Special build-up continues

SAILING/Weekly Column: The planning of next year's Special Olympics World Games carried on earlier this week as details for the Sailing event were released. The week-long regatta will be staged in Dun Laoghaire at the end of June by the Royal St George Yacht Club, just ahead of the Admiral's Cup in its first move from Cowes.

The contrast between the two events is significant and is a detail not un-noticed by the new president of the Irish Sailing Association. John Crebbin spoke of the ISA's pride that the sport was, in fact, inclusive to the point where it could make such participation possible.

Actually proving that the sport is accessible negates the widely held view that it is an aloof and distant occupation, limited to a privileged minority.

About 80 or so special athletes and their helpers will take part next year. Each is streamed into one of four categories according to ability ranging from crewing on board to actually solo helming.

Within each group, individuals are assessed for their ability along a standard course and gold, silver and bronze medals are duly awarded. Under the spirit of the games, "everyone is a winner" applies and the event becomes a competition of participation.

Boats for the event will be two-person Squibs, loaned by the local fleet in Howth and a huge panel of volunteers have been quick to loan their services.

However, it is not simply the Special Olympians who have been challenging former images of the sport.

Last November, Feargal Kinsella proved that the physically disabled can sail alongside their able-bodied rivals to the extent that he won the prestigious champion of champions event in Howth.

Nor was his victory a one-off occurrence.

Prior to Kinsella's rise to prominence, Kinsale's John Twomey and his crew competed with distinction at the Paralympic Games in 2000.

Under the new system being introduced for Cork Week this summer to determine overall winner's from the combined fleet of hundreds of boats, a retrospective test-run on the previous event placed Twomey's Sonar "Cool Runnings Too" in the top six overall.

Another issue is that of women's participation. It is almost 20 years since the last yacht club in Ireland dismissed its misogynistic rule banning lady members, welcomed at the time only by a deafening, begrudging silence.

These days, Ireland's highest ranked international sailor is Maria Coleman, while Ellen MacArthur's adventures in the Vendee Globe resulted in her becoming Britain's second-best recognised sporting personality, next only to David Beckham.

Still, such instances remain examples of what is possible; considerable work, on-going in most cases, is needed before access of this type becomes the norm rather than the exception.

Nevertheless, next year, as the Special Olympians parade for their regatta, they will be as equal as standard-bearers for their sport as the crews of the Admiral's Cup teams that follow in their wake.

HOWTH YC Wednesday Series - Class 1 IRC: 1 Megawat (P Watson); 2 Miss Tuttles (C Boyle); 3 X Rated (D Turner); Class 1 ECHO: 1 Trinculo (M Fleming); 2 Miss Tuttles; 3 Shindig (A Knowles); Class 2 IRC: 1 DUX (A Gore Grimes); 2 Toughnut (D Skehan); 3 Dochas (J Molohan); Class 2 ECHO: 1 DUX; 2 Tiara (J Derham); 3 Cochise (D Hunt); Class 3 IRC: 1 Tantrum Two (R Klimcke); 2 Gunsmoke (Smyth & Dillon); 3 Drumbeat (F Magann); Class 3 ECHO: 1 Tantrum Two; 2 Gunsmoke; 3 Drumbeat (F Magann); Class 4 IRC: 1 Marie Claire (S McCormack); 2 Impression (B & C Smith). Class 4 ECHO: 1 Marie Claire; 2 Impression.

HYC Tuesday Series - Puppeteer SCRATCH: 1 Snow Goose (K and D Lovegrove); 2 Harliquin (D Clarke); 3 Mayfly (A Sargent); Puppeteer ECHO: 1 Snow Goose; 2 Gannet (T Chillingworth); 3 Apollo (D Patton); Shipman SCRATCH: 1 Selskar (Finlay & Kelly); 2 Fag an Bealach (P Madigan); 3 Ban Eile (H Hines); Squib SCRATCH: 1 Gizmo (D Sargent); 2 Aurora (P Byrne); 3 Roxanne (R Cassidy); Squib ECHO: 1 Gizmo; 2 Aurora; 3 Roxanne;

Tuesday and Saturday Series 1 (RACE) 17 Foot SCRATCH: 1 Gladys (Cronin); 2 Rita (Lynch & Curley); 3 Aura (I Malcolm); 17 Foot ECHO: 1 Deilginis (Cruise); 2 Eileen (M Lynch); 3 Aura; Dublin Port DBSC Tuesday Series; Cruisers 1 (ECHO): 1 Thalia (Lemass & Tennyson); 2 Jabberwocky (T Costello); Cruisers 2 (ECHO): 1 Albireo (M Murphy); 2 Bendemeer (G Kinsella); 3 Jasmin II (P Smith); Cruisers 3 (ECHO): 1 Two Step (R Doyle); 2 Huggy Bear (Doyle & Byrne ); 3 Asterix (Counihan & Meredith); Cruisers 4 (ECHO): 1 Pan-Ash (Toale & Byrne); 2 Aslana (Mulkeen & Martin); 3 Jagged (R & B Rutledge); Glen: 1 Glendun (Freedman/Denham/Stewart); 2 Glengesh (B Power); Ruffian 23: 1 Tango (Byrne/Quigley/Murray); 2 Papillon (Walsh & Guilfoyle); 3 Tiger (J O'Neill); Sigma 33: 1 Meltemi (Leyden & Leahy); 2 Blue Peregrine (McDonald & Wright); 3 White Mischief (T Goodbody). All results provisional.