Charlotte Harbor awarded 2012 World Disabled Sailing Championships

by Brian Gleason on 26 Jun 2010 Charlotte Harbor Regatta, Inc., has been chosen as the host organization for the 2012 Combined World Disabled Sailing Championships in January 2012. The regatta board of directors voted to accept the International Association for Disabled Sailing's offer at a special meeting June 24.

'IFDS is delighted to announce the selection of Charlotte Harbor, Fla., as the site of the 2012 IFDS Combined World Disabled Sailing Championships,' said IFDS President Linda Merkle. 'Charlotte Harbor was named by SAIL magazine as one of the ‘Top 10 greatest places to sail in the United States,' and we are fortunate to be going there. This promises to be an exciting venue for us and fulfills a long-time wish of sailors to hold a ‘Worlds' in a Paralympic year. We welcome Charlotte Harbor Regatta, Inc., aboard and look forward to a successful event.'

The regatta will be staged at Punta Gorda's Laishley Park Municipal Marina and other facilities around upper Charlotte Harbor. The 10-day event is expected to attract some 350 sailors, coaches, family members, race officials and media from all over the world. The IFDS is the governing body for all national disabled sailing organizations. The last time its world championships were held in Florida was 2001 in St. Petersburg. This year's world championship is being held in The Netherlands.

'Along with numerous existing boating activities and events, such as the Charlotte Harbor Regatta, the Conquistador Cup and the Leukemia Cup, the IFDS World Championships would advance Punta Gorda towards becoming the premier waterfront community and boating destination in Southwest Florida,' said Punta Gorda Mayor Harvey Goldberg. 'We appreciate this opportunity being afforded us by the International Association for Disabled Sailing.'

'The board of directors of the Charlotte Harbor Regatta is honored to accept the IFDS's invitation to host such a prestigious international event,' said Charlotte Harbor Regatta Chairman Brian Gleason. 'We look forward to working with our member clubs, volunteers, government partners and local business sponsors to stage a world-class regatta on our world-class harbor.'

Tourism officials expressed excitement over both the direct economic impact such an event will have as well as the international exposure it will generate for Charlotte Harbor as a top sailing and vacation destination.

'From a tourism perspective, this prestigious event will provide an enormous opportunity for us to promote our area as one of the world's top sailing destinations to a worldwide audience of prospective visitors,' said Becky Bovell, executive director of the Charlotte Harbor Visitors and Convention Bureau.