Every winter, women head to Southern California for a weekend of one-design racing
It was fast, it was frenetic, and it was fun. The Women’s Winter Invitational Regatta brought 26 teams from across the United States and Canada, plus one from Brazil, to the San Diego Yacht Club in February.
“It was the best organized chaos I’ve ever seen and absolutely a blast,” said Kaci Yachechak-Gibbs, who traveled to the competition from North Flathead Yacht Club in Montana.
ailors enjoyed balmy days and heated one-design competition, working up a sweat as they sailed 63 short races over the span of just two days. The WWIR was the brainchild of SDYC member Kris Zillmann, who hoped to fill a gap in the race calendar in San Diego year-round sailing season. Since then it has evolved into one of the most sought-after women’s racing events. In fact US Sailing awarded the WWIR the 2022 One Design Regatta Award, which recognizes excellence in development, promotion and management, citing the fun and inclusive nature of the event.
“The vision of the race is one in which we can have an extremely high level of competition, plus fun and camaraderie, all in one package,” said Jessica Sweeney, the chairperson for the regatta.
Sweeney said the unique combination of high-level sailors killing it on the race course racing alongside sailors seeking to get their feet wet at a higher level of racing adds to the excitement.
Teams arrived on Friday to register and enjoy a welcome reception. Regatta mornings began with the option of yoga or paddleboarding, and a breakfast spread that satisfied everyone with gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan options. The club rolled out the red carpet with delicious meals, lively parties and access to the club’s facilities.
The big attraction though was the sailing, and lots of it. Organizers ran 60 races in the first stages, with a quartet of boats in each flight. Teams swapped boats after every race in an orchestrated rotation to ensure each team raced every other team. A squad of air traffic controller-like volunteers directed sailors to and from boats, while bosuns stood at the ready to fix any little problems.
“At any given time there were four boats racing, four prepping, and four unloading at the dock: just a revolving door,” Yachechak-Gibbs said. “It was very fast paced, short windward-leeward races that lasted anywhere from five to eight minute long. You’re on the boat, you’re racing and you’re off the boat before you even blink. You just had to be really on your toes and nail the start.”
“By the time you’re feeling settled on the upwind leg, you’re going downwind,” added Simone Staff, defending champion from California Yacht Club. “And the conditions in La Playa were not easy, so you really had to keep your head out of the boat and take note of who and what’s around you at all times.”
La Playa is the small cove and anchorage wedged between SDYC and neighboring Southwestern Yacht Club near Point Loma. There Staff said they dodged moored boats, pleasure craft and competitors in other flights, while tackling the shifty wind conditions.
“The competition was really stiff, just amazing, incredible sailors,” she said, “but once they stepped on the dock they knew how to have a good time as well.”
Smiles were aplenty on the race course too. The windward mark was a large inflatable pink flamingo. Some sailors wore feather boas around their necks. Music played, interspersed by commentary from sailing legends Annie Gardner and Craig Leweck, whose play-by-play kept the crowd of spectators and livestream audience apprised of the action. The dockside buffet of easy-to-grab snacks was continually replenished, as was the water station. And on the final day of racing there was the traditional Mimosa Sunday for anyone not already too dusty from Saturday night’s dancing and karaoke.
By Sunday afternoon the top teams had advanced to the petit final and final rounds. Kelsey Wheeler’s Eastern Y.C. team took first in the silver fleet, while the top prize in gold went to Marly Isler, sailing for New York Yacht Club.
There’s no denying Isler’s pedigree as she is the daughter of Olympic medalist J.J. Fetter and navigation genius Peter Isler, but this was clearly a hard-earned win, coming up against an elite force of women in the finals.
“It was fun to be back on the water where I grew up sailing. I really love the shifty conditions,” Isler said. “But this was steep competition, everyone here is really talented. We are one of the youngest teams here, and some of these women have been racing for a long, long time.”
Mary Milby of Texas Corinthian Yacht Club, who at 68 was one of the senior sailors, said she loved the “action-packed” competition and the fact that “one-design racing makes it all equal, down to skill.”
An aspect highlighted by Annapolis area sailor Molly Hughes Wilmer was the importance of all-women sailing events.
“A big takeaway of women’s regattas is that it’s a chance for women of all ages, young and old, complete novice to the most experienced, to come together,” Wilmer said.
“It’s important to have a safe place for women to get started and to develop. And this is a place women can get that supportive and welcoming environment. You don’t always get that in a co-ed regatta.”
“I hope we continue to be an accessible, fun event that is also a prestigious sailing competition,” Sweeney said. “That is my hope for the future, and that we fill a special place in the hearts and calendars of all racing women.”
The WWIR is by invitation only. Contact www.sdyc.org for details.