The Magenta Project has launched a new survey into equity and inclusion in sailing and the wider marine industry. Building on the 2019 Women in Sailing Strategic Review, where 59 per cent of women reported personal discrimination and 80 per cent said gender imbalance was a problem, the research will include race, ableism and age — and see what’s changed in the last six years.
The project runs from July to September 2025, with final findings to be presented at the World Sailing AGM in November 2025, and publicly launched at Metstrade and the Yacht Racing Forum.
“Our sport and the wider marine industry are built on data,” says Magenta Project CEO Victoria Low (she also led the 2019 review). “Whether you’re racing a boat, designing the next foiling board, or managing a fleet, performance depends on information. But when it comes to the human side – who is included, how we grow, and where we go next – we’ve been working from a single dataset gathered in 2019. 2×25 is about changing that and creating a clearer picture to steer the future of our sector.”
The new survey, which is online and awaiting your responses, will assess 2019’s nine recommendations to see what has been implemented.
“We can’t fix what we don’t measure,” continues Low. “If we want sailing and the marine industry to stay relevant and reflect the society it hopes to serve, we need everyone’s voice. Whether you’re on the water or behind the scenes, this is your chance to shape the future of our sport.”
“The best outcome would be seeing real progress from where we were in 2019 – fewer people facing discrimination, more inclusive leadership, and a stronger sense of belonging across both sailing and the marine industry,” Low (pictured below) says.
“There have been some brilliant steps forward with World Sailing’s Steering the Course initiative, the launch of the Women’s America’s Cup, SailGP’s Women’s Pathway, and more visibility for women and underrepresented groups across everything from engineering and boatbuilding to performance and operations.
“But this kind of change takes time, and it takes effort. By widening the lens to include data on age, race and ableism, I’m hopeful the results will show things are moving in the right direction, but I strongly expect that it will highlight that there is still work to do, particularly in areas like coaching and race officials. That’s the power of this survey, it will give us the full inclusive picture so that we can keep pushing for an industry where everyone feels they belong.”
The study will be globally distributed, with the aim to surpass the 4,529 responses gathered in 2019. Participation is open to all: athletes, coaches, officials, marine professionals and industry workers of all genders.
“World Sailing has led the implementation of many of the recommendations the 2019 review made for the sector so we welcome The Magenta Project’s 2×25 review as a timely opportunity to provide fresh insights,” says Alexandra Rickham, director of sustainability at World Sailing. “Having robust, independent research is essential to understanding where gaps remain and ensuring everyone in our sport shares responsibility for how we close them together. Equity and inclusion are essential components of World Sailing’s strategy, Ready for the Future, and this piece of research will support some of our work to deliver measurable social impact for the global sailing community.”
Isabella Bertold, Canadian Concord Pacific Racing Skipper believes that sailing is very much in the phase of progression where a collective understanding of both a starting point and a destination is essential. “Studies like this one, and the data they generate, play a critical role in helping us pinpoint where the sport currently stands and what areas still need focused improvement. In industries like finance, regular data-driven reviews are standard practice, allowing progress to be measured and shared. Sport deserves the same approach, because data not only identifies the issues, it creates a common language for change.”
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