Women Take the Helm as Malta Wraps Up Fourth Steering the Course Edition

The fourth Maltese edition of Steering the Course – Women in Sailing marked a significant milestone, with the entire organising team and race committee made up of women for the first time. The Royal Malta Yacht Club and Vikings Sailing Club jointly delivered the World Sailing initiative, held within Yachting Malta Race Week, with the aim of encouraging more women to take up sailing.

The programme unfolded over three afternoon sessions at the Royal Malta Yacht Club. Newcomers were paired with slightly more experienced sailors acting as skippers, beginning with boat rigging on land before moving to Marsamxett Harbour for start‑sequence practice. The final session featured short races, where crews rotated boats to experience different handling styles. Despite many participants being new to the sport, the races remained tight and competitive.

Sustainability was woven into the event’s planning. Participants used reusable water bottles to avoid single‑use plastics, and race marks were set without anchors to prevent seabed damage.

Commodores Mark Napier and Sandra Agius Darmanin presented prizes and participation certificates at the Royal Malta Yacht Club. The organisers also thanked Yachting Malta, Boost, Camilleri Marine and Clarach Ltd for their support.

Skipper podium: Tanya Bonnici (1st), Kathleen Bowman (2nd), Camille Legroux (3rd). Crew podium: Marita Grech (1st), Denise Desira (2nd), Polina Yevarnytska (3rd).

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