RYA launches Female Futures Group to boost women’s participation in sailing
The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) has launched The Female Futures Group, which is dedicated to increasing female participation in British sailing and unlocking new opportunities for women and girls in the sport.
The group is setting targets to make sailing more inclusive, with a self-stated mission to make Great Britain the best place in the world for developing female sailors, and ensuring that every girl has the chance to reach her potential.
The British Youth and Junior Sailing Pathway, designed to support progression from grassroots sailing to elite competition, is established to assist young sailors aged 10 to 21. Now, the Female Futures Group has been formed to guide the development of this pathway and implement further changes.
RYA says the group is initially focusing on three key goals. Firstly, it plans to increase the number of active female racers in Pathway classes by 2028 by targeting support and guidance to clubs and classes. It also intends to improve the overall experience for girls in sailing by implementing female-specific support and training across all RYA Pathway programmes, coaches and classes by 2026. This aims to ensure that parents, coaches, events and programmes create environments that support female development.
Additionally, the group is working towards a 50 per cent increase in female coaches and management roles by 2028 to enhance the visibility and impact of female sailors, coaches and leaders.
RYA says it launched The Pathway Evolution Project following a 2023 strategic review. The initiative is intended to improve affordability, accessibility and diversity in sailing.
Alongside numerical targets, the group is also focusing on influencing sailing culture by addressing barriers, building confidence and improving environments for female sailors.
The Female Futures Group includes ten women volunteering from across elite sailing, coaching, sports science and athlete development. They work in conjunction with the RYA Pathway Evolution team.
The group is chaired by SailGP and America’s Cup sailor Hannah Diamond.
Joining Diamond on the Female Futures Group are:
- Sarah McGovern – RYA Welsh performance manager.
- Alex Newman – independent consultant specialising in female athlete health and wellbeing.
- Rebecca Partridge – performance pathway officer at British Gymnastics and postgraduate researcher specialising in female athlete health and wellbeing.
- Abbie Hewitt – Sport Scotland performance sport manager.
- Jess Libby – RYA 420 youth squad lead coach and advanced research engineer.
- Kirstie Urwin – head of holistic development at The True Athlete Project.
- Natalie Brown – research officer at Swansea University/Sport Wales, specialising in female health and performance.
- Nicola Boniface – sea survival trainer at the RNLI.
- Paula MacLaverty – female athlete coach for Welsh Sailing.
- Nick Scott – RYA director of racing and lead on the Pathway Evolution Project.
- Oli Woodcock – RYA youth racing manager and lead on talent programmes.
“Everyone in The Female Futures Group has a real desire to make a lasting difference,” says Diamond. “Many of us have been fortunate to experience incredible opportunities in sport and sailing, but we also know there’s still work to be done to ensure women and girls can see a clear future for themselves in the sport. We all want to give back by shaping a more inclusive future, and we know this isn’t just about increasing participation — it’s about building confidence, creating opportunities, and making sure girls have the support and visibility they need to thrive at every level.”
Nick Scott, RYA director of racing and lead on the Pathway Evolution Project, adds: “The Female Futures Group is a major milestone in The Pathway Evolution Project. We’ve seen firsthand the incredible talent and passion that exists among female sailors, yet we recognise that barriers to progression remain. Whilst this is the first step of many, we are committed to taking decisive action to make change, ensuring that talent and ambition — not gender — define success in our sport.”
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