14
ATHLETE SPOTLIGHT:
ELIGIBILITY
Sarah Skeels, not only a Professor at Brown University, but also an elite athlete with clear talent for sailing. According to Robie Pierce, a fellow sailor, “She has pedaled a hand-cycle across this country, achieved a Master degree, married Brian Skeels, mothered her six-year-old daughter Ellie, managed ski programs, and contended in four Paralympic sailing trials, —all from a wheelchair. She always has a smile on her face and she’s always ready to give to the disabilities community.” Sarah is clearly an ambitious and accomplished woman. She was a collegiate swimmer at the University of Virginia and then became a triathlon athlete.
“You can’t control the wind, but you can always adjust your sails.” -Sarah Skeels
While training for a triathlon in 1990, Sarah was in a biking accident, and according to her, has been “exploring life from a wheelchair since.” Continuing her love of sport, Sarah began sailing in 1994. It wasn’t until 1997 that Sarah started racing, and she quickly adapted to various types of boats. She and her former teammate, Bob Jones, were resilient and dedicated to their training. Their hard work paid off when they finished seventh at the Worlds and second at the Nationals in 2008. Lack of time to train a new partner kept Sarah from competing in the 2012 Paralympic Games, but do Not be surprised if you see her in Rio for the 2016 Olympic Games. Sarah has taught us that physical impairment is only a disability if one chooses to let the word define him or her.
According to the Disabled Sailing Association of British Columbia, sailing is “one of the fastest-growing sports for people with a disability.” There are opportunities for those who want to race competitively or simply want to relax on the water. Whether a child, teenager, college student, adult, or elder; whether a person with a visual impairment, physical impairment, or psychological diagnoses; or whether someone with a spinal cord injury with no movement below the neck, sailing is the right sport for you!
SARAH SKEELS
RULES
All the rules are the same for both able-bodied and adaptive sailing with a similar classification system as in other adaptive sports. The person in the back of the boat must be a 1 or 2 (i.e. quadriplegic), while the person in the front can be between 1-7 (i.e. 7 being a below the knee amputee).
DIVISIONS
Discipline Class Gender
One Person Keelboat 2.4 m Open
One Person Keelboat 2.4 One Design (Norlin Mk3) Open
Two Person Keelboat SKUD 18 Female + (Male or Female)
Three Person Keelboat Sonar Open 3 Person
Three Person Keelboat Sonar Open 3 Person + Reserve
FEATURED BOAT:
LORD NELSON
Tall Ship Lord Nelson was the world’s first boat designed to have both able-bodied and people with physical disabilities sail together. Two ships were built in 1986 and 36,000 people have sailed on them since. The ships include: “wide flat decks for ease of movement around the ship, wheel chair lifts between deck levels, a hearing hoop, a speaking compass when required and hydraulic power assisted steering to enable people with limited strength or mobility to experience the thrill of steering a large sailing ship.” Lord Nelson sails all around the world.