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Sailing
Sailing was first introduced to the Paralympic Games in 1996 as a demonstration sport, and became a medal sport for the 2000 Paralympic Games in Sydney.
Two boats have been raced at the Paralympic Games: the 2.4mR, a single-person keelboat, and the Sonar, a three-person keelboat. A third event, the two-person keelboat, will be added to the program for the Beijing Games in 2008. Because of it’s design and control, the 2.4mR was selected for single-person races. The boat’s ease of use allows for a level playing field, making tactical knowledge the dominant factor in competition.
The Sonar uses a versatile crew-friendly design that is accommodating to disabled athletes. It is used by sailors of all experience and ability levels, from the novice to international competitors. Paralympic sailing competition is open to male and female athletes in the categories for amputees, blind/visually impaired, spinal cord injured/wheelchair and cerebral palsy/brain injury/stroke. For additional information on eligibility, click on the Classification link on the left side of this page.
For more information on disabled sailing, visit:
U.S. Sailing's disabled team page - click here
International 2.4m Class Association home page - click here
http://www.sailingalternatives.org/
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