F50 catamarans compete during the Rolex Los Angeles SailGP race on Sunday. Ronald Martinez / Getty Images

New professional leagues that propel women’s sports have integrated gender diversity as their main priority as their sports gain popularity. SailGP is an outstanding case of female athlete participation at the ultimate league level in international sailing sports.

SailGP entered the global sports arena through its foundation in 2018 by introducing 12 international competitive teams that speed their 50-foot F50 catamarans faster than 60 mph when they race. Sailors describe the competitive league as the Formula 1 of sailing because it brought together billionaire Larry Ellison and sailing champion Russell Coutts to find it. At its inception, SailGP did not establish gender equity targets yet actively noticed the scarcity of female sailing participants at high competition levels. SailGP launched programs that established female athlete requirements, Women’s Performance Camps, and key role development initiatives to foster women’s advancement in team leadership.

SailGP stands among other organizations that promote gender diversity. Multiple professional sports organizations, including F1 Academy United Pickleball Association and Global Mixed Gender Basketball League, focus on creating gender-diverse playing conditions by mixing male and female athletes at the same professional levels. The competitive structure of SailGP distinguishes itself because it incorporates sustainability and inclusiveness from within. The league operates an Impact League simultaneously with its main championship and rewards teams who enhance sailing through environmental friendliness and accessibility.

Tower Sports made history by fielding its first female driver in September 2024, Martine Grael, who won two Olympic championships. As skipper of the Mubadala Brazil SailGP Team, Grael demonstrated her speed on the leaderboard to confirm that women can lead as ship captains. History used to ban females from handling such responsibilities, according to Grael. “Now, we’re proving them wrong.” Two more prominent female SailGP competitors are Hannah Mills of the Emirates Great Britain Team as an offensive strategist and Anna Weis from the U.S. SailGP Team, who operates crucial positions on the boat.

SailGP utilizes sponsorships from Rolex and prominent companies like Tommy Hilfiger, Red Bull, and Deutsche Bank to prove that business success and competitive advantage arose from gender-diverse approaches. The growing visibility of professional sailing for women creates unprecedented chances for future athletes of the sport. The women’s and men’s active participation in SailGP competitions proves that different genders can achieve competitive success through collaborative play at professional sports levels.