Australia to send two powerhouse teams to inaugural Women's International Championship
by Marbella Marlo / NYYC 18 May 21:52 UTC
September 12-19, 2026
Katie Spithill crew © Katie Sptihill
Aside from the host country and neighboring Canada, the only other country that will have multiple teams at the inaugural Women's International Championship this September is faraway Australia.
Rhode Islanders learned more than 40 years ago to never underestimate competitors from Down Under, and these two teams—helmed by decorated match racer Katie Spithill and three-time Olympian Karyn Gojnich—are making all the right moves to mount formidable challenges to this historic event, all while advocating for Australian female sailors along the way.
Crew selection has been a crucial part of the preparation. Spithill, who will represent the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club in, of all places, Newport, Australia, has taken a holistic approach to assembling her Women Racing squad.
"For me it started with people, not positions," she says. "I wanted a group of women who are not only great sailors, but who are adaptable, and genuinely want to be part of something bigger. We are fortunate to have a large squad of very talented sailors here in Sydney, so the hardest part was that some people missed out. We've got a mix of backgrounds—some with high-performance racing experience, others with different pathways—and that diversity is one of our strengths."
The inaugural edition of the New York Yacht Club International Women's Championship will take place September 12 to 19 at the New York Yacht Club Harbour Court in Newport, R.I. The regatta will utilize the Club's fleet of 20 IC37s. The 37-foot keelboat was designed by Mark Mills to a brief developed by the Club. The IC37 is a powerful, sporty platform that rewards cohesive crew work and athleticism. The Women's International Championship is supported by founding partner Rolex and regatta sponsor Helly Hansen. The list of competing skippers can be viewed here.
Diversity of skill and experience was also a key target for Gojnich, who will sail under the burgee of the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron.
"We are fielding a team with varying levels of experience, from Olympic hopefuls to national competitors and aspiring sailors," Gojnich says. "Everyone has come forward with tremendous enthusiasm and commitment to learning, developing as a team and becoming highly skilled sailors. We are a development team, so I'm excited to see just how far our team can come over the coming months and into the regatta."
Gojnich was one of the first female sailors to represent Australia at the Olympics, crewing in a 470 in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. She also competed in the 2004 and 2008 Olympics in the Yngling class. She has watched up close the transformation of sailing from an environment exclusive to men to one that is welcoming and supportive of female sailors.
"When the women's events were introduced at the 1988 Olympic Games, the intention was to even up the gender balance, and to have more women sailing," she says. "However, we are not there yet, there is still more progress to make."
The two teams will technically be adversaries on the course this September, but there is also a sense that success for one is success for all.
"It's fantastic to have two teams representing Australia at the inaugural event," says Spithill. "There's a shared goal of raising the level of women's sailing in Australia, so it makes sense to support each other where we can. We plan to cross over during training days, as well as share insights and setups, and generally learn from each other's experiences."
The teams are also bonding over the use of the lone IC37 in Australia as they aim to learn the nuances of the boat and polish crew work in advance of the long trip to Rhode Island.
"We have some time booked to jump on board an IC37 for the first time," says Spithill. "We are very grateful to co-owners Scott Lawson and David Ferguson, who are kindly letting us use their new boat for some training. In the meantime, we have been out on an MC38 and spending any spare time studying videos of past events in IC37s. It looks like a really fun boat to sail—but will definitely keep us honest."
It's been nearly 40 years since she stepped onto the world stage to represent Australia in the first women's Olympic sailing event, but Gojnich hasn't lost her passion for sailing in ground-breaking events.
"The NYYC Women's International Championship fills a much-needed step in the sailing trajectory," she says. "The design of the boat, along with NYYC providing a fleet of IC37s, is a thoughtful transition from club and national racing to high-performance keelboat competition."
Interested sailors are encouraged to complete the Women's International Championship Crew Finder by clicking here. The submitted information will only be available to qualified Women's International Championship skippers.