Portimão is preparing to establish a year-round international training centre for Para and Inclusive sailing after the 2026 World Sailing Inclusion Championships conclude in the Portuguese coastal city.
The new facility at Portimão Marina is scheduled to open in November 2026, with a full programme planned from January 2027, offering training opportunities for sailors and national teams throughout the European winter.
The development follows six days of competition at the Inclusion Worlds, featuring sailors from 40 nations across nine events, which Afloat proudly covered.
Year-Round Training Opportunities
Associação Vela Solidária is developing the Para Inclusive Sailing Training and Development Centre, which co-organised the championships alongside World Sailing. Its facilities will offer international teams an accessible base for extended training camps, taking advantage of Portimão's climate, sailing conditions and infrastructure.
Winter Base – Portimão Marina is to become home to a new international Para and Inclusive Sailing Training Centre, opening in November 2026, with year-round training and a winter racing circuit planned to attract sailors from across Europe. Photo: Gonçalo Melo
“We want to offer the world, and particularly European sailors who are unable to sail in their home countries during the winter, the opportunity to come to Portimão and benefit from unique conditions in terms of infrastructure, accessibility, sailing waters and climate,” said Luís Brito, President of Vela Solidária.
“Here, it is possible to sail every day of the year. We want to position Portimão as the global epicentre of Para and Inclusive sailing.”
Switzerland, Norway, France and Austria are among the countries that have already reached agreements with the organisers for winter training camps.
The centre is also expected to undergo a World Sailing certification process to assess its facilities and operations against international Para Inclusive Sailing standards.
Winter Racing Circuit Planned
Alongside the training centre, Vela Solidária is developing a Winter Circuit featuring a series of races designed to support athlete development and preparation for major international championships.
The two initiatives aim to provide sailors, coaches, and national programmes with regular training and competitive opportunities.
Portuguese athletes are also expected to benefit by training alongside visiting international competitors without the expense of travelling overseas.
The development is part of wider efforts to increase participation and strengthen international competition in Para Sailing, as World Sailing continues its campaign to reinstate the sport in the Paralympic Games programme.
Championship Legacy Extends Beyond Racing
World Sailing CEO David Graham said the Portimão championships demonstrated the growing international reach of inclusive sailing.
“This week was about breaking barriers, building lifelong friendships, and proving to the world that sailing is a sport where everyone belongs,” he said.
“This event builds on the legacy created at the inaugural event last year and raises the bar even higher for next year.”
The new centre is intended to ensure that the benefits of hosting the championships extend beyond the competition itself, providing a permanent base for training, development and international cooperation.
World Sailing and Vela Solidária organised the 2026 World Sailing Inclusion Championships in partnership with the Portuguese Sailing Federation and the Municipality of Portimão, with support from the America's Cup.
The Portimão initiative also offers a parallel with Dún Laoghaire, where plans for a new national watersports campus have gained momentum following the hosting of the 2025 World Sailing Conference and, more recently, the 2026 ILCA World Championships. Both locations illustrate how major international sailing events can provide an impetus for longer-term investment in watersports facilities and development.
