Steering the Course is a Women's Sailing Festival organized by World Sailing.
IODA has signed up to be part of the Steering the Course Festival as it aligns with our mission to introduce girls to Optimist Sailing.
We are calling on all our Members to become involved and to develop projects and programs that will engage girls not only into the Optimist but to sailing in general.
Steering the Course is a week long festival that takes place two times in 2022 to match the spring time of both the northern and southern hemispheres.
- Northern Hemisphere Festival - Friday May 20 to Sunday May 29th
- Southern Hemisphere Festival - Friday September 30 to Sunday, October 9th
IODA is challenging our Members in the Northern Hemisphere to come up with a 'girls only' Opti project or event to be held during the May 20 to May 29th Festival window.
We want to create stories in each Member country on what they did to celebrate and engage girls in the Optimist.
Here are some ideas:
- Girls only clinics - single day or weekend away.
- Girls only Regatta - all female race officers & volunteers & celebrate FUN & friendships - make it a themed regatta
- Bring a friend to try out an Opti & be her coach for the day
- Female Role Model Speaker Series - does not need to be a sailor - virtual or in person - a sailing Olympian
- Girls only Opti sleepover at the local yacht Club
- Become a Speed Queen and try a Wasp, FX, Nacra17
- Test drive the next youth boat - 420, ILCA 4, windsurfer, or kite
- Host a girls only eSailing event.
It can be a one day affair or you can have a number of events taking place over the entire period.
We want you to send us your stories, pictures and videos of your event or project and we will share them through our media channels and with World Sailing.
Together let's celebrate Opti Girls in the Steering the Course Festival!