The SheSails Award was introduced in 2018 and recognises an individual, group, class or club that makes an outstanding contribution, promotion and/or administration of female participation in sailing.  Chosen from amongst the winners of the category in each state, three National SheSails finalists for the 2022 Australian Sailing Awards have been announced for their contributions to sailing.

The first, Louise Edwards from Goolwa Regatta Yacht Club (GRYC).

Louise was the key instigator of the Goolwa Regatta Yacht Club (GRYC) SheSails committee and program that commenced with the 2021-22 sailing season.

The increase in the participation of women in all on-water activities at GRYC has been highly successful in its first year. As a measure of Louise’s success, the GRYC women in sailing participation rate has increased from 9% in 2018, to close to the national average of 35% in 2022.

Louise is a former Commodore 2018-20, Vice-Commodore 2016-18, Race Committee Member for 10 years and Club Champion (Spinnaker Division) in 2019 giving her the perfect background to head the SheSails program.

During Louise’s term as Commodore, she laid the foundation for change with the introduction of a Women’s Helm Race in 2018 as well as facilitating a program for women to undertake learn to sail classes.

Louise has shown true leadership in her development and support of SheSails at GRYC. Her genuine interest and wide experience in sailing, plus commitment to enabling women to share in the benefits of this most wonderful of past-times, is inspiring.

Louise’s tenacity plus ‘sailing and club credibility’ has meant she has pursued an agenda not easily achieved. All of this is for the benefit of women who wish to be out on the water having the time of their lives.

The second finalist, the 2022 Mooloolaba Women’s Keelboat Regatta (MWKR), emerged from the 2017 MYC Women’s Sailing Skills Development Program in response to the limited local opportunity for women to participate in regatta racing.

The women who delivered the inaugural 2019 MWKR knew that development programs only give you so much: there's nothing like the regatta environment to add pressure to the practice with close river sailing in a unique environment.

Now one of SEQ’s most popular women’s sailing events, the 2022 MWKR filled in 24 hours and gave women experience both on and off-water, with the opportunity to helm or act in leadership roles in event management, admin, promotion, training and club/crew preparation.

Open to female sailors from all clubs in teams of 3-4, the event started with morning training followed by “Battle for the Bubbles” on Friday before ‘around the buoys’ series on Saturday & Gold/Silver Fleet Finals on Sunday.

Initially attracting mainly MYC members, by 2022 it is 50/50 split with interclub teams returning including Newcastle, Townsville/North Queensland, Royal Sydney, Royal Queensland, Royal South Australian and Tweed Valley.

It was a culmination of many months of dedicated effort from club members, their friends and families delivering a quality regatta, inspiring women to step out of their comfort zone, develop skills and enjoy full participation in race sailing.

Last but not least, the third finalist in the SheSails category is Shelley White from Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club (RFBYC).

Shelley White embodies the true essence of ‘She Sails’, who learned to sail at Keppel Bay Sailing Club in Yeppoon, and today she continues to sail competitively in various classes in WA.

She brings experience to the Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club (RFBYC) from racing both interstate and internationally in both dinghies and keelboats.

Shelley enjoys coaching girls and endeavors to inspire and motivate more women and girls to discover sailing.

She is currently the Optimist lead coach at RFBYC and is an accredited Australian Sailing Dinghy Racing Instructor, Dinghy Senior Instructor, Keelboat Instructor and Sailing Coach.

Shelley has also been appointed as the Australian Girls Optimist Squad Coach. Later this year, she will take the squad to represent Australia at an Asian Championship and at an event in India.

In the 2021/22 Summer Sailing Season, the Club experienced a 50 percent female participation in the Optimist racing and Club training fleets, largely due to Shelley’s influence and positivity for girls competing in the sport.

Her passion for sailing has influenced many of the club’s junior sailors to fall in love with sailing and to make sailing a sport for life - empowering females to be competitive, resilient, to speak out and solve problems while also mentoring our next generation of female coaches.

The winner of the SheSails category will be announced at the 2022 Australian Sailing Awards in Sydney on November 4. For more information on the National Awards as well as ticket availability, click here.