A Flurry of Female Races

The fall sailing season in the San Francisco Bay Area brings us a flurry of female-friendly regattas, starting this Saturday. October 14’s Joan Storer Regatta will be hosted by Tiburon Yacht Club on the east side of the Tiburon Peninsula. The deadline to enter for $40 is Friday (the price then goes up to $50). Half of the entry fee will benefit the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research and Hospice of Marin. "Once again, this race is sponsored by John Storer (son of Joan Storer)," writes Mariellen Stern of TYC. "Members will bring appetizers, and we will have music, a hosted bar and a trophy presentation." Register on Jibeset. UPDATE 10/13: The Joan Storer Regatta has been postponed due to smoke from the North Bay fires.

The following Saturday, October 21, South Beach YC will host the Red Bra Regatta for all-female skippers and crew. The club’s menfolk will provide the race committee, BBQ staff and cleanup.

On Saturday, November 4, Richmond YC will host the second annual Amazing Grace Cheney Cup. This one is also for all-female crews. Don’t have a boat? Post on the event’s Crew Board.

Island YC’s Jack & Jill + 1 on Sunday, November 5, will see triplehanded coed crews with women skippers racing on the Oakland-Alameda Estuary. This race will complete Latitude 38’s 2017 Unofficial Women’s Circuit. Participate in a few of the events, collect a list and send it in to our (female) racing editor — you could be crowned Queen of the Women’s Circuit.

All of the above regattas are open to everyone regardless of yacht club membership. We encourage female owners to get the boat out and male owners to turn over the helm to a crewmember or partner ready to take on the role of skipper.