, 2008) and competed in numerous World, European and National Championships.
Photo: Andrea Francolini
Bridget Canham
Bridget has sailed keelboats for over 46 years and has cruised all over the world. Bridget began racing in 1987 and has completed nine Sydney to Hobart races including two with "Women on Water." Last year Bridget and Kathy Veel became the first women to do the Sydney to Hobart two-handed.
Kathy Veel
Kathy began sailing as a young adult and has accumulated vast experience as a delivery and race skipper. She was part of the 1989 all-woman Sydney to Hobart crew and founder member of Women on Water. Last year she and Bridget Canham became the first women to do the Sydney to Hobart two-handed.
Lindy Hardcastle
A keen ocean racer, Lindy has competed internationally for over 35 years. She has participated in a variety of events including the first ARC race crossing the Atlantic Ocean in 1986, the Sydney to Hobart on Ella Baché with an all-female crew and races regularly upon RSYS's Wine Dark Sea as a trimmer.
Photo: Andrea Francolini
Peta Norris
From Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club, Peta is passionate about sharing her love of sailing.
Whilst balancing full-time work and being a mum to two teenage girls, she has competed in major sailing events including the Sydney to Hobart, Groupama Race and Sailing Champions League.
Lisa Blair
Lisa is an Australian solo sailor and advocate for female sailing. In 2017, she became the first woman to sail solo around Antarctica, in 2018 she set two world records sailing solo around Australia and then in 2022 she head south again and became the fastest person to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around Antarctica.
Annabelle Connery
Annabelle is an RSYS Squadron Keelboat Program graduate and has competed internationally since 2017. In 2022, she won the Sailing Champions League Asia-Pacific Finals, the UK J/70 National Championship and fifth at the Sailing Champions League World Final.
Nickie Jones
Nickie is the Chief Instructor for the Australian Sailing Keelboat Programme and an AS Senior Instructor for Dinghies and Keelboats. Racing competitively since she was 11, she has represented Australia in the Windsurfer class, competed at the 470 Worlds, helmed for the Fremantle SC’s Women’s Keelboat team and completed several several Offshore seasons.
Nic Douglass
Known in the sailing world as ‘Adventures of a Sailor Girl’ Nic films, commentates and
interviews the races and people that matter. Her sailing achievements include 3 x Tasar World Championship titles, two Grade One wins in Women’s Match Racing and more than 10 Australian Championships in several classes.
Claudia Thackray
Claudia is a graduate of RSYS' Squadron Keelboat Program and regularly participates in the Club’s weekly racing. She is also a qualified Keelboat Coach and was nominated as for Instructor of the Year for the 2023 Australian Sailing NSW/ACT Awards.
Julie Clarke
RSYS Member and world-traveller, Julie has spent most of her life competing or cruising
on yachts. Julie was the secretary of the International Dragon Association for eight
years, competed in the Hong Kong Dragon team and also cruised around the world on a
Jeanneau 49.
Marike Koppenol
Marike Koppenol is an experienced offshore sailor and an Australian Sailing Keelboat Instructor. She has competed in five Sydney to Hobarts races, a round the world race 1999-2000, as well as multiple blue water and Sydney Harbour races since 2009.”
Brittne Whitelaw
Brittne fell in love with Pilates early in her life when she found that by utilising it for injury rehabilitation she was able to stay competitive in gymnastics, ski racing and dance. Her Pilates experience now spans over 30 years having practiced in physio clinics and studios from Colorado to NYC, London and Sydney.Principle Event Supporters
Official Supporters
Official Photographer
Thank you to Margaret Fraser Martin for joining us again as our Official Photographer.
Marg is passionate about promoting women in sailing and has been with us for each Ladies of the Sea Coaching Regatta.Past Results
30 September - 2 October 2022
Winners
Keelboat Female Crew: Kirstin Reblin (Andiamo!)
Keelboat Female Helm: Amanda Hicks (Xena)
One-Design Female Crew: Victoria Rooyen (Elliott 3)
One-Design Female Helm: Clare Fraser (Black Adder)
‘Inspirational Women in Sailing’ Dinner and Presentation
The ‘Inspirational Women in Sailing’ dinner and presentation was the final event of the 2022 Ladies of the Sea Coaching Regatta and featured special speakers from the world of sailing.
In October 2022, our speakers were Vanessa Dudley, Lisa Blair, Nickie Jones and Nina Curtis.
Photos by Marg Fraser-Martin
7-9 January 2022
Winners
- Keelboat Female Crew: Enigma (Anna Connery)
- Keelboat Female Helm: Euphoria (Peggy Sniffin)
- One-Design Female Crew: Black Adder (Lauren Wall)
- One-Design Female Helm: Holly (Jenna Searle)
‘Women Celebrate Sailing’ Dinner and Presentation
The ‘Women Celebrate Sailing’ dinner and presentation is the final event of the Ladies of the Sea Coaching Regatta and features special speakers from the world of sailing.
In January 2022, our keynote speaker was Nic Douglass, aka Adventures of a Sailor Girl.
Photos by Marg Fraser-Martin
4-6 October 2019
Winners
- Keelboat Female Crew: Zig Zag (Madi Korman – RSYS)
- Keelboat Female Helm: Genovefa (Genevieve Slattery – RSYS)
- One-Design Female Crew: Elliott 7 (Meika Wright – ADF)
- One-Design Female Helm: Elliott 7 (Samantha Morley – ADF)
Photos by Marg Fraser-Martin
