Townsville women ready to take to sea

TOWNSVILLE Yacht Club’s annual girls and ladies sailing event has hit new heights, with a record number of entrants set to line up next month.

Some 90 competitors across 12 boats from as far as Victoria, Tasmania and the Northern Territory will compete in the annual regatta, which encourages more women to become involved with sailing, and to provide a positive environment for them to develop and refine their sailing skills.

Getting underway on the first Saturday of September, Alligator Creek competitor Emma Peters, who’ll race Vaya Con Dios, said the event showed female crews were just as strong as men’s.

“I only started sailing again earlier this year and I just love it,” she said.

“Working as a team to get the best out of the boat and the sense of achievement when you do well is second to none.

“I am really looking forward to the GALS Regatta as it will be an opportunity for the female crews to show they are just as capable as the men.

“It was also be excellent to showcase how beautiful Townsville is and I very much look forward to the regatta.”

The Townsville Yacht Club will welcome internationallevel race official Louise Davis as the race officer, who is keen to see more women taking up sailing as a sport.

“Sailing is often seen as a male-dominated sport,” she said.

“But initiatives such as Townsville Yacht Club’s GALS Regatta are starting to change that and I look forward to a future where more women get involved with sailing both on and off water.”

The regatta welcomes women of any skill level from beginner to advanced, but only one male is allowed on board each boat, and the skipper must be female.

The event begins with a race briefing on Friday, September 6, ahead of the weekend of racing.