What to watch: May 2015

IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships A-Pool (26 April – 3 May)

The action carries over into this month, with the final taking place between defending champions Canada and the Sochi 2014 Paralympic gold medallists USA. Live coverage of all the remaining games, along with results, statistics and ticket information can be found here.

IBSA World Games (8-18 May)

The event will feature 10 sports, including football, goalball, judo and powerlifting, in Seoul, South Korea. Around 3,000 athletes from 80 countries are expected to attend this year.

ITU World Paratriathlon (10 May in Madrid, Spain; 16 May in Yokohama, Japan; 30 May in London, Great Britain)

Three of the 10 ITU World Paratriathlon events of the year happen this month, with Madrid, Spain hosting the third on the circuit. In addition to racking up points to punch a ticket to September’s World Triathlon Grand Final, athletes seek to secure points for the Rio 2016 Paralympic qualification in July’s World Paratriathlon Event in Iseo – Franciacorta, Italy.

IPC Shooting World Cup (12-15 May)

The third of six in the World Cup series takes place in Antalya, Turkey. Following the slew of world records set in last month’s World Cup in Szcecin, Poland, this month’s competition will serve as a tune-up before before the first Rio 2016 qualification opportunity for shooters at the World Cup in Osijek, Croatia, in July.

IPC Athletics Grand Prix (15-16 May in Mesa, USA; 29-31 May in Nottwil, Switzerland)

Numerous records fell in last month’s IPC Athletics Grand Prix events in Sao Paulo, Brazil and Beijing, China. Among highlights was South Africa’s Ilse Hayes becoming the fastest female para-athlete. Now, other athletes have a chance to set their marks as the sixth and seventh Grand Prix events of the season occur in May. The event in Nottwil, which is supported by IPC Athletics partner Allianz, is regarded as the world's best meeting for wheelchair racers.

Swimming

Several national championships occur this month, all in the build up for July’s IPC World Championships in Glasgow, Great Britain.

Among the events are: Irish Open Swimming Championships, Open Belgian Swimming Championships, Portugal National Summer Swimming Championships, Croatia Open, Hungarian Open, Italian Disability Swimming Club Championships and Czech National Open Swimming Championships.

Rheinsberg Rohlstuhltanzfestival (2 May)

Dancers will gather in Rheinsberg, Germany, for a competition that has attracted some of the world’s top ranked couples. The duo Latin class 2 will see the first meeting of the season between Ukrainian world and European champions Nadiia and Ivan Sivak and Russia’s 2014 world No.1 pairing of Aleksandra Berdnik and Sergey Antonov.

Table tennis (5-10 May, 12th Slovenia Open; 12-17 May Slovakia Open; 26-31 3rd Bayreuth Open)

More than 400 players have enrolled for the 12th edition of the tournament in Lasko, Slovenia, just one of three countries hosting an Open this month. William Bayley (Great Britain) and Lee Chang Ho (Korea) are among the men to watch. On the women’s side, watch for Sandra Paovic (Croatia), and Kelly Van Zon (the Netherlands). All were gold medallists in their respective classes in the 2014 World Para Championships in Beijing. Click here for more information.

IWAS Wheelchair Fencing World Cup (1-3 May in Montreal, Canada; 22-24 May in Pisa, Italy):

Brazil dominated the Americas Championships, but does Jovane Silva Guissone have the momentum to carry over into the first World Cup of May. He, along with Great Britain’s Piers Gilliver are the faces to watch this month.