Shaw and Partners Women Racing finished fifth overall at the inaugural New York Yacht Club Women’s International Championship in Newport, Rhode Island, completing its first international campaign as the highest-placed team from outside North America.
Credit – Sunset Media – @sailorgirlhq-2910
Led by co-founders Katie Spithill and Stacey Jackson, the Australian team produced an impressive turnaround across the five-day championship, climbing through the 20-team international fleet as they learned to race the IC37 together.
After a challenging opening half of the regatta, the team found another gear with back-to-back second places in Races 5 and 6 before finishing the championship strongly with a sixth, third and second place among their final four races.
Credit – Sunset Media – @sailorgirlhq-3159
For Spithill, the result was as much about the trajectory of the team as the final position.
“I think our biggest win as a team is that we never made the same mistake twice. Once we learned a setup didn’t work, we changed it. Once we learned that a mode needed to be different, we changed it. Once we had a bad race, we moved forward.
“The trajectory continued to go up every single time.”
Shaw and Partners Women Racing leading the yellow jersey or spinnaker on board eventual regatta winner, Team Vigilant – Credit – Sunset Media – @sailorgirlhq-4757
That resilience was tested after a difficult second day, but Spithill said the strength of the group allowed them to reset and keep building.
“We had to dig deep, but the best thing about our team is we were together. We were asking, ‘How do we build and move forward?’ We were still talking, we were still laughing, and we came back together. That’s the exciting thing about a strong team.”
The Newport campaign brought together Katie Spithill, Stacey Jackson, Tara Blanc-Ramos, Emma Roberts, Nina Curtis, Clare Costanzo, Sarah Parker, Juliet Costanzo, Abby Ehler and Jess Angus, combining extensive inshore and offshore experience in a new team and a new boat. The sailing team was supported throughout the campaign by coach Brady Lowe, whose experience and guidance played an important role as the team developed its understanding of the IC37 and built across the championship.
Shaw and Partners Women Racing leading on the third day of racing – Credit – Sunset Media – @sailorgirlhq-4741
For Jackson, Newport was an important step for a program designed to create opportunities beyond a single event.
“To finish fifth in our first international event, and as the highest-placed team from outside North America, is something we’re incredibly proud of. But for me, the biggest success is what we’ve built as a team.
Credit – Sunset Media – @sailorgirlhq-3221
“We brought together sailors with very different backgrounds and experience, put them into a boat that was new to most of us, and kept getting better every day. That says a lot about the calibre of the women in this team and what can happen when you create the opportunity for them to race together.
“Newport was never intended to be the end goal. Katie and I started Women Racing because we believe there is so much female sailing talent in Australia, and we want to keep creating opportunities for that talent to come together and compete. This result has only made us more excited about what comes next.”
The full team on their IC37 in front of the NYYC, Newport RI – Credit – Sunset Media – @sailorgirlhq-6605
With their first international campaign complete, Spithill said the team is already looking towards what comes next.
“We’ve got so many aspirations and ideas and we are so excited and motivated for what we will do next. We’ve got to go home and figure that out, but guaranteed we will be continuing.”
Shaw and Partners Women Racing is supported by Shaw and Partners Financial Services, Palm Beach Motor Yachts, Buckingham Marine Services, Oroton, Vaikobi and the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club.
The full team, including coach, with Mark Richard, CEO and Founder of Palm Beach Motor Yachts – Credit – Sunset Media – @sailorgirlhq-5969
More information: www.womenracing.com.au
