The RYA are launching the Para Sailing Hub at the Dinghy and Watersports Show on 26/27 February. Dart Sailability has joined as an organisation but membership is also open to individuals. Any body with any interest in racing is encouraged to join in order to access advice, guidance and opportunities and engage with others with similar interests. The first online event is on 5 April.
Joff McGill of RYA Sailability says:
"It is a level playing field on the water, sailing can be inclusive, and there are opportunities out there if you are a disabled person passionate about sailing and motivated by competition. But there is more we could do collectively, which is why we are launching the para sailing hub – a network for the sailing community to join forces and commit to increasing opportunities for sailors to race and train locally, nationally and internationally, and a way for the RYA to engage and support."
For sailors, the hub is an opportunity to be part of a community, to support each other, to learn and get on the water regularly.
For organisations, the hub is about making a commitment to developing racing and training activity, and seeking advice and support to make it happen.
The RYA, through the Sailability programme is committed to facilitating the hub by:
running a series of webinars for sailors and organisations
delivering or facilitating events that provide a focus for the para sailing community, bring new people to racing, bring para racing to the mainstream and introduce new disciplines to the para racing community
supporting organisations who join the hub to deliver on their commitment to grow activity
facilitating coaching activity and the development of coaches
Focussing support where we know there is under-representation – young people, people with learning disabilities for example
working with partners to maintain GBR participation at key international events
The success of the hub will be down to the collective commitment from the sailing community, and as organisations you are already playing your part, not least by sharing the stand with us at the weekend – thank you for that. I do hope you will formally join the new hub and work with us to support the para sailing community long into the future.
Some of the resources are still being built (they will be ready by the weekend!), but here are the key links:
The hub is about grassroot opportunities to race and train for disabled people. Celebrating and encouraging participation can only add to World’s Sailing campaign to get sailing re-included in the Paralympics. So at the show this weekend will be inviting people and organisations to pledge their support by adding your message to the hub’s ‘pledge wall’. If you are not attending the show this weekend, but want to add your message to the wall, fill in this form, and we will add it for you.
All the best
Joff McGill
Sailability Manager