Which sport (even those not considered "sports" would a woman have best chance at competing at very highest levels?

Well, in skill sports like shooting and archery, women already are as good. They could at least occasionally be as good in bowling ... I believe a woman won a "men's" pro bowling event this year.

Horse racing

Dog shows

I believe the two events at the Olympic level that have been co-ed are sailing and equestrian, but sailing now has separate competitions. Women win medals in equestrian events every Olympics, and although clearly the horse is doing the heavy lifting, the events aren't without the need for fitness (try to get a 1500 pound animal over jumps and through ponds as well as being able to stop and start on command - not so easy).

ultra running

Bowling.

Balance beam

Popping out babies.

The sport of closing off opened parentheses.

Iditarod

Fishing would probably be number 1, since that is 95% luck and preparation.

ballet/dancing, figure skating, hand gliding, sky diving, boat racing, motorbike racing and any sport played in zero gravity.

this and lots lots more wrote:

ballet/dancing, figure skating, hand gliding, sky diving, boat racing, motorbike racing and any sport played in zero gravity.

Nice Freudian slip.

rock climbing.

Pool and Billiards

Skeet and Trap Shooting

BillCarr wrote:

I believe the two events at the Olympic level that have been co-ed are sailing and equestrian, but sailing now has separate competitions. Women win medals in equestrian events every Olympics, and although clearly the horse is doing the heavy lifting, the events aren't without the need for fitness (try to get a 1500 pound animal over jumps and through ponds as well as being able to stop and start on command - not so easy).

Doesn't that depend on whether the horse is male or female?

Peaches and Herb Alpert wrote:

Women, of course, can't compete with men in strength events but what about other events?

Intelligence/Wit.

Grow up! wrote:

Fishing would probably be number 1, since that is 95% luck and preparation.

You would think fishing, but if this past years Bass Master Classic proved anything. It's not so easy. If you look up results, you'll see guys bagging 30 pds of Bass to win tournaments, while the top females usually bag around 12-15 pds. The top Female Bass Fisherman in the World got destroyed at the Classic! Now, she was really good at catching fish. She would have her limit of fish before any guy. The guys were out chases bigger fish though. I keep preaching to my wife that she could make it on the female tour. I try to take her fishing with me all the time. Trying to educate her on Bass fishing. She enjoys it but I think she just enjoys fishing because she's fishing with me. So fishing couples tournaments is the extent of her fishing. I'd say yes 95% preparation and more like 5% luck. You can't control the size of fish that bite. However, you can put yourself in a place to catch the best possible fish at any lake at any given time, depending on what pattern they are on. But I agree that I think females can hang and even beat the best males in the world. They just arn't doing it right now for some reason. Not even close. I'd say Bowling, shooting and pretty much any other skill sport.

skiing, snowboarding, maybe golf? I suspect women could do a lot better in golf, if the interest level was higher.

As others noted, women compete with men equally in equestrian olympic sports. It's harder for them to compete equally in horse racing, because of the weight requirements (very hard for a woman to hold the weight AND have the necessary strength, due to women's higher body fat).

I also note that women's and men's gymnastics are very different -- they have different events focusing on different characteristics (men's focuses more on strength -- i.e. the high rings, while women's focuses more on balance -- i.e. the balance beam). Women are likely more competitive than men at the components of women's gymnastics.