The 30th anniversary of the Helly Hansen Women’s Challenge on Sunday March 23 was the perfect finale to the 2024/25 Sydney Harbour Women’s Keelboat Series (SHWKS).
The fleet en route to Middle Harbour. Credit – Marg’s Yacht Photos
The challenge, hosted by Manly Yacht Club, involves a jam-packed weekend of sailing with the purpose of promoting women in sailing.
On Saturday there was dinghy racing and Sunday was the fifth and final race of the SHWKS. It’s a joint series where each race, held roughly on a monthly basis, is hosted by a different yacht club (MHYC, CYCA, RSYS, RANSA and MYC).
CYCA entry – MyWay. Credit – Marg’s Yacht Photos
Sunday’s 10-knot east-south-easterly was ideal for the fleet of 38, especially considering most competitors don’t sail together on a regular basis.
The CYCA’S Bridget Canham and her mixed crew held on to the series Overall Division 1 win on PHS on board the Payne 38 It Happens. Celina Rumbelow’s all-women crew finished in second place overall on the Farr Mumm 36 Georgia Express while Dinah Eagle’s CYCA based yacht, the Beneteau Oceanis 51.1 Wilde Rush (yesterday skippered by Katy MacDonald), took third place.
Plenty of focus on board Wilde Rush. Credit – Marg’s Yacht Photos
Bridget Canham described yesterday’s race. “The breeze was light, but very consistent,” she said. “We didn’t do as well as we usually do, but we still enjoyed it immensely.”
Canham said the series was a great way to connect and network with the wider sailing community.
It Happens had a successful series. Credit – Marg’s Yacht Photos
Lisa Callaghan’s Sydney 38 Mondo won yesterday’s race on both scratch and PHS in Division 1. Teresa Ukrainetz was also able to a achieve second place on scratch and PHS on board the Summit King 40 Jambo, with Georgia Express in third place. Mondo was also the first all-female crew on scratch and PHS in Division 1. Meanwhile Teresa Ukrainetz on Jambo was the first female-helm on PHS in Division 1.
Callaghan, President of MYC, was over the moon with the win.
“I think the highlight of the race was being a boat that actually got out in front from the very beginning,” Callaghan said. “And we kept the lead the whole way. Even though there were some bigger and faster boats out there, we just had consistent processes, and we made very little crew error.
The Mondo crew prepare to hoist the spinnaker. Credit – Marg’s Yacht Photos
“It’s the 30th year MYC’s been doing this [the challenge]. And we’re just super proud to be one of the pioneers of promoting women racing.”
It was Natasha Miller’s J/70 Jabiru which got the win in Division 2 on PHS yesterday. In second place was Lyn Humphrey’s J/24 Ace and Catherine Thornton-Rofe’s J/24 Kaotic in third place.
Jabiru on the upwind leg. Credit – Marg’s Yacht Photos
For the Overall series on PHS in Division 2, Marike Koppenol’s Swanson Dart Melody placed first followed by Jabiru in second place and Sophie Nelson’s Bavaria Match 35 Lively in third.
Congratulations to everyone involved. See you all for what no doubt will be another cracking 2025/25 series later this year.
