Karyn Gojnich (OLY)

Karyn started sailing at the age of 8 and has sailed dinghies, skiffs, keelboats, windsurfers – just about 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. Karyn is passionate about sharing her experiences and providing more opportunities for others to get into the sport of sailing.

Photo: Andrea Francolini

Bridget Canham

Bridget has sailed keelboats since she left school (over 46 years).  She cruised in South Africa, England, France, Greece and across the Atlantic from South Africa to the Amazon. 

Bridget has been racing since 1987 when she moved to Australia.  This includes nine Sydney to Hobart races, two of these were with "Women on Water." Last year together with Kathy Veel Bridget started Two Handed racing on Currawong. 

Together they were the first women to do the Sydney to Hobart Two handed.

Kathy Veel

Kathy began sailing as a young adult and has years of experience as owner/skipper of several small yachts, and thousands of miles of delivery and racing passages, mostly as skipper.

She was part of the 1989 all-woman Sydney to Hobart crew and a founder member of Women on Water. For 9 years she’s been a volunteer skipper with the Making Waves Foundation working with clients and crew with diverse abilities and challenges.

Last year she and Bridget Canham competed two-handed in the Sydney-to Hobart in her 30’ yacht Currawong.  

Lindy Hardcastle

A keen ocean-racer, Lindy has been competing internationally for over 35 years.

She has participated in a wide variety of events including the first ARC race crossing the Atlantic Ocean in 1986.

Lindy has also competed in the Sydney to Hobart on Ella Baché with an all-female crew and has raced upon Wine Dark Sea for the last five years as a trimmer.

Photo: Andrea Francolini

Peta Norris

Peta is an instructor for women’s sailing programs at Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club and is passionate about sharing her love of sailing and encouraging women to extend themselves in the sport.

She races yachts inshore and offshore, from Elliott 6s to 46 footers, training and competing at every opportunity between full-time work and being a mum to two teenage girls.

Highlights include competing in the Sydney to Hobart and Groupama races, representing her club at the Sailing Champions League, and most recently, being part of the division winning Norton White Corum crew in the 2022 Sydney to Gold Coast Yacht Race.

Lisa Blair

Lisa became the first woman to sail solo around Antarcticawith one stop after surviving a dramatic dismasting atsea, demonstrating her resilience and determination.

Lisa then went on to lead the first all-female team to compete in the 2017 Rolex Sydney to Hobart YachtRace in 16 years. She set two more world records in December of 2018, when she sailed solo, non-stopand unassisted around Australia, spending 58 days at sea.

On May 25th, 2022, Lisa achieved her latest milestone by becoming the fastest person to sail solo, non-stop, and unassisted around Antarctica, shaving 10 days off the previous record. 

Annabelle Connery

Annabelle has been sailing for the last nine years, with the last two years being spent training and competing in keelboats. Growing up in Canberra Annabelle competed in various youth classes at a national and international level before transitioning into the Squadron Keelboat Program when she moved to Sydney in 2021.

She was a member of RSYS’s Sailing Champions League team who won the open and u/22 Asia Pacific divisions. She is part of the RSYS team representing the club at u/22 Sailing Champions League World Championship final in Kiel, Germany. Annabelle is passionate about developing the skills of women in sailing and sharing this passion with those she teaches.

Nickie Jones

Nickie is an Australian Sailing Senior Instructor in Dinghies and Keelboats and took on the role of Chief Instructor of the AS Keelboat Programme in 2017.
Racing competitively from age 11, no-one was going to convince young Nickie that ‘Girls couldn’t helm boats’, although many tried!

Her distinguished sailing career includes: the 470 class Worlds; representing Australia in the Windsurfer class; helming for the Fremantle SC’s Women’s Keelboat team in J24s, J22s, Farr 36s, S80s and Foundations 36 yachts; and several Offshore seasons.

Maddie O'Shea

Maddie is a graduate of the RSYS Youth Sailing program. She progressed to the
Squadron Keelboat Program and currently favours Match Racing in Elliott 7s.

Maddie was awarded the RSYS Yachtswoman of the Year in 2018. At the LOTS regatta, she will coach the Elliott 7s participants.

Nic Douglass
 

Known in the sailing world as ‘Adventures of a Sailor Girl’ Nic films, commentates and
interviews the races and people that matter.

A top level sailor, her achievements include an Triple Tasar World Championship title, two Grade One wins in Women’s Match Racing and more tan 10 Australian Championships in a variety of classes.

Claudia Thackray

RSYS Member Claudia has competed at an international level as part of the Squadron Keelboat Program and regularly participates in the Club’s weekly racing.

Claudia is also one of the Club’s senior coaches for the LOTS weekly keelboat training sessions. In 2023, she was nominated as a finalist for Instructor of the Year as a part of the 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. 

She earned Women’s Helm in the CYCA Women’s Winter Series 2021 and 2022 and took 2nd place in Sydney Harbour Women’s Keelboat Series 2022-2023.  

Marike loves being on the water, whether competing, instructing or sailing her Swanson Dart around the harbour. ”It’s a sport that continually challenges you … you never stop learning!” 

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 trained in physio clinics and studios from Colorado to NYC, London and Sydney.

She has learned that true Pilates not only has the power to heal through movement but also prevent future injuries, enable optimal athletic performance and benefit overall health and wellness. After pursuing a successful career in finance and starting a family, Brittne has now come full circle, taken her learnings and applied them to extensive professional teacher training with STOTT and Polestar Pilates across both the Mat and Studio repertoire.