The fourth edition of Steering the Course – Women in Sailing concluded successfully in Malta, with the Royal Malta Yacht Club and Vikings Sailing Club joining forces to promote greater female participation in the sport.

The World Sailing initiative, held as part of Yachting Malta Race Week, attracted a full complement of participants and marked an important milestone as, for the first time since its introduction locally, the organising team and race committee were composed entirely of women.

The event took place over three afternoon sessions at the Royal Malta Yacht Club, bringing together newcomers to sailing and experienced female sailors who took on the role of skipper.

Participants began with on-land rigging sessions before progressing to practising race starts in Marsamxett Harbour.

The programme culminated in four windward/leeward races, during which the participants raced boats they had rigged themselves.

Sailors were also encouraged to swap boats throughout the event, allowing them to experience different sailing styles and develop their racing skills.

Despite many of the participants being relatively new to the sport, the racing proved closely contested.

Sustainability was another important aspect of the initiative, with both clubs incorporating environmentally responsible practices into the event as part of their Sustainable Compass commitments.

Participants were encouraged to bring reusable water bottles to eliminate single-use plastics, while no anchors were used when laying the racing marks, helping to minimise damage to the seabed.

The event concluded with a prize-giving ceremony at the Royal Malta Yacht Club, where awards were presented by the respective club commodores, Mark Napier of the Royal Malta Yacht Club and Sandra Agius Darmanin of Vikings Sailing Club.

Tanya Bonnici claimed first place in the skippers’ category, followed by Kathleen Bowman in second and Camille Legroux in third.

In the sailors’ category, Marita Grech secured first place, with Denise Desira finishing second and Polina Yevarnytska taking third.

Certificates of participation were also presented to everyone involved in the initiative.

The organising team thanked Yachting Malta, Boost, Camilleri Marine and Clarach Ltd for their support in making the fourth edition of Steering the Course possible.

Steering the Course – Women in Sailing: Final results