Measuring progress in the sport

by Craig Leweck, Scuttlebutt Sailing News
A woman who had been crewing on a boat at my club, recently required a restraining order due to harassment from the skipper. I think he now sold the boat, maybe to pay legal fees, but gender imbalance in the sport is due to obstacles like him.

The Magenta Project’s 2×25 survey is seeking to get a measure on how women are doing in the sport. The initiative builds on the landmark 2019 Women in Sailing Strategic Review, which exposed widespread gender imbalance across the sport.

Six years on, this new study widens its lens to include age, race, disability and access to opportunities across sailing and the broader marine industry. While early responses offer encouraging signs of progress on representation, systemic barriers continue to hold sailing and the wider marine industry back.

More than 1,200 people have already taken part so far, with 84% of respondents believing representation has improved in the past five years, and support for mixed-gender participation is strong, with 77% agreeing a leading event like the America’s Cup should require mixed crews.

Yet the data also delivers a sobering reality check as 62% say they have experienced sexism and 23% report ageism. Nearly half (46%) have felt out of place or unwelcome at a sailing club or event, while six in ten do not see clubs as inclusive to people of all backgrounds.

The structural foundations are still missing, with fewer than a third saying their organization has an equality policy (29%) or a named person responsible for diversity and inclusion (30%).

“This snapshot is both inspiring and concerning,” noted Victoria Low, CEO of The Magenta Project. “Representation is improving and appetite for change is strong, yet inequity remains deeply embedded, whether in clubs, in leadership, or in access to opportunities.”

The survey closes on October 15, and all sailors, industry professionals, and the community at large are asked to make their voices heard. The survey findings will be presented at the World Sailing AGM in November, before being shared publicly at METSTRADE and the Yacht Racing Forum later that month.

To take part in the 2×25 survey, click here.