Grace Under Pressure: How the Port Phillip Women's Championship empowers female sailors and fosters unity on the high seas

As summer kisses the horizon, excitement courses through the veins of every sailor, poised for the return of the thrilling Port Phillip Women’s Championship Series 2025-2026. This championship serves as a beacon of opportunity and unity for all aspiring women keelboat sailors ready to take the helm. Harnessing the spirit of sisterhood, the championship embodies the essence of empowerment and competitive kinship.

Since 2013, this unique series brings together five keelboat clubs from the bay’s apex, each putting their signature spin on race day events across the 10-race series. It is a platform for female sailors to marshal their crew and showcase their mettle against larger fleets. Leading the initial charge is Hobson’s Bay Yacht Club (HBYC) with the famed Shirley Freeman Trophy event. As a century-old testimony to women’s inclusion in sailing, HBYC’s legacy continues to inspire and advance the cause of the series.

Through the lens of Burke’s journey owning the Defiance 30 ‘Lanncoorie’, we see the championship’s power to create opportunities for women. Her strategy of building a team of greenhorn women sailors and practicing together in actual race conditions bore fruit, securing them runner-up and then victors in the Australian Women’s Keelboat Regatta (AWKR) Div2 (Performance Handicap) in June 2025.

Through tales of camaraderie, spirit, and successful endeavours, the Port Phillip Women’s Championship illustrates why it is seen as an avenue for females to sharpen their sailing skills while fostering unity. The Championship offers an experience that illuminates the resilience, talent, and passion of women sailors, compelling others to cast their sails and voyage ahead.