The third annual Mooloolaba Women’s Keelboat Regatta is set to sail this coming weekend, with eight teams of women from around Queensland competing on the challenging short-course Mooloola River.  Training and social racing is scheduled for Friday, while the serious racing will start early on Saturday, October 30 and run through Sunday. 

The Wharf precinct and river foreshore offer prime viewing for spectators, with close quarters tacking duels and colourful spinnakers guaranteed as the MYC’s Elliot 6 fleet competes in the tight confines of the river. 

The regatta has grown out of the Mooloolaba Yacht Club’s successful Women’s Skills Development program, which aims to promote pathways for women to build their racing, cruising and skippering skills in the traditionally male-dominated sport of sailing.

“It’s been a really challenging year for our volunteer Race Committee, with changing border closures limiting teams from interstate participating, as well as having to re-organise the event after it was postponed in August when Queensland went into snap lockdown,” said MYC Commodore and race skipper, Tanya Kelly.

“So much work goes into organizing the event, so we’re thrilled that it can finally go ahead and we’d welcome spectators to come and show their support for women’s sport, especially here on the Sunny Coast.” 

In addition to local crews, there are teams from as far away as Tweed and Townsville. 

The 2021 Mooloolaba Women’s Keelboat Regatta is a wholly volunteer-run event, run in association with SheSails and sponsored by Next Property Group.