Congratulations to Clare Alexander Winner of SheSails Award

We are thrilled to announce our very own Clare Alexander has won the Australian Sailing’s NSW/ACT SheSails Award for 2020 for her work on The Women’s Regatta hosted by DBSC.  

Here’s some of what Australian Sailing had to say about Clare’s achievements:

Clare’s vision was to engage females of all ages and abilities, including youth moving up the dinghy classes, women wanting to try their hand at dinghy sailing, women who had stopped sailing but wanted a way back in, regular weekend sailors wanting a special experience, and some of Australia’s elite sailors. 

In her research, Clare found that women and girls are so often overlooked when attending regattas. For example, change rooms are often inadequate, and regatta clothing often has a male aesthetic and is not suited for women. The male-oriented environment was often daunting and had the potential to discourage participation. A unique experience tailored towards women was much needed. At The Women’s Regatta, participants could feel comfortable to ask questions during coaching and not be embarrassed to do so. The small group coaching allowed individual attention tailored to each participant, and encouraged camaraderie and support among the sailors.

We are so proud of Clare, who worked with an incredible team of DBSC volunteers in creating and organising The Women’s Regatta including Christine Patton, Christine Linhart, and Diana Valia Chen.  But Clare doesn’t only roll up her sleeves for the big events, she also helps around the club in a huge number of ways. Just this week she and Diana tackled cleaning up the canteen… and both remained glamorous while doing this dirty duty. Thanks Clare and Diana! And congratulations once again to Clare on her well deserved award.