Recently we got an email from the
Australian Sailing Team and Yachting
Australia about their #ReinstateSailing
campaign. You may have seen it on social
media as they are asking for our help to spread
the word and get behind the campaign.
Yachting Australia and the Australian
Sailing Team is working with ISAF and
the 1339 Member National Authorities
to fight for sailing to be reinstated at the
Paralympic Games.
Please post on Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram and any other social network site
and help to #ReinstateSailing. You
can share our post on the Australian
Sailing + Yachting page (www.facebook.com/
australiansailing+yachting) just search for it
using the hashtag. Or create your own post
to share. But remember to tag us and the
Australian Sailing Team in your post.
If you want to read more about it head
to http://www.mysailing.com.au and type reinstate
sailing into the search box.
In February Daniel Fitzgibbon made
history as the first disabled sailor to
skipper a boat in the Sydney 38 National
Championship on Pittwater in New South
Wales. He has fitted a hydraulic seat to the
boat that moves from side to side and he6
#REINSTATESAILING
AUSTRALIAN SAILING (^) + YACHTING
APRIL-MAY 2015 MYSAILING.COM.AU
FROM THE HELM
Kimberley Wilmot
Editor, Australian Sailing + Yachting
[email protected]
http://www.mysailing.com.au
SO I know hashtags don't work in print
but this is an important one that we all
need to get behind.
Recently we heard the news that the
International Paralympic Committee made
the decision to remove sailing from the 2020
Paralympic Games programme. This has
affected so many people.
Sailing is one of few sports that allows
able-bodies to sail against disabled-bodies. It
also allows quadriplegics to sail with people
of a lesser disability. It is such an inclusive
sport, we have to get behind it and support
our Paralympic sailors.
Paralympic gold and silver medallist
Daniel Fitzgibbon explained to Cora
Zillich of the Australian Sailing Team:
“Sailing is the only Paralympic sport that
allows quadriplegics, such as myself, to
compete against much more able athletes
on an even and fair platform. And to
take this opportunity away from future
athletes in my situation, or worse, is a
very disappointing decision.
“I have already visited Tokyo and inspected
the sailing venue as have we invested
considerable time and money in assets to be
used for these games, so to say it took me by
surprise would be an understatement.”
steers with a joystick. He proved that sailors
of all abilities can race against each other on
an even race course.
You can see the results in the National
Championship highlights package in
this issue, along with 42 other classes. I
apologise if your class didn't make it in
this issue. If you would like it to appear in
next year's national championship wrap up
feature please send me an email and I will
help make it a possibility.
If you didn't have the best results at
your major regatta over summer check
out Michael Blackburn's Sailing Skills, he
looks at how to do a 360º review of your
performance and get back out there. We
don't want anyone to quit this sport over an
unfortunate result or decision.
Happy Sailing.
The Australian
Paralympic sailing
team at the 2014
IFDS Worlds. MARINA HOBBS