ABOUT PARA SAILING

Para sailing includes short inshore races and sea events, emphasising tactical decision-making, boat handling, and physical coordination, with athletes competing individually or in teams.

The sport features a range of boat classes such as the Hansa 303, 2.4mR, and SKUD 18. These boats are designed or modified depending on the athlete’s impairment. Some use joystick or servo-assisted steering, specialised seating, or equipment for hoisting sailors in and out of the boat.

Competitions are classified, ensuring fair and balanced races. Athletes may sail solo or as part of mixed-gender teams depending on the class. Racing formats follow World Sailing rules, with courses marked by buoys and time-based or points-based scoring systems.

The sport challenges sailors’ skills in speed, tactics, weather reading, and control - making it one of the most demanding and rewarding disciplines on water.

PARA SAILING HISTORY

The sport was first showcased at Atlanta 1996 as a demonstration event, featuring a single race in the sonar class with 15 countries participating. Although it was not officially classified, medals were awarded, with Great Britain claiming gold, Canada silver, and the USA bronze.

Following the success of this trial, sailing was officially added to the Paralympic programme at Sydney 2000. Two classes were introduced: the 2.4mR (a single-person keelboat open to all genders) and the Sonar (a three-person keelboat). Australia made history by winning the first official gold medal in the sonar event, while Germany’s Heiko Kroeger became the inaugural 2.4mR Paralympic champion. A total of 62 athletes from 22 countries competed.

The sport continued to grow in subsequent Paralympic Games. At the Athens 2004 Paralympics, France’s Damien Seguin won his country’s first sailing gold in the 2.4mR, while Israel triumphed in the sonar class. The Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games marked a turning point, with the introduction of the SKUD 18 - a two-person keelboat requiring at least one female crew member. This expanded the sport to three events (one, two, and three-person keelboats) and led to a record 80 athletes from 26 nations participating. The US duo Nick Scandone and Maureen McKinnon Tucker captured the first SKUD 18 gold.

The London 2012 Paralympic Games added another milestone when Great Britain's Helena Lucas became the first woman to win an individual gold in Paralympic sailing, triumphing in the 2.4mR class.

Para sailing remained on the Paralympic programme through Rio 2016, marking its fifth official appearance.

Did you know ?

After earning two silver medals and a bronze in wheelchair basketball representing Australia, Liesl Tesch transitioned to sailing, where she went on to win two gold medals in the Two-Person Keelboat (SKUD18) event.