A Broad Reach. Knot Just Sailing - Running The Show Too.
By Diane Nelson
Whilst the day was chilly, the sun shone brightly for Round Six of Part Two of the Sunday Taggart’s Icebreaker Series. The day coincided with International Women’s Day- and there were women on and off the water. Every role, every wave.
With Southerly winds blowing 6-12 knots gusting 14-18, Race Officer Cat Gallagher and her team sent sailors on one – to- three laps of butterfly course four, depending on the specific fleet.
The RS AERO fleet had seven starters and six finishers, one retiring due to boat failure. Rob Milligan (RS AERO 7) won first place and the coveted Aero bar- hazelnut this week. Smiling assassin Des Magee (RS AERO 6) claimed second, with Robert Eadie (RS AERO 7) finishing third.
Four RS 400’s, one RS 200 and one Melges 15 made up the start line for the Fast Handicap fleet, with the Melges 15 retiring due to body failure. The first two podium positions came down to a battle of who could right their boat fastest following capsizes. In the end Gareth Flannigan and Knox Ward (RS 400) finished first, less than thirty seconds ahead of Mikey Ferguson and crew John (RS 400) in second. Jakub Ozarek and crew (RS 200) rounded out the podium.
Six ILCA 6s took to the start line, with Jonny Cully once again taking the top step. Jess Winton claimed second place and Brian Bibby third. Charlie Winton’s stylish new hat looked fabulous- unfortunately the finishing positions disagreed.
A huge fleet of 28 ILCA 7s triggered a general recall at their first start attempt- much to the woo-hoo’s of the other fleets (Ahem). After patiently waiting for all other fleets to start, they got away cleanly and delivered an excellent race. Peter Cameron took top step, with Colin Leonard second and Conor Simms third.
The Multihull fleet of two was won by Matt McNichol and crew. The only other boat was recorded as disqualified- rumour from the bar suggests a broken spinnaker pole was also involved. Whether the two were connected remains a matter of bar-side debate.
The Slow Handicap fleet of one was won by Matthew Holden in his ILCA 4.7.
Aaron Moore finished first in the Topper race. Rhemy Polly and Evie Baillie finished second and third respectively.
Ed Winton claimed first place yet again in the Whiskey Cup fleet, ahead of Alex Ward in second.
Mackey’s Opticians Mug of the Day was presented to Christina Cunningham (AERO 6) who had to be towed to shore after a bobble failure on her main halyard, causing the mainsail to drop in dramatic fashion. No-one likes a bobble failure- but we do love a story to tell at the bar.
A huge and heartfelt thank you to all onshore and offshore volunteers, without whom none of this organised sailing would be possible.
⚓ From the depths of sailing knowledge:
Take it from someone who suffered body failure on Sunday- your body is as much a piece of equipment as your boat. Neglect it and it will let you down, usually at the worst possible moment. Look after it!
- Don’t ignore niggles- a small niggle ignored is a big injury waiting to happen. Assess and treat proactively, before your body makes the decision for you.
- Cold muscles are injury-prone. Always stretch shoulders, wrists, and lower back before sailing. No matter how young, tough, or flexible you think you are.
- Hip flexor and hamstring stretches are essential for hikers- your back will thank you
- Don’t skip the cool down- muscles that have worked hard on the water need time to recover. Five minutes stretching before hitting the bar saves five weeks on the sidelines.
- And my personal favourite- hydration is key to muscle recovery. Tea doesn’t count ☕
🌸 International Women’s Day 2026 theme is ‘Give To Gain’.
At its core, its about celebrating the achievements of women which is a fitting backdrop for BYC sailing- women leading both on and off the water is exactly the kind of achievement IWD highlights!
Below are personal reflections from some female members and strong leaders:
🐔 Julie Wilson. BYC Battery team coordinator, sea swimmer and overall legend.
It is such an honour to coordinate a team of women from all walks of life who, no matter what, provide data to the results team each week, but we are so much more! We are super inclusive, the more the merrier, we are so supportive with each other. We create clarity out of chaos, we are an extra set of eyes when rescue are swamped during a storm, we ensure everyone is back on shore and if someone has finished early and we missed them, we will track them down. If life throws a curved ball someone will always step in. We are multitasking, bringing skills that are not in the rule book. We make mistakes but someone in the team will have the sail number or time recorded. We have great craic (chocolate helps!), we may use the radios the wrong way but we get our message across. We take no guff, we are so strong, we are reliable, we are The BYC Battery Hens and we represent women everywhere.
⚓👑 Kelly Keenan- BYC Club Captain and sea swimmer.
I am thrilled to be performing the role of Club Captain this year. Having joined BYC eight years ago with my husband and children I have always been impressed that as a club we offer so much for all ages, interests and abilities. The open water swimming events drew me to the club, my children have all benefited from the brilliant youth sailing courses and my husband has become an accomplished kayaker. There is so much on offer here – Sailing, fantastic courses open to non members, Windsurfing, SUP, Swimming and a terrific social scene with a calendar of great events across the year, and a wonderful welcoming, warm atmosphere. This year I intend to ensure that we continue to offer the best possible social occasions and activities for our members and through promoting the best of our club, encouraging non members to come along and see how much is on offer.
🤝 Diane Nelson- BYC Member Representative and Melges 15 sailor.
International Women’s Day is a reminder that progress is built through courage, perseverance, and a genuine commitment to lifting others. Having spent my career navigating male-dominated, complex, high risk operational environments, I know firsthand that earning your place takes time- not because ability is lacking, but because the path to being seen and heard is rarely straightforward. What carried me through was an assertive belief in treating people with genuine care, having the courage to challenge and disagree respectfully, and a determination to lead by empowering others- sharing knowledge, creating opportunities, and allowing people the space to grow, make mistakes, and learn from them. As George Bernard Shaw said, “Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” That philosophy shapes everything I do- pushing myself to take risks, embrace failure, and encouraging those around me to do the same. On International Women’s Day, I celebrate not just what women have achieved, but the bold, growth-focused mindset that gets us there.
