The first Para Sailing Newsletter of 2022

Para Sailing Newsletter © World Sailing

Welcome to the first Para Sailing newsletter of 2022. We'll be sharing the latest news from around the world including key events, hot topics and putting one Para Sailor under the spotlight.

2022 is a critical year for Para Sailing as World Sailing seeks to get the sport reinstated for the Los Angeles Paralympic Games in 2028. We will keep you updated on the campaign and also share news on how you can get involved in the #BacktheBid campaign.

Please share this newsletter within your network to get the news about Para Sailing out far and wide.

David Graham
CEO, World Sailing

Strong line-up of events planned for 2022 and the action has already started!

2022 is lining up to deliver a bumper number of Para Sailing events around the world and the action has already begun on two different continents.

Sail Melbourne kicked off on 13 January and on the penultimate day, Australian Hansa 303 national champion Chris Symonds claimed victory finishing top of the Hansa 303 podium, just 3 pts ahead of Alison Weatherly, with Robert Crofts claiming third. Symonds has been a vocal supporter of World Sailing's #BacktheBid campaign to get Para Sailing reinstated for the 2028 Parlympic Games in Los Angeles, USA and competed in the regatta with 'Back the Bid' #SailtoLA emblazoned across his mainsail! Full report here.

Dash across the Southern Ocean and head north up the Atlantic to Charlotte Harbour, USA and the 2.4mr Can/Am Series is currently taking place. There are four regattas: #1 (24-25 Jan), #2 (27-29 Jan), #3 (19-20 Feb), #4 (28-29 March) ahead of the Series Finale on (31 Mar-2 Apr). You can find more info about the annual event here.

A total of five major Para Sailing World Championships events will take place in the second half of 2022 in Germany, Japan, Australia, USA and the Sultanate of Oman. The Inclusion World Championship for Sailing has recently been moved from May to 24 August in Rostock, Germany. There are multiple national, regional and European competitions scheduled, starting with the New Zealand Hansa Class Championships on 11 March. View the full calendar of events here.

One Voice

IPC set date to brief sporting federations for LA28 selection process

2022 will be a crucial year for Para Sailing as World Sailing pursues its ambition to see sailing reinstated for the 2028 Paralympic Games and eagerly awaits the release of the terms for sports seeking reinstatement and inclusion in the 2028 Paralympic Games by the International Paralympic Committee. World Sailing has been invited to attend a virtual meeting hosted by the IPC for all international sporting federations on Wednesday, 2 February at which they will outline the process federations must follow to apply for their sport to be represented at the Los Angeles Paralympic Games 2028.

Para Sailor Spotlight

Rory started sailing eight years ago and has achieved much in that time. In August last year, he became the UK National Champion in the Hansa 303 Single Person Class at the HCUK Hansa UK Nationals. Two months later, Rory was competing in Palermo, Sicily at the Hansa World Championships finishing 2nd in the Hansa 303 Men's Class and 3rd overall in the Hansa 303 Single Person Class. Rory studies Urban Planning at Dundee University in Scotland and has another season of competition planned for 2022.

Get to know Rory in our Q&A here.

Hansa World Championship - photo © World Sailing

Video

We can all feel hopeful about the staging of multiple Para Sailing events this year. 2021 was no wash-out despite the first half of 2021 being severely affected by the impact of Covid. Three major world championships were staged in Europe. The RS Venture Worlds in Travemünde, Germany (23 July - 1 August), the 2.4OD Para Worlds/2.4mR Gold Cup took place in Warnemünde (25-29 September) and the Hansa World Championships in Palermo, Sicily (2-9 October). Over 120 sailors competed at the 2021 Hansa Worlds, representing 23 countries including Oman, Australia, China, Turkey, Greece, Chile, Lithuania, Malta and Namibia, and with a strong female line-up in both the Hansa 303 single person class (20% female) and Hansa Liberty (56% female).

Upcoming Events

Next month also sees the annual RYA UK Dinghy & Watersports Show take place at a new location - the Farnborough International Exhibition Centre - over the weekend of 26-27 February. We can expect some exciting news from UK Sailability - watch this space!

View full calendar of events here.

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