Para Sailing welcomes new Classifiers following successful training clinic in Oman

The trainees from Al Amal Occupational Therapy and Rehab Centre have successfully passed the final test – they will now be able to classify sailors for national competition. They have also achieved the first major step to becoming International Classifiers and, after gaining more experience at future events, will be able to formally apply to become World Sailing International Classifiers.

Medical personnel from Oman, Australia, Germany, India, Jordan, and Sri Lanka were instructed by World Sailing Head of Classification, Dr. Bernard Destrubé, with assistance from the Event Classifiers, Dr. Jürgen Schwittai and Sarah Ross.

The next steps to becoming International Classifiers include applying to World Sailing and receiving approval from the Race Officials Committee, which can be completed next summer.

Theory, classroom training and hands-on classification of many cooperating athletes also took place over three days, and the trainees also had the chance to accompany the classifiers for on water observation of the sailors during competitive sailing later in the week.

Dr. Destrubé was impressed. “This has been a very committed, competent, and enthusiastic group of trainees, and we can be very excited to have trained personnel from areas of the world where Para Sailing may be only at a grassroots level. With the knowledge gained here they will be able to help teams select the athletes that will become the future of Para Sailing competition.

“I would like to congratulate and encourage them to pursue their engagement for our sport.”

“May I also thank Oman Sail and their partners for hosting this seminar, and likewise sincere thanks to the sailors who patiently cooperated to let the trainees accomplish their mission,” Dr. Destrubé concluded.

As the racing got underway, lectures were also held at the event to guide team leaders and coaches to better understand the parameters of classification that can help them select athletes as well as training on anti-doping as para sailing continues to strive to remain a clean sport.

Images courtesy of Oman Sail.