Women’s sailing regatta “Amazonka” returns to Bulgaria

The women-only sailing regatta Amazonka is returning to Burgas in October - three years after the last attempt to revive the decades-old event, Mara Ibrishimova of the Port Burgas Yacht Club and the city’s only representative in the Time2Dare team, told the press. Amazonka is scheduled for October 10 to 12, CE Report quotes BTA.

The regatta is Bulgaria’s first all-women sailing race, originally launched in the mid-1980s in Pomorie by Boris Ganchev (1911–2008), a prominent sailing figure. The early editions ran until the early 1990s, attracting women crews from across the country, including many well-known sailors.

After a long break, the tradition was revived in 2022 by the Port Burgas Yacht Club, but only two crews registered. This year, interest has grown significantly, with around 30 women sailors registered across six crews, and registration remains open.

This year, the club is partnering with the Time2Dare organization to encourage more women in sailing. This summer, the all-women Time2Dare crew with members aged 18 to 51 made history as the first female team to finish the challenging Aegean 600 — a 600-nautical-mile international race around the Greek islands.

"Aegean 600 is extremely tough, with nonstop sailing through strong winds and calm spells. We were the first all-women crew to finish successfully," said Ibrishimova.

The team received an award honoring Ukrainian sailor Hana Kononchuk, who passed away in 2024.

Ibrishimova highlighted the lack of women skippers and expressed hope to build a community for women sailors. While men often hesitate to entrust their boats to women crews, interest is growing, with many men expected to support the upcoming regatta as partners, judges, and instructors.

The Amazonka Regatta aims to give more women the chance to sail keelboats on equal terms, using Peterson-class boats this year. Organizers hope to expand the event next year, including international participants.

The October 10-12 program includes training, races in Burgas Bay, awards, celebrations, and an open day for mixed crews and sailing enthusiasts. Guests will include veterans of the regatta and a preview of a documentary about Time2Dare’s Aegean 600 participation, premiering at the CineLibri book-to-film festival.

(Photo by Krasimir Naumov Racing Photography)