The inaugural World Sailing Inclusion Championships drew to a close in the Sultanate of Oman with nail‑biting final races and celebrations across all classes.
In the Two Person Keelboat (RS Venture Connect), Poland’s Piotr Cichocki and Olga Gornas‑Grudzien overcame a race disqualification to win two final‑day races and claim gold. Spain’s Pau Toni Homar and Ramon Gutierrez surged late to take silver, while Greece‑1 earned bronze.
In the One Person Keelboat (Hansa 303), Great Britain’s Rory McKinna held off a strong late push from Portugal’s João Pinto to win by just one point. Japan’s Takumi Niwa finished third.
The ILCA 6 event for sailors with intellectual impairment saw Great Britain’s Murray Macdonald dominate all 10 races to claim gold. The UAE’s Marwan Suloom took silver, with Hong Kong’s Man Hong Leung winning bronze and narrowly edging out a compatriot for fourth.
In the FarEast 28R Visually Impaired class, a second British crew skippered by Lucy Hodges secured gold. Spain’s Dani Pich finished second and a second British boat led by Karl Haines took third.
At the closing ceremony, Oman’s Minister of Social Development praised the event’s success. “We are deeply proud of … the remarkable performance and exemplary sportsmanship,” said Dr Laila bint Ahmed Al‑Najjar, highlighting the message that persons with disabilities can compete at the highest level.
Oman Sail CEO Dr Khamis Salim Al Jabri described the Championships as “a new chapter in the global journey of Para Inclusive Sailing,” welcoming participants from 28 nations and signalling future growth.
World Sailing Para Sailing Manager Hannah Stodel said: “This championship marks a turning point. … Para Inclusive Sailing belongs on the world stage.”
With 127 sailors from 28 nations competing across four classes, the first‑ever World Sailing Inclusion Championships says it has delivered an emphatic debut and laid the foundations for future events.
