[Yknot-list] Accessible Sailing: the next generation

[Keith Hobbs]

      La voile accessible sailing
      --------------------------
      Update / Le point
      2005 ~ 10
     
      October 31, 2005

      ===> Only a few more sleeps until IFDS at its AGM in Singapore announces the equipment for the two-person event in Beijing. The prime contenders are the Access UD-18, the GOS-16, and the Martin-16.
         So what's all the excitement about and how did we get to the brink of this decision-making? Ask IFDS!
         Apparently this exercise all started a few years ago to consider sailors with a severe disability and how to grow sailing globally. For some that suggested a single-person event. IPC came back with a two-person event to complement existing single- and three-person keelboat events.
         What's IPC's perspective? At Athens 2004, IPC in conjunction with Rehabilitation International hosted the International Paralympic Symposium on Disability Rights. IPC has a position statement on human rights, believing that all individuals should enjoy equal access and opportunities for leisure, recreation and sporting activities and that such rights be granted and guarded by governments and communities.
         In 2004, ISAF decision makers made the sport more democratic and inclusive by going against the powerful wave of established yachting countries and selecting the Laser Radial as an Olympic class in order to build participation in the emerging sailing nations.
         It all comes down to perspective. Are we thinking globally and acting locally? Or thinking locally and inflicting ourselves globally? Or something else?
         November 3 is World Usability Day an opportunity to celebrate user-friendly technology for the sailing world: the next generation.
      ---Keith

      National

         - Congratulations to Paul Tingley, Canadian Yachting Association's (CYA) Male Athlete of the Year

         - Reports below from CYA's recent annual planning conference in Toronto where we initiated discussion on the Long Term Sailor Development Model to drive strategic planning, funding and accountability. As a sidebar of note, Sport Canada has given CYA 3 Development Cards to fund developing athletes with a disability, effective April 2006. Athlete selection to be based on objective criteria.

      Accessible Sailing Committee's Report
         The Canadian adapted sailing experience is coast-to-coast and probably larger and more diverse that most observers might realize.
          New 2005 programs in the East result from CYA's sponsorship of mobile learn-to-sail sessions in 2004. Using Ontario Sailing equipment / staff, the mobile ran again in 2005. Developments in the West include the new Mid-Island program in Ladysmith. Easter Seals, long a beneficiary of fund-raising regattas, are increasingly adding sailing to their camp programs.
          In 2005, monthly newsletters were distributed nationally to build a shared awareness of sailing developments and opportunities. Through this medium, there is a forum for Canadian sailors to act as a Committee of the Whole. In addition, the chair liaises with a primary contact at each program across the country and has established a core committee.
          My thanks to the members of the Accessible Sailing Committee: René Dallaire, Jenny McEwen-Hill, David Greenwood, Gillian Thomson, and Jay Feaver. All have been available for consultation and information. Early in the year, we had an opportunity to liaise with the learn-to-cruise/powerboat committee on appropriate performance and environmental criteria for the keelboat certification of sailors with a disability. This is the type of constructive dialogue that we hope to continue with the CYA family.
          Work to be done includes the move to integrate events for sailors with a disability in CYA regattas, as well as sailors in the champion-of-champions regatta, and ultimately the Canada Games.
          Canada has a strong presence in the accessible sailing classes. Danny McCoy is president of the International 2.4mR class. The Martin-16, Canadian designed / built, is a contender as the equipment for the new two-person event to be sailed at the 2008 Paralympics. In multi-hull racing, Canada has successfully hosted in 2002 and 2005 world championships for the International Foundation for Disabled Sailing. One of the legacies is Trapseats to equip Hobie-16s. This very affordable equipment option is available to all clubs from the class' leadership centre at the Central Okanagan Sailing Association in Kelowna.
          CYA provided coaching support sessions to seven events across the country, including Mobility Cup, hosted in Calgary.
          Two Canadian sailors participated in the World Homerus Championship regatta in Italy, in which distinct audible signals on buoys and boats eliminate the use of sighted crew members. This event served as the International Match Racing Championship for the Blind. Thanks to David Brown and David Greenwood for their successful racing performance and for their personal investment in this learning opportunity that should have benefit for domestic sailing. In 2006, the World Blind Sailing Championship will be in Newport and it is hoped that Canada will enter a full crew
          The Accessible Sailing Committee and community wishes to pay special thanks to the long-standing devotion and support of CYA Racing Coordinator Erika Vines. We wish Erika well in her sabbatical and we welcome the arrival of Sarah Moscrop.
          Our thanks to the sailors, community partners, clubs, schools, class associations and multi-talented volunteers who make sailing-for-everyone a reality in Canada.


      2005 IFDS Multi-hull World Championship (report précis)
         The Central Okanagan Sailing Association was the proud host of the 2005 IFDS Multi-Hull World Championships, July 6th-9th, this year in Kelowna, BC. Teams consisting of a skipper with a disability and an able-bodied crew competed on Hobie 16s equipped with Trapseats raced 10 races over four days. The regatta was preceded by a CYA sponsored two day training camp delivered by Devin Rubadeau and attended by 90% of the athletes. Sailors benefited from very
      competitive races, on-the-dock opening and closing ceremonies, night entertainment, mostly sunny Okanagan weather, and outstanding Race Management with COSA's Internationally certified PRO Ron Rubadeau.
          The sailors were also able to mix it up in the evening with the Jury featuring Dick Rose, Chairman, and Kirk Brown, from the United States, along with Steve Tupper, Ex. Director of BC Sailing, and Jim Anderson from Kelowna. Also available on site was the classification team of Charlie Simpson and Jenny Molson. John McRoberts, sailor rep with IFDS, organized a sailor forum for discussion of any/all pertinent issues, while Linda Merkle, IFDS technical delegate,
      was also available on site for the week.
          There were many firsts at this event. Jen French and her husband Tim made the trip from Florida to participate in their first-ever "trapseat" event and loved the opportunity to race as a team. Nigist Sewnnet and Karen-Ann Xavier of Toronto were also first-time Trapseaters and COSA's first time all-ladies team. The first-ever Canadian IFDS-Multi-hull world champions are Danny McCoy and Larry Robinson of Canada. 

      International
            - Latest IFDS Bulletin has lots of information.
       
      Canadian Paralympic Committee
          - latest Paralympic Insider newsletter.
          - CPC AGM Quebec City, November 12 

      International Paralympic Committee
        - IPC Newsflash newsletter

      Previous newsletters / Future News

      This and previous issues of Update / Le Point are posted on the CYA Message Board.

      Looking forward to promoting accessible sailing together.

      Send news as it happens.


      Keith Hobbs
      Chair, Accessible Sailing
      Canadian Yachting Association
      http://www.sailing.ca/learnmore/disabilities/ and
      http://www.sailing.ca/competitive/disabilities/

      CYA Staff
      http://www.sailing.ca/about/staff/staff2.shtm

      CYA's Provincial Sailing Associations
      http://www.sailing.ca/services/organizations/provincial.shtm

      CYA's national partner, the ALACD:
      Active Living Alliance for Canadians with Disabilities
      http://www.ala.ca/content/home.asp

      ALACD Community Development Representatives
      http://www.ala.ca/Content/Contact/Overview.asp?langid=1 


      Please advise of address change
     
         


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