METHODIST Ladies College (MLC) will be the only girls’ team competing at the Inter Schools Teams Racing Regatta at Point Walter Reserve next week.
Rosie Hennessy (12), Chana van Wyk (14), Gen Hennessy (14), Kimi Renner (14), Sophie Harden Jones (14) and Charlotte Butler (14) will compete against 17 boys’ teams in Puffin Pacers from April 19-21.
The Year 8 and 9 students, who are members at the Perth Flying Squadron Yacht Club, Perth Dinghy Sailing Club and Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club, will compete in three boats with two girls in each.
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READ NOWPerth Flying Squadron Yacht Club coach Ron Mellor said there had not been a girls’ team in the competition for the past few years.
Mellor said there were no advantages for males over females in the sport of sailing.
He said that in 2013, Annabelle Davies won the Australian Championship.
MLC team manager Vivi Renner said the girls were just starting out and it would be exciting to watch them develop over the next few years.
“They’ve been sailing together since the end of last year,” Renner said.
“Sailing isn’t based on age so these girls will be competing against boys in Year 11 and 12.”