A special twist to this year’s Chiloé yacht regatta includes a yacht completely “manned” by females, and sponsored by Roxy, a snowboard and surf female apparel company.

“There are no other females taking part in this contest,” said Arantza Gumucio, the female participant responsible for steering the yacht. “It is not common for women to navigate [yachts] in Chile.”

 

 

All contestants in the 11th Chiloé Yacht Racing Contest have been sailing the southern Pacific Ocean since Jan. 22 in an event that commemorates the country’s Bicentenario, Chile’s 200-year anniversary. This year’s event includes local participants as well as international contestants. 

In an effort to change routes and scenery, the location of the competition changes on different days and contestants have been passing through Puerto Montt (Region X), Calbuco and the Chiloé archipelago towns of Quemchi, Achao, Castro and Mechuque. 

“We want to turn this beautiful region into a window into Chile, both for Chileans and the whole world,” said Cristóbal Lira Ibáñez, president of the Oceanic Nautical Club of Chile and organizer of the contest. 
The event has run since 1989 and this year ends this on Jan. 30. 

SOURCES: RADIO COOPERATIVA, LA NACION
By Gida Homad-Hamam ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it )