Sailing first at Virtus Oceania Asia Games - Brisbane 2022

The first Para Sailing International Championship for athletes with an intellectual impairment has been a major success at Southport Yacht Club on Queensland’s Gold Coast as part of the Virtus Oceania Asia Games Brisbane 2022 (OA Games 2022).

The four-day Championship has seen sailors from Australia, New Zealand and USA contesting this inaugural event competing in the Hansa 303 (7-10 November).

“Competitors had a tough 4 days of racing. Mainly fresh breezes combined with strong tides, so mark roundings were challenging but competitors handled the conditions well,” said David Staley, Vice-Chair of the World Sailing Para Sailing Committee and World Sailing Technical Delegate at this event.

“New Zealand’s Caleb Evans was consistently fast and gradually build his lead over the twelve race program from Australia’s Allister Peek to win the solo division.  In the hotly contested two-person supported division, local Gold Coast sailor Peter Richardson combined with a para sailor with physical disability, Neil Rowsthorn, to claim the championship.  Richardson’s five race wins helped establish a three point margin over Tyler Dodson from Texas USA who sailed with countryman Steve Comen.  Third were the Sydney pairing of Nathaniel Quan sailing with Margaret Sanderson.

“As well as some very close racing, there was a great social atmosphere ashore at Southport Yacht Club with the international competitors warmly welcomed.  Sailors, supporters, volunteers and officials are all looking forward to more competitions which include sailors with intellectual impairment in the future,” he added.

The full results are available here.

“These are truly exciting times for sailing,” said Mat Belcher OAM, Australia’s most successful Olympic sailor and ambassador for this milestone event.

Belcher, who officially retired from the Olympic sailing circuit in October to join global sailing apparel brand Zhik as CEO, is a father of four with a keen interest in promoting opportunities for people with intellectual impairments.

“My daughter Amelie is now seven years old and our family, along with thousands of others who have children with Down syndrome, should expect to be able to create the same opportunities everyone else can enjoy.

“Children and adults with intellectual impairments inspire us every day and sailing in particular opens up huge opportunities,” Belcher explained.

LA28 – World Sailing’s “fully inclusive” future

World Sailing and Virtus – the International Federation for athletes with intellectual impairment and founding member of the International Paralympic Committee – formed a partnership in 2019 with the aim of growing a sustainable future for sailors with intellectual impairments.

“We’ve made it no secret that we feel sailing deserves its place back in the Paralympic Games – our sport is fully inclusive and represents athletes with the widest spread of physical impairments,” underlined David Staley.

“For this reason, our road to LA28 is fully supported by our global sailing community – as we’ve all seen with the #BacktheBid campaign.

“Now, athletes with intellectual impairments will compete at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games in three sports – table tennis, swimming and athletics – inspiring the next generation.

“So we’re thrilled that our first World Sailing championship sanctioned for athletes with an intellectual impairment is a success – with crucial learnings helping us to shape the competition pathway well into the future.”

The first Para Sailing International Championship for athletes with an intellectual impairment has been officiated by Southport Yacht Club’s Race Management Team led by International Race Officer Louise Davis.

She is joined by Damien Boldyrew, International Judge and Chair of the Protest Committee who provided rules advice. International Classifiers Dr Stephen Wilson and Sarah Ross also prepared for a research project.

“We’re continuing to demonstrate that sailing is a sport for all – no matter what an athlete’s challenges may be off the water.

“We’re excited that sailors with intellectual impairment have been recognised as an important group within our Para World Sailing Strategy 2020-2023 as we reach toward participation in 45 nations on five continents by the end of 2023,” concluded Staley.