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'I Want To Show Girls There Is Space For Them': The Female Sailors Transforming The World Of Sport
When Martine Grael crossed the start line of her very first SailGP race in November 2024, it wasn't the breathtaking speeds or the gravity-defying nature of the flying sailboats that felt like the biggest challenge.
'It is the psychological side without a doubt,' she says.
For months, she had given her all in training sessions while getting to grips with the league's hi-tech F50 catamarans. Developed by SailGP, they sail at speeds of up to 60mph, with the velocity lifting the hulls out of the water (think: an aeroplane taking off). When the boats turn corners, the G-force that pins the athletes down is similar to those felt by astronauts during lift-off.
'We push ourselves to the limit, and at some level even get used to [being at the limit],' adds Grael. 'But if your head isn't right, not in the right place, then that compromises everything else.'
An Olympic double-gold medallist who hails from a Brazilian sailing dynasty (her father has five Olympic medals and her brother has also competed in the Games), Grael is used to having the weight of her home nation on her shoulders. Her SailGP debut also marked the first time the Mubadala Brazil team, or any team in South America, had competed in the league. But perhaps even more profoundly, it was also the first time a woman had competed as a driver (the team leader).
Sailing is a sport dominated by men at all levels, and most pro competitions take place just once every four years. Grael says this means that for women, there has historically been a 'lack of opportunity leading to a lack of experience'.
A limited number of women have been able to make careers out of the sport. Along with Grael, they include Hannah Mills, the most successful female sailor in Olympic history, who now races with the Emirates GBR SailGP team.
Mills says that, as is the case with many sports, one of the biggest challenges is getting young girls through the door – many abandon sailing before they truly get going because they don't feel properly cared for. She notes how being out at water for three to four hours for training sessions can be 'really daunting' for girls at the age of puberty who are just starting their periods. 'Even something as basic as going to the toilet is a real challenge,' she explains.
'A lot of the support around the sport – whether its coaches, officials – is male-dominated, and so there's a need to create an environment where women feel comfortable to thrive,' Mills adds. She says SailGP has given her exactly this – shortly after joining her team in 2021, she became pregnant, but was supported by her team pre- and post-partum.
'They included me and made me feel valued even when I couldn't race on the boat. When I came back, we'd have debriefs where I'd be at the back either breastfeeding or pumping. It was daunting for me, but the team did such a wonderful job making sure I was comfortable and had what I needed.'
While SailGP has disrupted the sailing world through its dramatic, adrenaline-filled annual Grands Prix (this season, 12 teams are competing in a dozen events across five continents), it's this approach to gender equality that feels most transformative.
In 2021, before the launch of its second season, it was announced that all teams would include at least one female athlete on board, and would hold selection camps to identify new female talent. Organisers also launched a Women's Performance Programme, which fast-tracks training and development for athletes and off-boat crew such as those in engineering and data.
It's a simple approach, and so far, it seems to be working. By 2030, SailGP wants every team to include two women in leadership positions on the boat, and in November 2024 the league held its largest ever development camp for women, attended by 18 female athletes.
Many women compete in SailGP as strategists – the role Mills holds, which is second to the driver. The American sailor Anna Weis chose a different track. She was the first woman to race as a grinder, an intensely physical role that involves turning a heavy winch to generate power for the boat.
'The biggest challenge for me is not comparing myself,' Weis says. 'All the men are extremely strong and fit, and great sailors. But I have tried to fully embrace this opportunity, work really hard, and prove to myself that I belong.'
Weis joined the US SailGP team after a top-10 finish at the Tokyo Olympics, held in 2021, and has witnessed the growth of female representation in the sport. 'I respect all the women in the league so much and it's great to share that camaraderie,' she says. 'We all support each other and want to see each other succeed.'
It's a sentiment the other two women echo, though rivalry between teams can be fierce – no surprise, given the $12.8 million (£9.8m) prize pot up for grabs across the season, including $2 million (£1.5m) for the winner of the grand final.
But winning isn't always everything. 'I think the most meaningful part has been seeing my personal growth and proving to myself that it is possible to take on a traditionally male-dominated role,' Weis continues. 'I just hope it can make an impact on others and start to change the narrative of what it means to be a woman in the sport. I want to show young girls that there is space for them in professional sailing.'
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