2015 Para World Sailing Championships – Excitement is building

by Claire Fazakerley on 5 Oct 2015 There’s now only 50 days until the start of the 2015 Para World Sailing Championship, and the excitement is building.

At the end of November, sailors from around the world will be heading to the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria in Williamstown for the 2015 Para Worlds. Already, there are over 130 athletes and coaches registered for the event, from 26 countries. Event organisers are expecting more to come before entries close on 15 October.

Sailors will compete in three classes: the 2.4mR class for solo sailors, the skiff-like SKUD18 class for a mixed crew of two, and the Sonar class which is for a three-person team.

The 2015 Para Worlds are the final country qualifiers for the 2016 Rio Paralympics sailing competition. At last year’s Worlds in Halifax, Nova Scotia, eight spots were selected as a result of the 2.4mR competition, five places from the SKUD18 teams and seven from the Sonar class. In Melbourne, there are seven 2.4mR, five SKUD18 and six Sonar spots at the Rio Paralympics still up for grabs.

Competition will be strong, with many of the top crews using this regatta as a key part of their preparations for the Rio Paralympics while others are looking to qualify their country for the Rio Paralympics.

The Australian gold medal winners from the 2012 London Paralympics, Liesl Tesch and Daniel Fitzgibbon, won the SKUD18 class at last years’ World Championships in Halifax, Canada, and now the pressure will be on them to successfully defend their title in Melbourne.

The reigning 2.4 mR World Champion, Heiko Kroeger of Germany will also be in Melbourne to defend his title, as will the current Sonar World Champions, Bruno Jourdan and crew Eric Flageul and Nicholas Vimont-Vicary, from France.

The Para World Sailing Championship will take place at the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria from 24 November – 3 December 2015.