By Jen Lee, Event Organizer
Arizona Yacht Club invites all boats to AYC’s annual “Women at the Helm” regatta, the Ruth Beals Cup, on October 12, 2024, at Lake Pleasant. This event honors AYC’s founder and legend Ruth Beals in celebrating women and sailboat racing at Lake Pleasant through a PHRF distance race around the lake.
All skippers must be women; however, men can come aboard as crew. Women of all skill levels and yacht clubs are welcome to attend. Following racing, a club-wide social event now named the “Ruth Beals Ball” will be held at the Anchor Drop building and will include food and nonalcoholic beverages. AYC Racing Captain Bruce Andress is organizing this special event for the women sailors, but everyone is welcome to attend! Bruce is making PHM showers available for after-race clean-up.
Special Guest. This year we have invited Jerelyn Biehl to spend the day with us. She will give a chalk talk at the skippers meeting, skipper a Santana 20, and be a guest speaker at the after-race social. Earlier this year BoatU.S. and the National Women’s Sailing Association honored Jerelyn with the Leadership in Women’s Sailing Award. Read more about Jerelyn and the award.
Guys, don’t sit this one out. Lend your boat to get more women at the helm this year. Of course, you will have the option of being on your boat, but only as crew. And if you loan a boat, you get into the Ruth Beals Ball (+free food) as part of the crew.
Registration for skippers (women only) includes one race entry, one shirt, and entry for her and her crew into the Ruth Beals Ball. There will be food! A separate registration for extra shirts and tickets to the Ruth Beals Ball after-race social is available here. Register early and by September 27th to be guaranteed a shirt. Late registrations will include an increase of $20 per entry.
Registration and racing docs are on our website’s Racing & Entries page.
The Ruth Beals Cup and Ball will be a highlight of the social season for AYC, so don’t miss it! Don’t forget to invite your family and friends to come out and celebrate our women sailors! A special thanks to Debbie Huntsman for this year’s T-shirt design.
Schedule:
- 10:00 AM: Breakfast at Spinnaker Point.
- 11:00 AM: Mandatory Skipper’s Meeting at Spinnaker Point with guest chalk talk by Jerelyn Biehl.
- 12:55 PM: First warning for race.
- 6:00 PM (approximately): Ruth Beals Ball with special guest Jerelyn Biehl. Bruce has ensured us access to the PHM showers for clean-up after racing.
Visit the awards page to view the previous Ruth Beals Cup winners list.