How Much Gender Parity does the Laser Deliver in North America?
While analyzing the recent World Sailing evaluation report for the 2024 single-handed dinghies highlighted how unsuitable the Laser Radial is for most female sailors, another approach to look at this issue is to check the level of participation of women in the Laser at regattas.
In other words, what is the degree of balance between men and women participation in competitive Laser sailing?
It is obviously beyond the scope of this blog to undertake a global analysis of this question. The idea here has been simply to check the level of participation by women over the past 3 years, at the North American championships, both in the senior and in the master categories. Contrary to Europe, the Laser class does not organize youth North American championships.
The table here shows that, in average, over the past 3 years, the level of participation of women has been 14% for senior sailing, and 2% for master sailing.
This is obviously very far from a gender balance. Laser sailing in North America is mostly a guys’ activity.
The attached table in .pdf provides details, by event and Laser category (4.7, Radial, Standard).
While very limited, because the 4.7 has never been properly promoted in North America, the level of female participation in the 4.7 is 29%. It even reached 55% in 2018.
For the Radial, the category where one would expect a high level of female participation, the level is just 24%, with a highest level of 33% reached in 2018.
For master sailing, there is no 4.7 involved. For the Radial, the level of female participation is just 7%, and there is even a 1% level of participation in the Laser Standard.
Overall, the level of female participation was 14% in Senior Laser sailing, and 2% in Master Laser sailing.
While the situation may be better elsewhere, it’s clear that the Laser, despite its Olympic status for women in the Radial, does not deliver well in North America as far as gender parity is concerned.
Would this be related to the over-powered Laser Radial, acting as a turn-off for many female sailors?
In other words, what is the degree of balance between men and women participation in competitive Laser sailing?
It is obviously beyond the scope of this blog to undertake a global analysis of this question. The idea here has been simply to check the level of participation by women over the past 3 years, at the North American championships, both in the senior and in the master categories. Contrary to Europe, the Laser class does not organize youth North American championships.
The table here shows that, in average, over the past 3 years, the level of participation of women has been 14% for senior sailing, and 2% for master sailing.
This is obviously very far from a gender balance. Laser sailing in North America is mostly a guys’ activity.
The attached table in .pdf provides details, by event and Laser category (4.7, Radial, Standard).
While very limited, because the 4.7 has never been properly promoted in North America, the level of female participation in the 4.7 is 29%. It even reached 55% in 2018.
For the Radial, the category where one would expect a high level of female participation, the level is just 24%, with a highest level of 33% reached in 2018.
For master sailing, there is no 4.7 involved. For the Radial, the level of female participation is just 7%, and there is even a 1% level of participation in the Laser Standard.
Overall, the level of female participation was 14% in Senior Laser sailing, and 2% in Master Laser sailing.
While the situation may be better elsewhere, it’s clear that the Laser, despite its Olympic status for women in the Radial, does not deliver well in North America as far as gender parity is concerned.
Would this be related to the over-powered Laser Radial, acting as a turn-off for many female sailors?
