The international organisation for the promotion of women's sailing "Magenta Project" together with partners such as World Sailing and 11th Hour Racing used the 2x25 Review to examine whether the recommendations it made in 2019 for better equality in sailing have actually borne fruit.
The results of the study suggest that there has been little change and the perceived progress appears to be superficial. Noticeable positive changes, particularly in professional sailing, are often only driven by the initiative of individuals rather than being firmly anchored in the system.
Further news:
The glamour of the elite is deceptive
Major regattas such as the SailGP or the Vendée Globe provide spectacular images with prominent female sailors and convey the impression of constant progress. This media presence means that 83% of the men and women surveyed perceive a significant increase in the visibility of women in general. Beyond the camera images, however, the reality shows a different picture, with 75% of women continuing to categorise the gender imbalance as a problem. More than half of the men surveyed also share this view. What is the reason for this imbalance?
According to the results of the study, well-established networks and rigid traditions block access for new talent and thus prevent true equality in the system. This exclusion often occurs because informal agreements are made between acquaintances instead of open calls for applications. This often makes it extremely difficult for women to advance. The study also shows a lack of realisation of promotions to technical management roles or race management.
Between discrimination and adaptation
According to the survey, a full 65% of respondents reported personal experiences of discrimination. With a rate of over 85%, sexism is the form of discrimination most frequently mentioned by women. For example, 40% of women adapt their behaviour, language or clothing in order to be accepted. The figure for men is only 11%.
Accordingly, 60% of women do not see yacht clubs as inclusive places and only 40% feel truly valued there. The responses on the topic of safety also reveal a dangerous gap. A full 42% of respondents are aware of incidents of physical, sexualised or psychological violence, but 49% are unaware of any official channels for safely reporting these incidents.
The wage gap in the maritime sector
There is also still a clear economic gender equality gap in the water sports industry. On average, women continue to earn 29% less than men each year ($35,000 compared to $49,000). One of the main reasons for this is the distribution of roles, as 23% of men work in lucrative technical professions, compared to only 11% of women. In influential management positions, the proportion of women is even less than 10 %. Female sailors are also much more likely to work on short-term projects rather than in stable permanent positions, which makes financial planning more difficult.
When tradition blocks talent
A core problem lies in the maintenance of existing power structures that prevent real equality. This is particularly evident in the area of race management: Just 17% of international representatives are female. In order to correct this course, the study recommends a hard shift from mere voluntarism to binding mandates and quotas until true parity is achieved. Associations should also strictly link financial support for clubs to evidence of inclusive practices.
The Report also mentions other concrete solutions such as transparent selection procedures and clearly defined promotion paths for female sailors. Mandatory diversity training for all managers and targeted mentoring programmes should help to permanently break up the traditional hierarchies and facilitate access to technical management roles.
A critical look at the data
The clear results of the study should not obscure the methodological limitations that such a study is inevitably subject to. For example, the fact that 91% of the participants were white suggests that the study primarily reflects the reality of the Western sailing world. In addition, the detailed analysis of salaries is based on just 335 people who provided usable information. Nevertheless, the results are unmistakable: in future, the sport must measure success not just by who goes to the starting line, but by who really feels they belong and stays on board for the long term.
David Ingelfinger
Volontär
