Women in Sailing: the new platform of the Generali and Barcolana initiative is now online

Women in Sailing © Barcolana

Women in Sailing, now in its fifth year, unveils today a new online platform accessible at www.womeninsailing.it and via www.barcolana.it.

The platform is dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion in sailing, with the goal of inspiring young people to form new mixed teams and providing coaches with training support. Following the Women in Sailing by Generali Award and the tailored training programs developed by the Generali Academy, this launch marks an important milestone in the broader Women in Sailing by Generali and Barcolana initiative, designed to increase female representation in key roles within mixed crews and the sailing world at large.

The program began with the Generali Women in Sailing Trophy, now an iconic feature of Barcolana. Each year, Generali, Barcolana's presenting partner, awards the trophy to the first female skipper of a mixed crew to cross the finish line of the world's largest regatta. Past winners include renowned international sailors and American philanthropist Wendy Schmidt, who in 2022 became the first woman to take overall first place in the race. In addition to the trophy, winners gain access to a personalized coaching and leadership development program from Generali Academy, designed to translate leadership skills from sailing into everyday life.

Since 2022, Women in Sailing has also become a dedicated regatta for mixed crews, held the Friday before Barcolana. This race brings together seasoned champions and promising young sailors aboard identical boats, highlighting the strength of teamwork.

The new online platform follows significant work undertaken in 2024. That year, alongside sailing events, Generali supported a comprehensive study on women's participation in sailing. The study included a survey by SWG targeting youth class athletes and coaches to identify barriers to forming mixed crews, and a focus group featuring two-time Olympic gold medalist Caterina Banti as well as Luna Rossa's Trieste-based sailors Alice Linussi and Maria Vittoria Marchesini.

"The aim of the project," explained Barcolana President Mitja Gialuz, "is to develop systems that encourage and support the formation of mixed teams from a young age, so that mixed sailing becomes the norm rather than the exception. The platform provides educational resources to inspire sailors and offers technical materials to help coaches build and manage mixed crews. Together with Generali, we're committed to creating a long-term, impactful initiative for the sailing community. Sharing the success stories of mixed crews, also through Barcolana's social channels, helps foster awareness, and we are proud of that."

The training program will continue with free activities offered to sailing clubs in Friuli Venezia Giulia: Women in Sailing will provide training packages for coaches in various local yacht clubs, equipping them with more tools for their work.

Emma Ursich, Head of Corporate Identity at Generali Group, commented: "Equity and inclusion are achieved through action. That's why Generali is committed to concrete initiatives, especially those involving young people, that have a positive community impact. Sport offers an extraordinary opportunity for shared growth, and the Women in Sailing project with Barcolana is a perfect example. Launched in 2019, it has grown year after year, attracting increasing participation in the Trophy, expanding its activities, and benefiting from the expertise of the Generali Group Academy to offer real paths of personal development. We are proud of this latest step, which extends new training tools to sailing clubs for the benefit of young people."

Andrea Frausin, psychologist and trainer who oversaw the technical aspects of the project, added:

"Respect for individuals, appreciation of differences, collaboration, responsibility and communication are essential values for achieving success with integrity, whether in sport, work or everyday life. In 2024, we explored the dynamics of mixed crews in sailing from multiple angles, with the aim of sharing key insights and practical tools with coaches and athletes, starting from the youngest. Thanks to the commitment of Generali and Barcolana, we were able to develop an operational platform designed to support personal growth, teamwork, and long-term social impact, laying the foundations for a future in which diversity is a strength and effective collaboration a shared goal."

Event website: www.barcolana.it