102 women helms registered for Women's Day at North Sails Cowes Week on Tuesday, continuing a trend the regatta has tracked with quiet satisfaction: female competitor numbers are growing year on year. More than a third of all competitors at this year's event are women.
The day's biggest news came off the water. Former British Sailing Team kitefoiler Jemima Lines has been signed to the GB1 British America's Cup team, a landmark moment for women competing at sailing's highest level. Lines attended the Women's Day prize presentation following racing, hosted by The Magenta Project, the award-winning charity focused on equity and inclusion across sailing and the wider marine industry.
Spinlock sponsored the awards, with James Hall presenting trophies to the Women's Day racing winners. Dawn Bee sailing Sonata Dick Dastardly took the top spot, Isabelle Waha on J/99 Further West finished second, and Lijia Xu on Team Magenta placed third.
The Women's Day Trophy, awarded annually since 2006 to recognise outstanding contributions and achievements of women in sailing, went this year to Hannah Mills OBE. As Co-Founder, Team Principal and Skipper/Helm of Athena Pathway, she is leading Britain's challenge in the Women's and Youth America's Cup while building a long-term development pathway for the next generation of female sailors.
Mills was in Cowes for the opening weekend of the 2026 regatta and has presented on Cowes Week's live TV coverage in previous years. Athena Pathway was launched at Cowes Week in 2022, and this year Athena sailors have been active in the Youth Sailing Zone. She also celebrated victory with the Emirates GBR SailGP Team this year, adding to her record as one of the most accomplished active competitors in professional foiling.
The Magenta Project builds on the legacy of pioneering all-female sailing teams, working to remove barriers through mentoring, leadership development and professional programmes.
From grassroots participation through to Lines's appointment on a full America's Cup campaign, Tuesday's celebrations reflected how far women's sailing has moved, and how quickly the pathways to the top are opening up.
