This year, the World Championship for sailors with disabilities was organised for the first time as an overall event with four classes and under the umbrella of the World Sailing Federation. This realignment serves as a building block for the intended return to the Paralympic programme, from which sailing was removed after Rio 2016. Growing professionalisation and a wider reach should increase the chances of returning to the International Olympic Committee's attention in the long term.
Hope for Brisbane 2032
By organising several classes together, the Inclusion Worlds Regatta brings together different para-sailing disciplines in one framework. World Sailing hopes that this will lead to a more diverse competition, as the disciplines have often been held separately on the international stage.
On 15 December 2025, the International Federation will submit its bid for the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane (Australia) to the International Paralympic Committee. A decision is expected in a year's time.
Everything under one roof
At this year's format premiere in Al-Mussanah in Oman, athletes with a visual impairment sailed for the title in the FarEast 28R, people with a mental handicap in the ILCA 6, sailors with physical disabilities used the Hansa 303 or, for those competing in a team, the RS Venture Connect.
The conditions on site presented the participants with a number of challenges. The thermal wind usually only started in the late morning and only brought a light breeze. At the same time, the early twilight meant that the races had to be closely timed.
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German crews with bad luck
German athletes competed in two classes. Jens Kroker sailed to sixth place in the one-person keelboat Hansa 303 (34 starters). The light winds were a particular problem for him. At 80 kilograms, Kroker weighs considerably more than many of his competitors in the field, which made it difficult for him to advance to higher positions.
Despite his sixth place in Oman, he can look back on a impressive career to look back on. The Heidelberg native's successes include gold at the 2008 Paralympics, two silver medals (2000, 2012) and a total of three world championship titles.
The RS Venture Connect crew Nadine Löschke and Stefan Volkmann finished 22nd (30th) after an unfortunate first race. Right after the start, their boat got caught on a crab basket, which cost them valuable time.
Sailing in the desert
With Al-Mussanah, the world federation chose a venue that offers a professional environment. Thanks to the state initiative Oman Sail, major events such as the World Championships of the Olympic 49er class and the America's Cup World Series 2016 have already been held here. In addition to the barrier-free harbour facilities, the provision of a complete fleet of competition boats ensured that teams from 27 nations were able to arrive without having to transport their own equipment.
