During IPC Vice President's visit
The 2026 World Sailing Inclusion Championships in Portimão, Portugal, showcased the growing strength, diversity and international reach of Para Inclusive sailing, bringing together athletes from across the globe for a celebration of inclusive sport.
Among those attending was International Paralympic Committee (IPC) First Vice President Leila Marques Mota PLY, who visited the Championships on the final day to watch racing, meet athletes and hear first-hand how sailing has transformed their lives.
With more than 220 athletes representing 40 nations, the World Sailing Inclusion Championships marked another important milestone in World Sailing's continued investment in Para Inclusive sailing, as the federation pursues its ambition of reinstatement at the Brisbane 2032 Paralympic Games.
Marques Mota, a former Paralympic swimmer from Portugal, spent time on the water watching racing, and speaking with athletes and their teams, reflecting on the opportunities sport can create for people with disabilities.
"We can see that this is a high-profile event, with lots of athletes and lots of countries involved," she said.
The experience carried particular personal significance, bringing back memories of her own journey through Paralympic sport.
"Hearing the stories from our athletes here in sailing is very good for me because it reminds me of my days as a swimmer, as a Paralympic swimmer, and the importance that sport had in my life.
"Growing up with a disability was much easier through sport."
Marques Mota was particularly struck by the stories of sailors who had found greater confidence, happiness and opportunity through sport, recognising parallels with her own experiences as a Paralympic athlete.
"I have seen some very extraordinary examples today of people coming to sport through sailing and feeling that they can showcase their abilities, making sure that sport has an impact on their lives and makes their lives better and happier."
A global platform for growth and development
The World Sailing Inclusion Championships have become a central pillar of World Sailing's strategy to expand Para Inclusive sailing, combining high-performance competition with development opportunities designed to support emerging nations.
Across the week, athletes competed in a broad range of disciplines, including racing for sailors with physical, visual and intellectual impairments. Established classes such as the Hansa 303 and 2.4mR featured alongside newer formats, with seated wingfoiling among the disciplines being tested.
World Sailing CEO David Graham described the event as evidence of the sport's growing momentum.
"The event, as we've seen here, is extremely popular. We've got 40 countries here, and it was World Sailing's initiative to make it an inclusive championships, and that's what we've done.
"The vision of it is just going to get bigger and stronger. We're testing new disciplines, and it's been a phenomenal week."
That growth is underpinned by World Sailing's Inclusive Development Programme (IDP), which provides coaching, training and international competition opportunities for sailors and nations seeking to establish or strengthen their para inclusive sailing pathways.
Development activities in the Caribbean and India, together with a dedicated programme ahead of the Championships, have helped introduce more nations to competitive sailing.
Support from The America's Cup has also contributed to the programme, helping fund coaching and travel grants for emerging nations.
The event also highlighted the importance of strong local partnerships, with organisers Vela Solidária and volunteers delivering an event that combined competitive racing with an inclusive and welcoming environment.
Building the case for Brisbane
Beyond the sporting achievements, the World Sailing Inclusion Championships provided another opportunity for World Sailing to demonstrate the progress of the sport as it seeks a return to the Paralympic programme for Brisbane 2032.
Sailing last featured at the Paralympic Games in Rio 2016. World Sailing has submitted its bid for reinstatement, supported by increased international participation, an expanding competition calendar, investment in development and work to strengthen classification and sporting governance.
Marques Mota’s visit offered a valuable opportunity to share the experiences of athletes and the inclusive nature of the World Sailing Inclusion Championships, while the decision on Paralympic reinstatement remains with the IPC.
Graham stressed that, whatever the outcome, para inclusive sailing remains a fundamental part of World Sailing's future.
"It is part of our community, and whether we get back into the Paralympic Games or not, it's always going to be part of our community.
"We've invested heavily in this, and we'll continue to invest.”
Acknowledging that the final decision rests with the IPC, Graham expressed confidence in the progress made and the strength of World Sailing's preparations for reinstatement.
"It's a decision made by the IPC Board, and they've got a difficult decision to make across all sports.
"But what I am confident about is that the community, the volunteers, World Sailing, the World Sailing staff, the Board members, we couldn't have done any more.
"We've put a lot of resource into it, and we're ready. We're ready to get back in.
"We'll be a clean sport if we go back in. We're ready on classification. We're ready on anti-doping. We've got the numbers. We've got the integrity of the racing.
"Should we be lucky enough to be invited back into the Paralympic Games, the sailing community is ready."
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