Blind Sailing Australia

blindsailingaustralia.org

Latest News

IFDS 2009 Blind Sailing World Championships

Rotorua

New Zealand

Results

Click Here for more details

Join the blindsailinggroup discusion group

2007

Match Racing Regatta

for Blind & Vision Impaired Sailors

A Great Success

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Paul Borg & Morgan Staley hold a commanding lead at the Sail Melbourne International Regatta

For details visit accessclass.org

Australian Blind Sports Federation

blindsports.com.au

Blind & Vision Impaired Sailing in Australia

Australian blind & vision impaired sailors have demonstrated their capacity to excel in international sailing competition, however there is no organised domestic program to foster new talent. It is hoped that this website will provide a vehicle for discussion about participation, skill development and competitive sailing opportunities for those who are blind or vision impaired.

What Blind & Vision Impaired Sailing is happening in Australia now?

What else is happening?

I am sure that people would like to know what’s happening around the country. If you know of participation, development or racing activities that provide opportunities for blind and vision impaired sailors, let us know so we can include details on the website. 

Contact Us (admin@blindsailingaustralia.org)

What is happening in other parts of the world?

There are widely varying opportunities and initiatives throughout the world.

Italy seems to be leading the way with Autonomous Blind Sailing thanks to the Homerus project of Alessandro Gaoso. This involves training for racing along with offshore sailing and navigation. Thanks to this project, the Italians have always provided tough match racing competition.

Blind Sailing International is active in New Zealand and the USA , with an IFDS World Championship being conducted this September by the New York Yacht Club. The IFDS will only bestow World Championship status on one blind sailing event every one or two years.

Canada has an active blind sailing keelboat racing program and the Royal Yachting Association (UK) has for many years run “Blind Week” where 30-50 keelboats cruise the English coastline with blind sailors aboard for up to a week.

There is no separate Paralympic blind sailing discipline, however the blind or vision impaired can be classified under the IFDS Functional Classification System (FCS) and therefore be eligible to compete as part of a mixed disability crew in the three person Sonar or the SKUD 18, the new two person class for Beijing developed by Chris Mitchell of Access Dinghies in collaboration with Julian Bethwaite.

Competitors at the 2008 Australian Blind Sailing Championships

Kylie Forth from Western Australia took on the International Champion in her first match race as a skipper

1st Place at the Australian Match Racing Championships, Borg and Jewell

Borg and Jewell from Victoria win the Australian Match Racing Championships

Australian Blind Sailing Regatta Team at Port Stevens

Borg vs Parente, Got him on Starboard

The victorious Australian Team at the 2006 Homerus Blind Match Racing Championships presentations. L-R - Sonya Staley (escort), David Staley  (coach/manager) Paul Borg (helm), Kylie Forth (sheet hand), Margaret Forth (escort).

Winners are grinners – Paul Borg & Kylie Forth after being presented with their 2006 Homerus International Championship trophies.

Paul Borg & Kylie Forth training for the 2006 Homerus Blind Match Racing Championships.

Paul Borg won the 2006 Australian Access Class 303 Championship against a fleet of sighted competitors.

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