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Women at the Top at Hamilton Island Race Week 2024
17-24 August 2024
The 39th Edition of Hamilton Island Race Week has seen a notable increase in female representation in key roles on boats, including skippers, navigators, and numerous female crew members on the water.
Rhumb Runna, competing in the Trailable Yacht Division, features an all-female crew comprised of Hamilton Island locals who have chosen to share the role of skipper among themselves instead of having one designated leader.
Female skippers have led their teams to impressive victories this week. Bella Breeze, co-skippered by Wendy Harrison and Marie Conboy, secured first place on Thursday in the Non-Spinnaker Division, while the team aboard Magic Miles, led by Sharon Ferris-Choat, currently holds the top position in the Hamilton Island Blue Division with a two-point lead.
“We are here with Ocean Sailing Expeditions,” Sharon Ferris-Choat shared. “We’ve got a mix of people who have never sailed before, alongside those who have participated in multiple expeditions. We are just taking it one island at a time,” she laughed.
“It’s just awesome,” she exclaimed, expressing excitement about their leading position in the division. “We have a really great group of people, and we are focused on clean sailing, keeping the basics on track, which has helped us take the top spot.”
When discussing the participation of women in the fleet, she noted, “We’ve got two other girls on our boat. I looked through the entry list on our way here and realized that it’s a bit disappointing seeing only a few female skippers. However, there are definitely many women mixed in among the crews. We just need more female boat owners. If we can encourage more women to own boats, and have experienced sailors like Adrienne [Cahalan] provide coaching, we’ll be set!”
Accomplished sailor Stacey Jackson is taking part in the race as part of Mark Richards’ Wild Oats X crew, with Alice Parker serving as navigator. Wild Oats X has generated considerable discussion throughout the week as they compete intensely against Alive, skippered by Duncan Hine, in Rating Division 1. Alive boasts Adrienne Cahalan as their navigator, a sailor with extensive experience in numerous large-scale and offshore races.
As Hamilton Island Race Week approached its penultimate day, there was a noted drop in wind conditions. This led to unforeseen protests across many divisions, which could potentially impact both the outcomes of the day’s races and the overall standings.
In Rating Division 1, there was an intense tactical battle between Wild Oats X, skippered by Mark Richards, and Alive, skippered by Duncan Hine. Wild Oats X crossed the finish line just one minute and nine seconds ahead of Alive but fell short for the IRC win, with Alive maintaining first place.
In Rating Division 2, Marcus Blackmore’s Hooligan achieved a commanding victory by 28 minutes on IRC, which brings them within two points of the overall IRC standings heading into the final race.
Rating Division 3 saw ToyBox2, skippered by Ian Box, earn a three-minute win on IRC in race six, placing them in a tie for second place in the overall IRC standings with Garth Riley’s Wazza Red Boat. Ikon, helmed by Bruce McCraken, claimed second place overall.
In the Super 40’s, Team Hollywood, led by Ray Roberts, continued their flawless regatta, achieving first place on IRC and solidifying an unmatched lead in the overall IRC standings.
The Cape 31 National Championship leaderboard shows Kukukerchu, skippered by David Ross, holding first place after finishing second in today’s race, with Julian Newton’s Game On31 in third overall.
In the Hamilton Island Multihull Black Division, Jeff Dodd’s Zero and Craig Molloy’s Avalanche are tied on points, with Zero leading on countback, ending the sixth day of racing with 16 points due to a first and second placing today.
Tao, skippered by Mick Hodgkins, is in a strong position to secure a win in the Hamilton Island Multihull White Division, with a three-way tie for second among Ian Ford’s Second Wind, Kevin Lord’s Vivacious, and Ralph Norton’s St Arnou, who are all at 32 points—16 points behind the leader.
Gin & Tonic, helmed by Mitch White, has slipped to third after a tenth-place finish today, positioning them in third overall in Hamilton Island Blue. Meanwhile, Magic Miles, skippered by Sharon Ferris-Choat, is in first place, just two points ahead of Walter Carpenter’s Caol Ila in second.
Shane McKay’s Kerazy and Wayne Millar’s Zoe are tied in Hamilton Island Fluro Yellow, with Kerazy leading on countback. Both teams have 36 points, with third-placed Calibre 12, skippered by Richard Williams, trailing by 13 points. With 23 boats in the division, the final day promises a highly competitive atmosphere.
The ever-changing standings in the Hamilton Island Orange Division leave everything to play for in the final race tomorrow, with only three points separating the top three competitors. Currently, Rampallion, led by Geoff Adams, is in the top position, closely followed by Andrew McConaghy’s Dragonfly and Peter Barry’s Shearwater.
Tim Lewis’ Charm Offensive saw their brief time at the top of the Hamilton Island Pink Division leaderboard end today after Banter, co-skippered by Scott Robertson and Stephen Jurd, regained the top position with their victory.
The Trailable Yachts Division features only two points separating the top three competitors, with Gordon Smye’s Keep On Running moving into first place. The former leader Masquerade, skippered by Tom Vujasinovic, is now tied on points with Paul Hawkins’ 5 O’Clock Somewhere.
Remco Pen’s Bigger Day Out maintains its lead in the Non-Spinnaker Division, while Namadgi 3, skippered by Garth Price, and Catcha Star, helmed by Jim Holroyd, are currently positioned in second and third, respectively.
As the results remain undecided, the final day of Hamilton Island Race Week 2024 is guaranteed to be fiercely contested. The Dent and Eastern Passage course areas are set to be lively, rounding off another exciting edition of this premier sailing event with the highest winds of the week forecasted for the finale.
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Emily Carter, a seasoned sailor and marine journalist from Vancouver, has a deep-seated passion for the ocean that has shaped her career. With a degree in Marine Journalism from the University of British Columbia, Emily has become known for her captivating and detailed storytelling. Her work vividly portrays the excitement of sailing and the distinct maritime culture of Canada, earning her a respected place in the sailing community. When not writing, Emily enjoys navigating the rugged coastlines of British Columbia and participating in local regattas, always eager to embark on her next maritime adventure.
