As the 2025 regatta unfolds, four women are standing out across the divisions: Holly Patterson, who is competing in the Island Racing – Spinnaker Division 4 aboard Rum Jungle (Elliott 650); Anne Hirst, helming the Magic 25 Team Sex in the sport boat division; Mikayla Plaw, skippering the Melges 40 Sassinate in Division A; and Melissa Logan on the Wright 12m Aeolian in the Island Racing – Non Spinnaker class. These women are not just competing—they’re leaving their mark on the water.
By the final day of racing, the battle for the Open Division A trophy came down to intense, nail-biting moments. Mikayla Plaw’s Sassinate emerged as the standout performer of the division. With an almost flawless record, the Melges 40 secured six wins throughout the series, topping the leaderboard with 10 series points. Although Menace, also a Melges 40 skippered by Howard Spencer, and Clockwork, a Shaw 12 helmed by Steve Mair, challenged throughout the series, it was Sassinate’s superior handling across various race conditions that proved decisive.
The SheSails NZ Trophies are more than just a recognition of outstanding performance—they symbolize a broader shift in the sport. Born from a partnership with Yachting New Zealand’s SheSails programme, these awards highlight the growing number of women taking leadership roles in sailing and aim to encourage more women to see helming as an accessible and empowering career path. As Raynor Haagh, Yachting New Zealand’s National Sport Development Director, puts it, “The idea of ‘you need to see it to be it’ is powerful. Seeing female helms in action can inspire others to try helming and encourage those already involved to continue, knowing their efforts are valued by our community.”
This momentum is supported by recent global events such as the SailGP ‘Breaking Boundaries’ event at the Royal Akarana Yacht Club. This groundbreaking event showcased top female athletes in the international sailing community, including Martine Grael of the Mubadala Brazil SailGP team, who made history as the league’s first female helm. The SailGP event demonstrated how mandatory gender balance in teams is transforming the sport, providing valuable role models like Liv Mackay, strategist for Black Foil’s SailGP team, and Katja Salskov-Iversen, Denmark’s SailGP strategist, who announced her pregnancy at the event. These trailblazing women represent the future of sailing—one where female skippers are becoming an essential part of professional teams.
We spoke to Martine Grael before the event, and she emphasised her view: That she competes to the best of her abilities as a sportsperson. Being a woman is important, bringing other dimensions and superpowers men don’t have; but first and foremost she is a sportsperson aiming to be the best at her sport. We’re looking forward to Martine achieving her goals!
Haagh also observes, “These changes are leading to voluntary evolution, with people embracing the shift, reaping the benefits, and not looking back.” With this momentum, the Bay of Islands Sailing Week continues to be a vital space for female sailors to compete and showcase their skills. The regatta’s diverse range of divisions and vessels makes it an ideal platform for female sailors, whether they are seasoned competitors or newcomers to the sport.
As more young girls begin to see sailing as a viable and exciting career path, the SheSails NZ Trophies stand as symbols of transformation—representing not only the recognition of individual talent but also the evolution of the sport itself. The Yachting New Zealand SheSails trophies for Top Female Helm in both Open Racing and Island Racing will be awarded at the event’s prize-giving ceremony on Friday, January 24th, marking the culmination of a week that celebrates female empowerment, competition, and the future of sailing.
