High profile Queensland sailor Stacey Jackson and Jade Cole, a Victorian sailor making a name for herself in the sport, are guest speakers this Wednesday evening, 6 February, ahead of the Women in Sailing Challenge, the second race of the Port Phillip Women’s Championship Series (PPWCS) hosted by Sandringham Yacht Club (SYC).
Come along and listen to Stacey Jackson and SYC member, Jade Cole, from the Ocean Respect Racing Team which sailed Wild Oats X to second place overall in the 2018 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.
Jackson, who skippered the yacht, and crew member Cole, will share their thoughts on women’s participation in sailing and how the success of the Ocean Respect Racing mission impacts on this.
The pair will impart their knowledge on ocean sustainability and ocean health – the 11th Hour Racing message – and how individuals can make small changes that add up to a big impact when we are sailing.
Thirty-five year old Jackson competed in the last two Volvo Ocean Races and has 12 Sydney Hobarts to her credit; one of just 19 women to achieve 10 or more races.
Ironically, in the 2016 race to Hobart, Jackson crewed on Alive, the near-sistership that took overall honours from Wild Oats X by little more than an hour in the 2018 race.
Jackson was wholly responsible for putting together the 11th Hour Racing – Wild Oats X campaign from the ground up, fired up by a dearth of women’s roles in sailing and after discovering the lack of respect for our oceans during her races around the world.
Cole has done eight Sydney Hobarts, most emanating from Melbourne; the Cookson 50 Terra Firma and TP52s, Calm and Cougar II among them. This time she was seduced by a rare opportunity of sailing with a professional all-female crew on the Reichel/Pugh 66, Wild Oats.
“I’m currently racing on Chris Dare’s Team Ambition (lately added to the TP52 fleet) and I’ve been racing on the Farr 40 Nutcracker,” says Cole, who started sailing at SYC as an eight year-old.
A yacht broker by trade, the Melbourne manager for Windcraft, Cole comments: “Guest speaking at my home club is great. A lot of my peers, people I sail with, and friends say, ‘tell me about it’ (her top level sailing). To get to do it in a public forum is great.
“Stacey will talk about putting the Ocean Racing Respect team together (for the Sydney Hobart), and building it and putting the whole program together, and what it means for her.”
All are welcome to attend the evening, in the Port Phillip Room at SYC, starting at 7.30pm on Wednesday 6 February. Attendees are also welcome to arrive earlier for dinner in the Harbour View Restaurant from 6pm. Bookings can be made by calling the Clubhouse reception on 9599 0999. Alternatively, there are food and beverage offers in the Members’ Bar from 6pm (servery closing at 8:30pm).
The Women in Sailing Challenge, to take place on Sunday 17 February, has evolved over the years with the aim of showcasing women’s sailing and to encourage greater female participation in our sport. It is a one-day keelboat event, held to encourage participation of novice and experienced female sailors. The regatta result is to also count as Race 2 of the PPWCS.
If you are interested in crewing or skippering, but are struggling to put together a crew, or if you have a crew but no boat, you can apply to race one of SYC’s Beneteau 7.5’s in the one-design racing fleet by contacting James Sly on 9599 0907 or James.Sly@syc.com.au. Or if you are a boat owner and open to handing over the reins of your boat, please talk to the SYC Boating Office or email wisc@syc.com.au.
For more information about Jade Cole and Stacey Jackson guest speaker evening, please visit: https://syc.com.au/guest-speaker-night-wednesday-6-february-jade-cole-stacey-jackson/
For information about the Women in Sailing Challenge please visit: https://syc.com.au/on-water/keelboat-racing/wisc/
For all information on the PPWCS, including Notice of Race please visit: http://www.womenandgirlsinsailing.com.au/keelboats/portphilip2018-2019/
