International Women’s Championship
While there is no nationality requirement for the crews that will compete in the 2026 New York Yacht Club International Women’s Championship, a number of teams are embracing the opportunity to wave their respective national flags at the debut edition.
“I imagine that we will be an all South African team,” says Dominique Provoyeur. “Even though we do not have to all be from the same country, this will be an incredible testament to the depth of talent in our country.”
Provoyeur represented her home country in the 2008 Olympics and is also an accomplished endurance athlete having competed in events including the Cape Epic mountain bike race and Expedition African adventure race.
“Even if I wasn’t part of the sailing team, I knew South Africa needed to be represented one way or another,” she says. “Having competed at the prestigious Rolex International Woman’s Keelboat Championship in J/22s a few times, I feel obliged to introduce more South African woman sailors to the international scene, to open doors and help them realise what opportunities are available for anyone who wishes to race competitively. For me to be able to again represent my country, and expose a team of South African sailors to this race, will be an honor.”
The third group of invited skippers for the 2026 New York Yacht Club International Women’s Championship includes Nicole Breault (USA), Megan Grapengeter-Rudnick (USA), Dominique Proyoveur (RSA), Laura van Veen (NED) and Lijia Xu (CHN).
The inaugural edition of the New York Yacht Club International Women’s Championship will take place September 12 to 19, 2026, at the New York Yacht Club Harbour Court in Newport, R.I. The regatta will utilize the Club’s fleet of 20 IC37s. The 37-foot keelboat was designed by Mark Mills to a brief developed by the Club. The IC37 is a powerful, sporty platform that rewards cohesive crew work and athleticism. The International Women’s Championship is supported by founding partner Rolex and regatta sponsor Helly Hansen.
Lijia “Lily” Xu made history in 2008 when she won a bronze medal for China in the Laser Radial class at the Beijing Olympics. It was China’s first sailing medal in something other than a windsurfer. She cemented her legacy four years later when she won gold in the same class at the London 2012 Games. She hopes to break new ground again by leading a team of Chinese sailors representing the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club to victory in the International Women’s Championship.
