‘Truly inclusive’ categories announced for RS Sailing championships

RS Sailing is supporting a combined Worlds and International Championship that features new classifications so virtually any sailor can compete—understood to be the first of its kind for an inclusive sailing event.

Running from 30 September to 3 October 2024, both the RS Venture Connect World Championship and the International Inclusive Keelboat Championship will be hosted by Rutland Sailing Club, racing on England’s largest reservoir.

RS Venture Connect World Championship

This will be the first Class Worlds to take place in the United Kingdom. As in previous years, the popular sailing class event will feature a World Sailing-sanctioned ‘Para’ category for teams consisting of two sailors both with World Sailing Minimal Disability (MD) Para Classification status at the time of the event, as well as an ‘Inclusive’ category, aimed at increasing opportunities for participation by disabled sailors whose disability does not meet the Para Classification criteria.

Teams wishing to enter the World Championship in this ‘Inclusive’ category must self-certify that at least one sailor in each team is a sailor with a disability.

The 2024 RS Venture Connect World Championship will also feature a newly created ‘Open’ category, designed for participation by all, including non-disabled teams.

Crews wishing to enter this ‘Open’ category will compete head-to-head with teams sailing in the ‘Para’ and ‘Inclusive’ categories, including multiple World Champions in the RS Venture Class and other Para Sailing Classes.

Taking accessibility to the next level, the RS Venture Connect SCS boat is designed with plug-and-play Para inclusive sailing equipment options that can be set up for almost any disability.

With simple, modular ways of adapting the boat to various disabilities, everything can be retrofitted on the same boat. Additionally, all controls lead towards the cockpit, and a weighted keel and masthead float makes the boat self-righting for added safety.

“For sailing to be truly inclusive and for disabled sailors to feel that they are not being treated differently to those sailors without disabilities, we need to ensure that everyone can sail and compete side-by-side, with the equipment being the ‘leveller’ and not the disability,” says Dan Jaspers, manufacturer representative for the RS Venture Connect Class.

“The RS Venture Connect class has been a long-term supporter of the term inclusivity but it is only by opening up our events to everyone to be able take part in that we can say that we are actually doing what we have been preaching about, that being that sailing is a sport for all!”

International Inclusive Keelboat Championship

New for 2024, the International Inclusive Keelboat Championship will take place at the same time as the RS Venture Connect Worlds and will be raced on the ultimate one-design keelboat; the RS21. The inclusive championship is created specifically for disabled sailors whose disability does not meet the Para Classification ‘Minimal Disability’ (MD) criteria, helping increase opportunities for participation in international-level sailing events.

Sticking to the ‘fair competition’ Corinthian ethos, sailors will compete in identical RS21 boats, levelling the playing field and intensifying the competition.

These modern vessels have revolutionised keelboat racing. Designed to be handled by sailors of varying skill levels, RS21s are rapidly gaining in popularity thanks to their emphasis on close, tactical racing. Success on the racecourse, therefore, is determined by the crew’s skill and strategy rather than the difference in equipment.

“As we step forward into a new World Sailing strategy that focuses on inclusivity, it is really positive to see classes like the RS21 embracing this new direction, putting in fantastic efforts to support and grow inclusive sailing through their class activities,” says Hannah Stodel, Para World Sailing Manager at World Sailing.

“RS Sailing is one of the few manufacturers of equipment suited to both Para and Inclusive sailing and has been instrumental in keeping the development of our sport at the heart of their activities. Having Rutland Sailing Club host this event alongside the RS Venture Connect Class Worlds is also fantastic. I am looking forward to seeing some truly inclusive racing taking place.”

Speaking on behalf of Rutland Sailing Club, Olympic medallist sailor David Wilkins adds: “It is truly a great honour for Rutland Sailing Club to be hosting the International Inclusive Keelboat Championship 2024 event in RS21s alongside the 2024 RS Venture Connect World Championship.

“We are really looking forward to offering a warm welcome to all of the competitors and their supporters. We are hugely proud of the facilities our club is able to provide and, in conjunction with Rutland Sailability, we regularly host and support visitors from around the world. So, it will be an exciting opportunity to share our community and expertise alongside these two fantastic international championships.”

Registration for both World Sailing events on Rutland Water this autumn is available on the RS Sailing website and is open until 31 August 2024.

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