International championships in Docklands

The Docklands Yacht Club will next year host the first international sailing championships for sailors with an intellectual disability.

The INAS International Sailing Championships, will see up to 100 competitors from six countries compete in Victoria Harbour across five days in January.
The event is expected to be the first major regatta conducted from the new community and boating hub currently under construction in Victoria Harbour, of which the Docklands Yacht Club will be a co-tenant.

According to the yacht club, the aim of the event is to assist the development of a competition pathway for sailors with intellectual disabilities.

The Docklands Yacht Club has an existing relationship with Sailability, an international program that facilitates sailing experiences for people with disabilities, and has a fleet of “access dinghies” specifically designed for people with a disability.

It has also been part of a research program focusing on how sailing can be used to aid physical and mental rehabilitation following spinal injuries.

The INAS International Sailing Championships will be held in Victoria Harbour over five days, from January 22 to January 26, with fleet races conducted in three divisions – single person, two person and two person supported.