Recording Now Live: SheSails International Women’s Day Webinar Celebrates Women in Sailing

The recording of the SheSails International Women’s Day 2026 webinar is now available, for those who missed the inspiring evening celebrating women’s achievements, experiences, and leadership across sailing. 

The International Women’s Day webinar on 5 March, brought together a diverse lineup of speakers who shared stories from elite racing, research, high-performance competition to a Sail Our Way initiative at a small regional sailing club. The speakers also reflected on the International Women’s Day theme of “Balancing the Scales”, discussing how greater equity can be achieved within the industry and at sailing clubs across Australia. 

Hosted by SheSails Ambassador Nic Douglass, the webinar highlighted the depth of talent and leadership shaping the future of sailing. 

The panel featured: 

• Stacey Jackson, fresh from the Famous Project Jules Verne Trophy record attempt, who spoke about the intensity and teamwork behind record-breaking offshore campaigns and the importance of increasing opportunities for women in elite offshore sailing.
• Jessica Sweeney from the Bureau of Meteorology, who shared insights into weather interpretation and highlighted the pathways available for women in marine science and meteorology. She also spoke about the importance of engaging girls in STEM subjects early, using sailing as a gateway through the new SAILAB program in schools.
• Mandy Buchholtz, who reflected on her recent Sail Our Way Come and Try day at Cairn Curran Sailing Club and what clubs need to do to get more women and girls sailing.
• Dr Doortje Hoerst, who presented her research exploring women’s experiences in social yacht racing, provided recommendations on what clubs can do to create more equitable and welcoming environments for women.
• Tash Bryant, strategist with the Bonds Flying Roos, who shared insights following the third event of the SailGP 2026 season in Sydney. She highlighted how professional sailing teams have made significant progress over the past five years in creating more balanced and inclusive high-performance environments. Tash also spoke about the exciting future for women in sailing, with roles on high-performance boats continuing to evolve and major events such as the America’s Cup helping to accelerate progress and close the gender gap. 

The webinar was opened by Shevaun Bruland, President of Australian Sailing, who welcomed attendees and highlighted the importance of expanding opportunities for women and girls in the sport. She emphasised the Board’s strong commitment to supporting clubs and class associations in achieving the strategic goal of 50% gender equity by 2032. Shevaun also reminded participants that Round 2 funding for the Sail Our Way initiative is now open and encouraged clubs and class associations to apply for funding to deliver initiatives that get more women and girls into sailing.  
 
For more information on how to apply for a Sail Our Way grant, CLICK HERE.

Those who missed the live session can now watch the full webinar recording online, CLICK HERE.