World Record for sailors with disABILITIES

by Rob Kothe on 1 Jul 2003 At 2:40pm this afternoon the seven sailors with disabilities aboard the 54 foot Lyons sloop KAZ sailed into history smashing the existing Around Australia record, which stands at 43days 19hrs 29min 55sec,set by Australians, Jeremy Pearce and Kanga Birtles in October 1999, on the open 60’ Magnadata, better know nowadays to the sailing world as the mighty Grundig

David Pescud, who has severe dyslexia, and his crew comprising Phil Thompson, Kim Jaggar (both left arm amputees), Harald Mirlieb (deaf), Al Grundy (polio), Albert Lee (double leg amputee) and Brett Pearce (Spina Bifida) have gone into the records books as the first disabled crew to take this record.

Waiting at the finish line between Sydney Harbours Heads to record their time was John Brooks, representing the World Sailing Speed Record Council in the United Kingdom.

Pescud and his crew set out from Sydney on May 25 2003, crossing their start line at 13.40.19 (1.40.19pm) AEST. 6512 miles and 37 days 1 hour and 23 minutes later they finished, 6 days 18 hours and 6 minutes inside the old record.

The noisy welcome as the KAZ team crossed was lead by CYCA Commodore John Messenger who sounded the finishing horn from the Club finishing vessel ‘Offshore’

Hundreds of sailors were on the water to welcome KAZ back to Sydney Harbour, images and interviews will follow tomorrow.


The sailors with disABILITIES venture can be viewed at: http://www.sailorswithdisabilities.com/03/challenge.html