Celebrating 50 Years of Women’s Sailing at the Rainbow Regatta in Sarasota Bay

The annual Rainbow Regatta is set to make waves next week as sailors from across Florida gather to celebrate the 50th year of the Florida Women’s Sailing Association. The event, hosted by the Sarasota Sailing Squadron on City Island, will see 11 FWSA sailing clubs competing in a two-day affair starting on Wednesday.

Among the participants is Kellee Johnson, a proud member of the Luffing Lassies, a female sailing club based at SSS since 1972. Johnson, who returned to Sarasota after years of living in various cities, expressed her excitement about being part of the milestone event.

Sailors will be sailing solo in three classes – Sunfish, Prams, and International Opti dinghy vessels – and will be responsible for rigging their boats single-handedly. Linda Tiffan, a Luffing Lassie for 16 years and co-chair of the regatta, highlighted the challenges of sailing solo, emphasizing the need for sailors to be captain, crew, and everything else.

Weather conditions will play a crucial role in the races, with early forecasts predicting sunny skies and temperatures in the high 80s. However, strong winds could potentially disrupt the proceedings, with any winds above 17-18 miles per hour posing a challenge for the sailors.

Eduardo Sylvestre, the general manager at SSS, expressed his excitement for the event, calling it a beacon for the sailing community. The Venice Bitter Ends and the Luffing Lassies are co-hosting the races, with sailors from nine other FWSA clubs joining in for the competition.

With racing set to begin on Wednesday after a skipper’s meeting, the Rainbow Regatta promises to be a thrilling showcase of skill, resilience, and camaraderie among the female sailors as they navigate the waters of Sarasota Bay.