By Cameron Weston
FIVE sailors made history last week when they became the first all-female crew to win a major trophy in the 153-year history of the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria.
The crew took out the Women in Sailing Challenge Trophy in the waters off Sandringham on Sunday of last week, coming from behind to claim victory in the final race of the series.
The win was the culmination of six months of racing during which the crew, who range from novice to experienced, bonded together to form a tight unit.
Skipper Kathy McLean described the win as a “real tribute to the crew” and said the group had already discussed getting together to take the race challenge again next season.
Ms McLean said the crew, who sailed across the Bay to Sandringham to compete in the races, had won the trophy because of their consistency throughout the series.
Owning and running a racing boat is an expensive exercise and Ms McLean said owners often had misgivings when lending their precious craft to a racing crew.
The owners of Serious Yahoo II had shown great faith in her crew she said and sacrificed placing a custodian on the boat to enable the crew to sail together.
“We were really pleased Serious Yahoo II owners had faith in our ability as we were the only boat not to have an owner’s representative on board to keep an eye on things.”
Under the rules of the competition, a limited number of male crew were allowed on board but could not perform key functions during a race.
While the thrill of blazing new trails for women in sailing was part of the win, Ms McLean said the prize – a five day Queensland yacht cruise – was never far from the crew’s thoughts.
“Now all five of us are packing our bags,” she said.
Crew member Tanya Stanford from Williamstown said the attitude of the team had been a huge contributing factor to the series win.
“We approached it with fun and that’s what we do with all our races. We’re out there to have a good time,” she said.
“We were all on cloud nine.”
Ms Stanford said the finish to the race was so tight, the crew thought they had finished second until the last minute, when they realised they had won.
An all-female crew brought a different dynamic to the sport, Ms Stanford said and watching novices find their sea-legs and hone their skills was very rewarding for the experienced campaigners.
“It’s a wonderful feeling, especially when they realise they can do something new,” she said.
The sailing world is becoming less of a boys club these days, with more and more women taking part – and succeeding – in the sport over the past five or six years.
Ms Stanford urged other women who were contemplating trying their hand at sailing to give it a go.
“Come down to the (Royal Yacht) Club and get involved with the women’s group. It’s all about having fun and there is no pressure.”
The next major event at the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria is the Women’s Elliot Design Regatta, scheduled for the weekend of 22-23 April.
