Steering the Course
Steering the Course is the new strategy from World Sailing, the global governing body for the sport of sailing, to encourage more women to participate in every part of the sport. It reaffirms the federation’s global commitment to fostering inclusivity, accessibility and equity at every level of sailing.
Background
In 2019, the World Sailing Trust concluded action was needed in sailing so that “the young woman of today stays in the sport and has a pathway of opportunities, both on and off the water, that will span a lifetime.”
Steering the Course outlines a vision for how the sport will look by 2032 and encompasses a wide range of initiatives and objectives across seven priority areas – Coaches, Instructors and Team Leaders, Race Officials, Participation, Para Inclusive Sailing, Events, Media and Governance.
Applicable Brighton plus Helsinki Declaration principles:
Equity and Equality in society and sport, Developing Participation, High Performance Sport, Leadership in Sport
Summary of contents
The strategy covers seven elements:
- Coaches, Instructors and Team Leaders
- Race Officials
- Participation
- Para Inclusive
- Events
- Media
- Governance
A set of specific targets with an associated deadline are supplied for each element of the strategy, as well as a summary of actions that will be taken to achieve these targets. Actions are supported by allocated budget for events, training, support and development, and have data collection and evaluation incorporated to monitor and measure progress.
Examples include:
- Ensuring athlete quotas are equal at all World Sailing events
- Funding a minimum of three Women’s Technical Courses per year
- Targeting gender equality for Race Official Appointments at Olympic and World Championships by 2028
Each strategy element also references the guiding documents which have informed them, such as the IWG Women and Sport Brighton Declaration, UN Principles, IOC Objectives, and World Sailing Olympic Vision – Accessibility and Diversity Tactics.
