Empowering Ladies by Sailing the L30!
A very talented all Ladies Team aged six to sixty came together from all parts of the world and the USA to West Michigan to compete and celebrate the 6th edition of the Maiden Race in partnership with The Maiden Factor Organization to sail on the L30.
Christina Norris, owner of Morning Breeze and her crew all having deep roots in Michigan decided to come together to bond over their love for racing competitively.
The Norris family have been a great support to youth sailing since they moved to west Michigan over 20 years ago. So much so they don’t even hesitate to to allow 22 year old Eden Nykamp to helm their beloved L30 Morning Breeze for this women’s empowerment regatta.
Eden grew up in the Macatawa Bay Junior Association, where she is still actively coaching in between finishing her degree in early childhood development in Florida.
Dani Rast our tactician was ready as well visiting her family from Switzerland. As an avid sailor growing up sailing with other successful MBYC member’s crews, often as the only female on the boat, she was excited to join Christina again after winning the L30 Worlds just last year in Slovenia. A chance to introduce her 6 year old daughter Desiree to racing with all female crew was a dream come true.
Rona Sisson our trimmer who grew up sailing on the lakes and taking her talent to college to become the first woman from MBYC to claim an all American title flew in from Philadelphia after her 60th birthday to enjoy the race in the michigan sun.
Marie Mel head of MBJA at macatawa was game! Marie has been integral part to growing a junior sailing program that is for safe kids to experience sailing and always supported ladies racing by inviting Christina to skipper her Melges 20 when she just moved to Holland from Brazil 20 years ago.
Ali Sweats rounded out the crew as bow person, who also has been sailing most of her life and currently part of the regular Morning Breeze racing team, who now is learning all there is to learn about carbon fiber on the south shores of Holland.
With such a talented team the Macatawa Bay Yacht Club Ladies won the the race by a great margin.
