As springtime brings new growth in the Northern Hemisphere, I’d like to bring your attention to a need to spread the seeds of women’s match racing in order for our sport to continue to flourish. Now is a great time to get more sailors involved with our sport!

We’ve gotten some nice momentum over the last couple of years with the WIM Series, but for us to see women’s match racing continue to grow in the future, we need to get more sailors involved with match racing not just at the top level events, but at the beginning and intermediate levels as well.

This is where we all need to step up and lend a hand! Getting more sailors involved and creating more opportunities to play the game is key to keeping our game thriving.

How can we do this? Here are some examples:
- Diana Kissane (IRL) and Ellen Cahill (IRL) organized the Irish Open Match Race last December. Although a wee bit cold, it was fully subscribed and a great time was had by all! A great way to get more sailors match racing - plan a regatta and invite your friends! It doesn’t have to be a big posh event - borrow a few boats, gather the people, and have some fun!
- Katie Spithill (AUS), Nicole Breault (USA), and Klaartje Zuiderbaan (NED) are coaching youth, college, and adult teams as they prepare for local, regional, and international events. Help pass on your knowledge and skills to get more people involved.
- Invite some non-match racers out to practice with your team. This will increase your pool of sailors and also get some new people interested in match racing.
- If you can’t go sailing, organize a few "chalk talks" over beers at your club teaching the basics of match racing. Any umpires in your area would be happy to help - they LOVE talking about the rules! Then when the weather gets better invite those same people out to go do some practicing on the water. They’ll want to try out what they learned.
- Talk to your local club about organizing a casual women’s match racing session each week. Do some drills, racing, then come in and chat over drinks and snacks. Great way to have fun after work or school!

If you have some other ideas or examples of what you are doing in your area, I’d love to hear them.

So, can I get you to commit to helping? Please?

Please let me know if there is ANYTHING that I can do to help you organize a clinic or small regatta, set up some fun drills and practices, organize a race officials or umpire clinic, publicize an event you have already planned, or share some of your experiences with others. WIMRA has lots of resources (training ideas and materials, contacts, regatta organizing tips, and more) that we’d like to share to help you get something going.

Let’s all take a pledge to get more sailors match racing this year! It’s our sport, let’s nurture it and make it grow!

Thanks!

Cheers,
Liz Baylis
Executive Director