Remarkable result for Vinny Lauwers

by Ian Grant on 25 May 2001 REMARKABLE RESULT FOR VINNEY LAUWERS.
By Ian Grant.

Paraplegic sailor Vinney Lauwers received a deserved standing ovation when he was crowned as the Disabled Sportsperson Of The Year in Monaco earlier this week.

The remarkable aquatic sportsperson enjoyed his special moment on the World stage with Gold Medal winning athlete Cathy Freeman and golfing great Tiger Woods who won the Female and Male Athlete Of The Year awards.

Not only was this a special moment for the sport of sailing and yachting it was one of recognition for an iron willed person who sailed through hell on the high seas to achieve a result which lasted much longer than a 400 metre sprint or a round of golf.

Lauwers in spite of his paraplegia fought and won a personal battle to become the first disabled sailor to sail non-stop and unassisted around the globe.

This was really a super marathon for Lauwers who totally understood that his battle against nature's elements particularly in the bone chilling waters of the Great Southern Ocean and Cape Horn would present him with an awesome task.

However despite the enormous odds he was determined to succeed and with the sponsorship support from Skilled Engineering and many others the determined sailor showed his true character to the World.

To sail marathon voyages alone needs a special determination, then to sail around the Globe alone with out the use of a good pair of sea legs could only be classified as a super human effort and totally deserved recognition on the World stage of sport.

Australia and The World saluted the modest paraplegic Vinney Lauwers on Wednesday night when the wheel chair bound sailor proudly thanked his wife before accepting the Laureus award for the World's finest achievement by a disabled sportsperson.

Lauwers has also been nominated for the P&O Nedlloyd Disabled Sailor of the year, to be presented during the BEA Australian Yachtsperson of the year awards at Couran Cove Resort on Queenslands Gold Coast tonight.