2.4 mR European Championship: Megan Pascoe wins ahead of Seguin and Kröger: Heiko Kröger: "Heat up the scrubber across the pond"

With three wins on the day, two second, two third and one fourth place, it was Great Britain's Megan Pascoe who prevailed against a strong international fleet of 44 competitors at the 2.4 mR European Championship in the French waters off Quiberon. "I'm very happy to have my title back. It was a tough competition, especially against people like Damien and Heiko and other sailors with incredible careers. We need to get sailing back in the Paralympics - this is just a wonderful pinnacle of our sport." This is the 36-year-old's third World Championship title after 2013 and 2016, when she relegated Damien Seguin, a prominent Vendée Globe skipper and two-time Paralympic winner, to second place. He also reacted happily to winning silver at the European Championships: "I was only two points behind Megan in the end. That's not bad when you consider that I haven't taken part in 2.4 mR regattas for three years." Instead, the man who was born with one hand completed a rousing Vendée Globe and finished his first solo around the world in an outstanding seventh place.

Heiko Kröger from the Norddeutscher Regatta Verein took bronze at the European Championships in France. The 2000 Paralympics winner catapulted himself onto the podium after a light wind week on the final day in a fresh 20 knots of wind in a great sailing mood with a win on the day and a second place. "I'm happy with that," said the 2.4 mR expert. With a wink and a glance at his two permanent rivals, who he has beaten so often, he added: "Megan and Damien can do it really well too." After the often flat conditions and two races with too much seaweed on the keel, Kröger was happy with his podium finish. The fact that the course was finally faster on the final day made him happy: "Today I was finally able to heat up the scrubber across the pond." Kalle Dehler (5th) and Ulli Libor (7th) also finished the European title fights with strong results. Only the German 2.4 mR sailors managed to make it into the top ten with three starters, which included seven nations in the final standings. Click here for the final results of the European Championships (please click!).

Heiko Kröger's summary of the European Championships was positive: "There were good races, it was a good field and there was a good atmosphere." The outstanding inclusivity of the challenging one-person keelboat class was also demonstrated at this European Championship: 16 para-sailors and 28 non-handicapped sailors competed for the European Championship crown. And for the eleventh time. The enduring appeal of the class for many is the demanding sailing trim as well as the tactical and strategic challenges.

The fight for a Paralympic comeback: the final spurt with the #BacktheBid campaign

The 2.4 is one of the three classes with which the World Sailing Association is fighting for the comeback of sailing at the Paralympics. The Paralympic sailors last took part in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, but not in Japan last year. "It's now 45 days until we submit our application to the International Paralympic Committee for reinstatement to the Paralympic programme," said World Sailing CEO David Graham, "to see so many para-sailors here at this championship is both sensational and inspiring. Sailing has the power to bring together high performance athletes with wide-ranging physical and sensory abilities and is clearly an outstanding platform in global sport." With the #BacktheBid campaign, the World Sailing Federation and many well-known sailors are fighting together for a comeback at the 2028 Paralympics in Los Angeles. Click here to go to the campaign page (please click!).

Ten-time world champion Heiko Kröger, who as President of the International 2.4mR Class Association and as a member of the Athletes' Committee of the world federation is committed to the Paralympic resurrection, says: "We know that the International Paralympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee are looking into the issue and discussing it. I think there is a 55 per cent chance of a comeback, I want to be optimistic and have hope. There is a lot to be said in favour of it."