ORCV “KISS” comes “ALIVE” for International Women's Day 2026
With March approaching, women sailors from Victorian keelboat yacht clubs are rallying with enthusiasm to celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD) 2026, in sync with UN Women Australia’s theme to “Balance the Scales” and progress the safety and empowerment for all women and girls.
In collaboration, Ocean Racing Club of Victoria KISS ALIVE has teamed up with SYC’s Women’s Development Program for an IWD 2026 interactive forum exploring “Pathways to Balance the Scales” on Monday, 2 March 7.30 pm at Sandringham Yacht Club. Registration is essential for this free event.
"You can't be what you can't see" - emphasises the necessity of representation, role models, and vision for achievement to be able to “Balance the Scales”. In recent years, women leaders recognising the barriers for women to get into keelboat sailing, have forged ahead, creating new programs to get women onboard, building confident and competent sailors primed to find their own chosen sailing pathways amongst the wide range of sailing, racing, cruising or volunteering opportunities. So come and meet our team of fabulous women.
MC Dee Mason, a passionate sailor and presenter, will interview young keelboat owner and adventurous offshore sailor Sophie Snijders of Sailing Nakama as she “Lives the Dream”.
A stellar panel of passionate women sailors - program founders Lee Renfree (ORCV KISS - Keelboat Introduction to Sailing Savvy) and Robyn Ragauskas (SYC Women’s Development Program), SYC Race Officer Claire Cope and alumni from both training programs, Kate Woodlock and Tao Hsu are on board to plunge the depths of opportunity. Come with your questions, curiosity and ideas and engage in an online quiz to have your voice heard. Your feedback will magnify our push to accelerate action for women sailors and “Balance the Scales”.
Reserve your seat today (entry is free)
The KISS Program
When Lee Renfree was elected the first female Commodore of the Queenscliff Cruising Yacht Club (QCYC) in its 60 year history, her observance of low levels of female participation on the water triggered a vision for a program, by women, for women, to take them from “passenger” to active, confident “participant”. The Ocean Racing Club of Victoria (ORCV) as a leader in providing excellent keelboat training programs was approached to assist with technical support and the 14 week “Keelboat Introduction to Sailing Savvy” (KISS) was born. Debuted in 2022 and run annually through the winter months, the program’s rapid growth has required greater resources and in March 2025, KISS formally became a recognised training program under ORCV Training programs with over 100 women now graduated.
With the move to the ORCV, the KISS ALIVE strategic platform was established to keep connection to our KISS alumni, participating boat owners and female mentors, to provide ongoing mentorship and promote opportunities and information about female focussed events with a centralised “Female Keelboat Sailing Events in Victoria” calendar.
Connection with keelboat clubs has also been strengthened with KISS ALIVE encouraging collaboration and providing media support for club signature women’s events. Connection to clubs enable KISS Training program introductions to boat owners and more experienced women sailors to step up to becoming mentors for delivery of on-water skills training. A strategic “win-win” all round for clubs in retaining, growing and encouraging leadership to increase female participation.
The next KISS 2026 Training Program is starting 15 April. Now is the time to act and get onboard!! Places are capped and filling fast so don’t miss out..
SYC Women’s Development Program
Robyn Ragauskus from SYC, on becoming Sail Committee Women’s Representative in 2023, embarked upon creating and launching the SYC Women’s Development Program, providing a pathway for female sailors at any level from novice to experienced to move forward on their sailing journey. Now in its third season, around 70 women attend. The courses aim to build skill development, sailing confidence and combined with the monthly social events, create a connection to an incredibly strong Women’s Sailing Community that currently has over 220 members.
The next Beginner/Intermediate Program will run 1-2-3 May 2026. More information about all SYC women’s keelboat sailing activities at SYC Women in Sailing.
Across Victoria, with 7 female focussed keelboat events over the first 15 days of March, there is a diverse array of on-water and off-water events to celebrate IWD 2026. Check out the other event options here Victorian Women Keelboat Sailors “Balance the Scales” for IWD 2026
Come and join us for a rollicking engaging evening Monday 2 March - see you there!
For further information
Port Phillip Women’s Championship Series 2025-2026 - Nov 2025 - May 2026
ORCV Keelboat Introduction to Sailing Savvy (KISS) - Program 15 April - 1 August 2026
SYC Women’s Development Program - Beginner/Intermediate Program 1-2-3 May 2026
