A BID FOR THE FUTURE
Para Sailing has had a tough few years. Firstly there was the shock of the sport not being chosen for next year’s Olympics in Japan. Then it was overlooked again for Paris 2024. But there is growing participation in the sport at grass roots level and the recent Para Sailing World Championships in Cadiz, Spain, underlined the quality of competition at elite level.
Sailors from 39 countries campaigned in regional and qualifying events ahead of the worlds. Since Rio 2016 there has been a change in equipment. The single-handed 2.4 metres Norlin one design remains, while the Hansa 303 is being sailed in Men and Women’s classes, in place of the larger Sonar, which was costly to transport. The new RS Venture Connect, the supplied two-person boat, which replaced the Skud 18, returns after a successful 2018 Sheboygan Worlds debut.
The Cadiz event, in the first week of July, had perfect conditions, with a week of sun, stable westerly winds, from 8-15 knots, with 18 knots for the medal race day.
2.4MR
The rock star sailor in the Para fleet is 39-year Frenchman Damien Seguin, the most successful Paralympian sailor in history. Seguin took Paralympic gold in Athens 2004, silver in Beijing
