Kerikeri sailor making change
Kerikeri sailor Sharon FerrisChoat is making waves as skipper of the first all female sailing crew in the Extreme Sailing Series.
The GC32 team Thalassa Magenta Racing made its debut in Lisbon, Portugal, in October with six crew members, compared with the five members in the allmale crews. They placed in a number of races throughout the three day regatta.
The 32-foot catamarans can reach top speeds of up to 80kmh.
The long time yachtswoman raced at both the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and the 2004 Athens Olympics before turning her hand to what she describes as the formula one of yachts, the GC32.
‘‘It is very exciting and the most exciting thing is how many girls have approached us who are showing interest, women who have won Olympic medals wanting to be involved.
‘‘We simply don’t have the strength so we make up for it with numbers and technique. We got a second, third and a fourth so we have proven we are competitive.
‘‘We simply need time in the boat to catch up to where the guys are and match them.’’
Ferris-Choat has also been instrumental in bringing about a rule change in the GC32 class which will mean that crews can comprise up to six members - as long as two are female.
The maximum crew weight limit will remain at 437.5kg but the rule change means that the class is open to a lot more people including women, youth sailors and smaller men, Ferris-Choat says.
‘‘It’s not just equality for women but for youth and men as well. For me it’s about creating equal opportunity for everybody.’’
Ferris-Choat is also passionate about the environment.
The team make sure to donate old gear to local sailing clubs, recycling, re-using water bottles and to minimise their rubbish.
They set an example of being an environmentally friendly team, Ferris-Choat says.
‘‘We are trying to get an awareness around where plastic ends up. I see the effects of pollution all the time, you think a beach was clean and it would have little bits of plastic. A child can eat sand like babies do and inhale the toxins. Even on New Zealand beaches, we really want to get that awareness out there.’’
Ferris-Choat’s role in the team is all encompassing as she also organises logistics and sponsorship.