The 2023 Allianz World Sailing Championships, The Hague, is already a landmark moment for Para Sailing as the first edition to feature Para events, but it will also be the first time that World Sailing will host a Para Sailing Development Program (PDP) at the event.

The PDP will bring together coaches, classes and those directly involved in the sport to share experience, new training methods and philosophies behind developing Para Sailing with visiting sailors – expected to total 23 athletes from eight countries.

Leading the program in The Netherlands will be World Sailing’s Para Sailing Manager Hannah Stodel, alongside Matt Grier, Project Director at the Andrew Cassell Foundation, and RS Venture Connect Class Manager, Christoffel van Hees.

Building Pathways

A four-time Paralympian, Hannah says that ever since she started sailing at the age of three the sport has given her the freedom to leave her disability on the shore. Now, as Para Sailing Manager with World Sailing, she is in a position to move the sport forwards for others.

She says, “I’m really looking forward to working with the developing nations to start new pathways and to rebuild the sport. It’s such an exciting time for me being able to take this new role in what is hopefully an inclusive and exciting direction for Para Sailing.

“I’m also excited to have the ability to give back some coaching and knowledge that I have learned over my many years as a Para Sailor, as well as supporting the Para Sailing community again.”

Matt Grier, a coach since 1999 who has worked with national Topper and Laser squads through the RYA Youth and Junior Programme and British Sailing Team, shares this goal for the sport.

“I’m really looking froward to driving and pushing Para Sailing forwards – we have an amazing opportunity to start rebuilding the sport as well as creating new and exciting pathways within the overall strategy.

“I really enjoy working with people and I’m also excited to have the ability to give back some knowledge and support, as well as supporting the Para Sailing community again,” he says.

Developing the sport

The PDP is an integral component of World Sailing’s mission to build a solid global base for the sport. The four-day course will share effective methods for training first-time para sailors, including practical sessions on the water, classification, anti-doping, and ways to develop the sport worldwide.

“The PDP is really a perfect guideline for developing Para Sailing,” says Christoffel van Hees. “Regardless of whether Para Sailing returns to the Paralympic Program, our sport has to have a solid base within the sailing communities all over the world.”

Matt adds, “I think the PDP supports the emerging nations to grow the sport in a more regional way, enabling the longer–term sustainability of the sport. The value of the PDP helps with sharing knowledge across emerging nations and teams running independently from their national federation, and dealing with the challenges that there are in the world making the sport more accessible.”

All three coaches share the belief that the PDP is vital for the growth of the sport around the world and the development of Para Sailing in each region.

Hannah says, “I think the PDP is really the backbone of what I hope will be a new strategy to move the sport forward. I see it as the platform to create pathways and structure that is repeatable the world over allowing us to sustainably grow the sport we all love.”

More than medals

Success for the PDP is not just measured by medals and podium positions but by facilitating the creation of regional hubs around the world and building a sustainable calendar of competition and inclusion.

Hannah agrees. “Success looks like more PDPs around the world. Sailing is a sport that is inclusive and open to everyone. For the 2023 Allianz Sailing World Championships, The Hague, in particular, of course, I would also like to see some of the PDP participants on the podium, but if I can see the PDP repeated every year, as well as more and more events organised, then it will have been a success regardless,” she says.

“The PDP can help more people to get into sailing at club level, first of all, and from that base steadily growing, the number of clubs offering Para racing will increase. This development must include more members and countries each year – expanding over the years with strong roots in the local sailing communities so people will see the impact for themselves and begin to join as a sailor or as a volunteer. Seeing is believing,” Christoffel explains.

Matt adds, “Ultimately the PDP is the future of Para Sailing. I would love to see the creation of pathways and opportunities from the countries that attend the PDP. If the attending nations develop their own internal pathways, projects and opportunities that are equivalent to the able-bodied programmes and get more and more Para Sailors on the water, then we will have succeeded.”

Further PDPs are scheduled for Poland in September, Singapore in October and Italy in November. For more information about Para Sailing Development, please visit the World Sailing website.