Did actions at 2012 Paralympics eliminate Para Sailing?

by Sailing Competition

Following the announcement by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) that Para Sailing would not be a sport at the 2028 Paralympic Games, among the nations expressing their disappointment was Great Britain, but as 2000 Paralympian Keith Burhans (USA) reports, the British Team may have contributed to the problem:

I offer my sincere thanks and kudos to World Sailing for investing resources and energy into the #BacktheBid campaign and growing international Para Sailing. However, I was not surprised when Para Sailing was not included in the LA 2028 Games and I seriously doubt it will be invited back anytime soon.

When the IPC dropped Para Sailing in 2015, the reasons given were all legitimate. Not enough countries from around the world, younger participants, etc… all of their stated reasons had merit, but they were probably not the real reasons…

Read more on Scuttlebutt

the bigs

by Sailing Competition

Convention says it takes five or six editions before a new 600-miler can join the ‘Classics Club’. The Aegean 600 did it in two years…

Offshore racers are always looking for new challenges to test their boat and themselves, this is a fundamental driving force for our sport. While this challenge is inherent to the game due to the inevitable changes in wind and sea even on the same race course sailed at the same time of year, sometimes new venues will be attractive for teams seeking to enhance this challenge and their enjoyment of the sport to further hone their offshore skills. The Aegean 600 offers this challenge.

Building on the success of the second edition of the race in 2022, the third edition coming in July 2023 (7-15) will offer both returning and new teams an opportunity to experience what has been called “the perfect 600-mile race”. This is a bold claim of course, but one borne out from the race’s format, its setting, and the exuberant feedback from those who participated in 2022. Read on.

Read more on Sailing Anarchy

No Sailing at 2028 Paralympic Games

by Sailing Competition

The effort to establish Sailing as a Paralympic Sport was not successful as the International Paralympic Committee revealed the 22 sports to be featured in the sport program for Los Angeles 2028.

Sailing was introduced at the Paralympic Games as a demonstration sport in 1996, and as an official sport for five editions from 2000 to 2016. However, mismanagement led to it being dropped for Tokyo 2020, and World Sailing has been committed to the necessary changes for its return.

But the unavoidable fact is how no sport has successfully been reinstated after being dropped, so despite achieving necessary and significant growth, that record remains unbroken. After being denied for Paris 2024, Para Sailing remains excluded for Los Angeles 2028.

World Sailing sensed this outcome when CEO David Graham shared an open letter to Para Sailors around the world on January 23, 2023, and now the organization offers this statement on January 30, 2023…

Read more on Scuttlebutt

Zapped Kiwi F50 out for SailGP Sydney

by Sailing Competition

SailGP’s 10-boat fleet of one-design F50s is set to reshuffle for the next event of the Season 3 after New Zealand’s lightning-struck F50 known as Amokura was deemed unable to compete.

After their victory at the Singapore Sail Grand Prix on January 14-15, the Kiwis’ boat was being towed back to the Tech Site when lightning struck the top of the 29m wing, causing significant damage.

Initial investigation found the lightning had ‘exploded all of the electronics on the boat,’ according to Tech Team Manager Brad Marsh, while the extent of the damage to the carbon fiber platform remains unknown…

Read more on Scuttlebutt