Issue date
The second year of Yachting New Zealand’s Starling Girls Accelerator programme is now officially underway, following the success of its inaugural season.
The initiative, part of Yachting New Zealand’s women and girls in sailing strategy, is designed to support and inspire young female sailors who are passionate about racing, eager to improve, and aiming to progress through the national youth performance pathway.
The programme is all about building confident, connected female sailors who love racing, value each other, and are ready for what's next.
Running from July 2025 through to May 2026, the one-year programme combines on-water training, coaching at key regattas, online learning, and mentoring. Sailors will also get the chance to work with specialists from the Starling class, NZL Sailing Team members and coaches, and support staff from High Performance Sport New Zealand.
Key programme content includes boat speed, boat-handling, strategy, physical development, racing under pressure, rules, and communication. There will also be opportunities to explore other disciplines such as wingfoiling and double-handed sailing.
Applicants were required to be under 18, currently racing in the Starling class, and committed to campaigning through the 2026 Starling national championships. The programme is also geared to prepare sailors to transition into youth classes like the ILCA 6, 29er, 420, or iQFOiL within 12 months.
Selections were based on commitment, potential, regional diversity, and alignment with the youth high-performance pathway. The process included an online application and one-on-one interviews with the programme coach and Yachting New Zealand's high-performance operations and youth programme manager Sam Mackay.
For more information about this year's programme, contact Mackay at sam@yachtingnz.org.nz.
