West Australian Robert Crofts and Victorian Neil Patterson are the Australian Para Sailing Champions for 2020.

The Australian Para Sailing Championships were held as part of the Sail Melbourne International Regatta at Royal Brighton Yacht Club over the past week.  Sailed in conjunction with open fleet racing in the 2.4mR and Liberty classes, the race scores of eligible para sailors were extracted to decide the Australian Para Sailing Champions.  

Melbourne served up a range of conditions, starting with very strong winds on the first day taking their toll on equipment and athletes. With only one race completed, an extra was scheduled for day two when three races were completed in moderate to fresh breezes. 

Podium for the Australian Para Sailing Championship in the Liberty Class – Russell Phillips (VIC) 3rd, Robert Crofts (WA) 1st & Tracey Odiam (WA) 2nd

After two races on day three, the fleet was back at the dock just before a massive thunderstorm lashed Brighton with strong wind gusts and hail.  Persistent stormy conditions forced organisers to postpone racing for most classes on day four, so an extra race was added for the final day of the regatta for the 2.4mR and Liberty classes.

The Course Race Officer was the Northern Territory’s Ed Vincent who worked with a team of race officials and volunteers from Royal Yacht Club of Victoria and Royal Brighton Yacht Club to deliver the 2.4mR, Liberty and RS-X program. 

“Melbourne has turned on an extraordinary range of weather over the past week with a variety of wind strengths and sea conditions.  This challenged both the sailors and the race management teams at times, but we saw some very close and competitive racing in all the fleets,” said Vincent after racing today.

The Liberty and 2.4mR fleets raced together at Sail Melbourne (Beau Outteridge Photo) 

In contrast to the earlier part of the racing program, the final day was sailed in light to moderate breezes under sunny skies.  Robert Crofts from Royal Perth Yacht Club had already built a clear lead in the Liberties.  Having taken one race win but otherwise finishing second in most races in the open fleet to current Liberty World Champion Bob Schahinger (South Australia), Crofts concluded his regatta with 1-6-2.  His worst score was courtesy of the kelp which played havoc across the fleet this afternoon.

Second in the Para Nationals, and third in the open fleet behind Schahinger and Crofts, was Tracey Odiam (Western Australia) who had sailed a consistent regatta.  Russell Phillips (Victoria) was third.

Robert Crofts (WA) has won the Australian Para Sailing Championship in the Liberty Class (Beau Outteridge Photo)

Last year’s Australian Para Sailing Champion in the 2.4mR, Neil Patterson, was the only para sailor in the unusually small 2.4mR fleet, so retains his title for 2020.  

Four states and territories were represented across the Para Nationals fleet and six across the open fleet, but organisers were disappointed in the low entry numbers this year.  This was especially so when competition was cancelled for the Hansa 303 – the Para World Sailing class in which Australia has performed so well in recent years.

“The recent bushfires and event conflicts had a detrimental effect on the 2.4mR fleet size this year, but it is concerning that we did not attract the support of the large number of Hansa 303 sailors,” said Australian Sailing’s Para Sailing Coordinator David Staley.

Neil Patterson (VIC) has retained the Australian Para Sailing Championship in the 2.4mR (Beau Outteridge Photo) 

“Hosting the Australian Para Sailing Championships as part of Sail Melbourne offers experienced and developing para sailors the highest standards of event and race management, the opportunity to compete in open fleets with mixed ability crews, national para classifications and a free coaching clinic and regatta support from Paralympic Gold Medal Coach Grant Alderson.  The event offers the same format and standards of officiating as Open Class Worlds and Para World Sailing Championships – it’s ideal for sailors preparing for World Championships overseas or seeking an equivalent experience at home,” he said.

A Para Sailing Forum, held at the Para Nationals each year, outlined changes to the international events structure as part of the 2020-2024 Para World Sailing Strategy.  While World Sailing makes every effort to have the sport reinstated in the 2028 Paralympic Sports Program, the pinnacle event for this quadrennium will be the Sailing World Championships in The Hague in 2022.  The Para World Sailing Classes (2.4mR, Hansa 303 and RS Venture) will compete as open fleets alongside all the Olympic classes.  Additional Para World Sailing Championships are being scheduled at other times in conjunction with Open Class World Championships and also for sailors with intellectual disability, blind fleet and match racing, and for sailors who are deaf or hearing impaired.

“The Australian Para Sailing Championships are an important part of providing competitive pathways for sailors with a wide range of physical, sensory and intellectual disabilities.  We are grateful to Sail Melbourne, its partner clubs and the race management volunteers and officials for enabling this to happen,” said Staley.

To view all the 2020 Sail Melbourne results – click here 

For more information about para sailing in Australia, email parasailing@sailing.org.au

Additional Media Information 
Australian Sailing Para Sailing Coordinator
David Staley parasailing@sailing.org.au / 0428 514 058