Hannah Mills has credited SailGP for paving the way for gender equity in sailing. The 38-year-old from Cardiff is the strategist for Emirates Great Britain Sailing Team, and played a crucial role in leading the crew to a historic SailGP crown last season. But as one of only two women on the nine person squad, she is also setting the standard for change.
Sailing's Unique Opportunity for Mixed-Gender Competition
Sailing is historically a gender-balanced sport, with Olympic classes showcasing the equal standard of racing across men's and women's events. However, barriers for women to enter foil racing are still prevalent when it comes to opportunities and experiences, meaning that SailGP's Women's Pathway programme is more crucial than ever.
"There are not many sports I can see that can legitimately have a fully mixed sport and be that competitive. I think sailing is so unique in that respect," said Mills. "We've got six roles on the boat, of which a female could do any of them. I guess the challenge has been the experience gap."
The Experience Gap and SailGP's Response
Mills noted that when she grew up, there was no SailGP to aspire to be in. "This type of foil sailing started properly in the 2013 America's Cup, and it has transformed our sport since. But back then, it was all guys sailing the boats, and so suddenly they've got a 10-year jump on any female doing any of these roles and that is massive to overcome."
SailGP’s Women’s Pathway was launched in 2021 and works to accelerate inclusion and bridge the experience gap in elite foiling, with all teams in the league required to feature female athletes. "What SailGP has done with the women's pathway is provide some of that opportunity and experience to close that gap so that in years to come, hopefully, we'll have gender equity on board," added the Rio 2016 Olympic champion.
Engaging the Next Generation
Mills emphasized the broader impact: "That is crucial for the sport because I just look at the fanbase and for young girls watching to see women doing a lot of the different roles on the boat, is going to engage them so much with SailGP, and that's potentially half your fanbase. So there's a huge opportunity for the sport."
Mills will be back on the water at the upcoming Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix in Portsmouth next month. The event will kick-off the European leg of SailGP 2026 as British racing returns in a mix of world class sport, food, drink and entertainment. Emirates GBR, run by British sailing icon Sir Ben Ainslie, came second in last year's event on their way to claiming the championship title.
Looking Ahead to Portsmouth
As the world's fastest sailors descend on Southsea Common once more, Mills hopes that her crew's recent boat damage heartbreak at the Halifax GP can be transformed into another comeback for the ages. "Last year coming second and making the grand final was huge," she said. "We actually had some boat issues and challenges to navigate that weekend and we had been on the back of a few tough events in the American leg of SailGP. So Portsmouth was the start of our comeback. This year again, we've had a bit of a bumpy season."
"The next event being a home event, knowing that we need a good result and knowing it's a home event, there's lots of added pressure. But I know our team loves that, and we thrive under that, and we know we can deliver when the pressure's on," Mills concluded. The Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix returns to Portsmouth on 25-26 July.
