The Problem We’re Solving
Women drop out of sailing in massive numbers after college. The research is clear on this. But the reason isn’t that they lose interest – it’s that they hit a wall. The pathway from youth and college sailing into the broader sport disappears. Out of 70 million competitive participants, only 16% are women.
The majority of competitive sailing happens in keelboats, not dinghies or Olympic classes. And keelboat racing is largely inaccessible to women. You need a boat owner to invite you aboard. Those owners are predominantly older men, and many either won’t put women on their teams or create environments where women face discrimination and sexism.There are exceptions, but they’re rare enough that most women can’t find them.
The recent Magenta Project 2×25 review found that while high-profile progress in female representation across elite sailing is evident, visible progress at the top of the sport is not being matched by meaningful change across the broader community. It is the middle layer, athletes with skillsets between the beginner and professional level in the timeframe between college and retirement that still needs attention and investment to keep women engaged in the sport and transitioning into increasingly competitive levels of sailing.
This data helps confirm our own experience, that women with racing experience and competitive drive do not have a stable, sustainable path to maintain and develop their skills after they enter the workforce. They drop out. Not because they want to, but because it becomes too difficult to seek out or create opportunities to continue through this difficult middle transition. Team Aurora exists to highlight this challenge and create change.
The Goal
Team Aurora is a group of international female sailors—most of whom are full-time working professionals—connected through The Magenta Project, a global charity dedicated to improving female representation in sailing and the broader marine industry. We aim to unite international women sailors in pursuit of world-class performance, illuminating what is possible by creating pathways, role models, and opportunities for women in elite sailing.
Right now, Team Aurora is a single-year campaign. We’re fielding one boat with 10 sailors from 7 different countries at the NYYC International Women’s Championship in September 2026. It is a rare all-female event in a class of boat still mostly raced by men, and being part of this team is both a major team milestone and a meaningful step forward for women in the sport.
Our fundraising model works for a one-time event, but it doesn’t create lasting change. We are looking for long-term, sustainable sponsorship that can provide opportunities to support female elite and competitive sailing campaigns beyond the 2026 season.
If you are interested in supporting our efforts please contact us below
