Women On The Water
Mabel Pickering, England
Goal Click are teaming up with SailGP to capture the spirit of the league through the eyes of its fans to showcase the emotion, energy, and personal journeys that surround SailGP events.
This series tells the stories of fans across North America and Europe as they experience the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix and the Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix | Portsmouth.
Mabel attended her first live SailGP event in Portsmouth with her father and shares the unforgettable experience that deepened their shared passion for the sport.
My name is Mabel and I am 24 years old from London. I work as a Production Coordinator and Partnerships Executive, but in August, I am heading to NYC to study data journalism and documentary making at Columbia Journalism School.
I love sailing because of its duality - it is both calming and thrilling.
From a young age, my dad got me out on the water, I went on sailing courses and learned how to navigate. As I have grown older, we have not sailed together as much, which made going to SailGP in Portsmouth all the more special. Right now, we are restoring a 45-year-old, 70ft ketch. It is a big project, but once it is done, we are thinking about a real adventure around the world…!
Another influence has been my friend Laura Hampton, who works at SailGP as a Youth and Women’s Development Manager, which got me curious about the league.
Levelling The Playing Field
Watching SailGP live with my dad, feeling the wind, holding a beer, and sharing the excitement with the crowd was unforgettable. I also got to see Laura on the water with the wing foilers!
What excites me most about SailGP is that it is basically Formula 1 on water. I love researching the different positions on the F50s - from driver to grinder to strategist.
SailGP is a high-speed, data-driven, team-based global competition. The F50s are engineering marvels, and all teams race with identical boats. This means the playing field is levelled and it all comes down to skill.
The racing is fast, but it is the national rivalries that add an extra layer of intensity and competitiveness because you root for your team.
I support Emirates GBR and Mubadala Brazil because of Martine Grael. They are the first team to have a female driver, and Martine is leading the charge.
SailGP is setting the bar for what sport can look like, especially with its strong push for gender equity, as it requires every team to include at least one female sailor as part of the Women’s Pathway programme. It is designed to fast-track female athletes through selection camps, simulator sessions, coached training, and race experience in key roles like driver, strategist, wing trimmer, and flight controller.
The goal is to prove women and men can compete together at the highest level on foiling F50s.
Core Memories
The Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix in Portsmouth was amazing. I went with my dad, and we were lucky enough to be in the Premium Waterfront Lounge, which had epic crowds, delicious food, great drinks, and the perfect mix of vibrant energy and chill vibes.
It was our first live SailGP event, and watching my dad’s face light up as the boats flew across the Solent is a core memory.
The event weekend felt like a mix between a world-class sporting event and a summer festival. In the race stadium, there was live commentary, big screens, fan zones, and great music. Being right on the shoreline watching the action unfold just metres away brought the race to life.
My dad and I are already planning to come back next year, but this time with the whole family!
