Freedom. . Reproduced courtesy Newcastle Herald. Tom Dow, then and now, part of Sailability s story

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1 Freedom Issue /2016 The annual newsmagazine of Sailability Australia With contributions from state and territory Sailability Associations, their Sailability programs, their members, the National Sailability Committee of Yachting Australia and Yachting Australia Our story: Special Issue 21st Anniversary Sailability Australia:. Reproduced courtesy Newcastle Herald. Tom Dow, then and now, part of Sailability s story SAILING TO CELEBRATE: Hansa 2.3 turns 23 OVERCOMING DISABILITY: SA s Ian Rick discovers Sailability, awarded for service PEACE CUP REGATTA : SKUD 18s debut in Hiroshima for Sailability Japan READY TO PARTY: Sailability NSW notches up 20 years of service to sailing

2 Guest helmsman s message Your Chairman, Neil Anderson, has kindly handed the tiller (or should that be joystick?) to me on the occasion of Sailability Australia s 21st anniversary so that I can pay tribute to this remarkable movement. Sailability Australia and Yachting Australia have a relationship that goes back 21 years. In 1994, the State Yachting Associations met and agreed to establish a national committee that would help facilitate the building up of Sailability in this country. In the ensuing years the broader Sailability network has done a fantastic job of getting many thousands of people with a disability out on the water. This has been made possible through the dedication, passion and commitment of the volunteers who give their time at the scores of programs located throughout the country. The leadership and support of this committee and the underpinning State Sailability committees has also been extremely valuable during this time. Yachting Australia looks forward to continuing to support Sailability and the wider club network in maximising the opportunities for all people to be a part of the wonderful sport of sailing. This could include participating on the water, volunteering, administering, coaching and leading the sport. On behalf of the Yachting Australia Board, I congratulate Sailability and everyone involved on this milestone and thank all those who have contributed to the growth of this inspirational programme over the past two decades around the country. Enjoy the wonderful stories and articles contained in this edition of Freedom. Matt Carroll AM CEO Yachting Australia Freedom Published December 2015 Editor, Copy, Design, Production, Distribution, Graeme Adam graemeadam1@bigpond.com. Freedom - The Newsmagazine - is published annually in print and electronic form. Freedom updates published electronically. Distribution to all Sailability branches and through them all members, to yacht clubs via state yachting associations. Sailability s year in pictures Spirited sailing competition, friendships renewed and side-splitting comedy was on the menu at the Hansa rd Birthday Regatta and Dinner held in September. The venue was just a stone s throw from Nowra NSW, where Hansa Sailcraft are made. The 2.3 was first produced in 1992, and currently there are s sailing in the world. The Regatta was run with the support of Sailability NSW, Pic and info courtesy Valley Standard Hansa 2.3 turns 23: party and regatta to celebrate Hansa Sailing Systems, Sailing for Everyone Foundation, Sailability Shoalhaven and Nowra Sailing Club. 40 sailors came from NSW, ACT, SA and Victoria. 30 Hansa 2.3s took to the water over the two days. Saturday evening, 80 guests enjoyed a birthday party dinner. Hero of the evening was Hansa founder, Chris Mitchell. He joined Jackie Kay for the cutting of the birthday cake. Sam s the man for Sailability Yachting Victoria's Sam Watson has transitioned to the role of Inclusion Manager. Sam will continue his focus on bringing new audiences to sailing as well as helping clubs to be even more inclusive. I look forward to working very closely with our members clubs and especially Victoria s 24 Sailability programs, says Sam, who took over the Sailability portfolio from Sarah Ogilvie who had been Sailability Coordinator since Sailability Japan and SKUD 18 Sailability Japan s biggest mission this year was for Sailability Hiroshima to begin a sail training program with two SKUD 18s, imported from Australia with support of Hansa Saiing Systems. According to Nobi Nishii, President of Sailability Japan, the launch of the SKUDS in September was a great day. We also had our annual Peace Cup Regatta. We are sad that sailing dropped from 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, but we look forward to developing competition. Volunteer receives award Murray Bridge (SA) man Ian Rick, seen here with wife Rosie, has received the Jude Harris Encouragement Award from Sailability South Australia in recognition of his enormous contribution to sailing. After years of overcoming his own disability from a sawmilling accident, Ian join Sailability South Australia and later the Goolwa Sailability Program. "We teach disabled people how to read the wind, the water, the clouds and we teach them what to look for.to see the expressions on their faces when they become the skipper and we are the crew is great." 2

3 Cover Tom Dow: part of Sailability s story Tom Dow s love affair with sailing closely follows that of Sailability over the last two decades. (Sailability was formed in 1994.) Tom, as a 10 year old, was first on the water in 1996 (that s Tom on the cover then, and in the picture above, in October, still enjoying himself!). And his sailing family, Sailability at Belmont 16 foot Sailing Club, near Newcastle NSW is still where he enjoys true freedom on the water. Tom has been a keen participant for almost 20 years. Tom, 29, suffers from Leigh s Disease, a rare degenerative neurological disorder. It affects his fine and gross motor skills, and his speech. Tom has been in a wheelchair since he was 5 years of age but this has not stopped him from living life to the fullest. He loves a challenge. Tom started sailing when Kevin Buxton and Bert Reay were establishing Sailability at Belmont. He sailed weekly with the Hunter Orthopaedic School students and later competed in almost every regatta and was a very fierce and determined sailor. Tom s fearless approach to life and sport has meant that his sailing has not been without incident. Father Terry remembers that Tom has been thrown out of the boat twice and despite wearing a life jacket nearly drowned on both occasions. Did this dampen his enthusiasm? Not one little bit. Despite a temporary hiatus to work out how to avoid drowning while sailing, Tom has returned to the water with his usual commitment. He is now sailing a single 203 and doing quite well. His dad, Terry, promised him that they would sail together in a 303 in the next regatta. All this would not be possible without the Sailability Belmont volunteers. Other activities include three tandem sky-dives, snow skiing, wheelchair football, being a passenger in a V8 Supercar, a flying fox ride in the tree tops and board surfing! Courtesy Peter Muhlblock Special Olympics Australia Our girls shine at Special Olympics Sailability Crystal Bay s Alyse Saxby (right) has again won a Gold medal in the Special Olympic World Games In Los Angeles in August. She teamed up with Melissa Nelson (left) from Sailability Port Stephens to win level 3 with on-board coach Chris Ruston (Qld All Australian competitors won medals. Level 5 requires a single athlete to sail alone and unassisted. The boat used for this was the Laser 4.7. Australia blitzed this with Allister Peek (Gold) and Bronwyn Ponder( Silver) both from Sailability ACT, repeating their dominant effort from Greece Sonja Gilmore from Queensland achieved silver in division 2, level 1, with on-board unified partner, Greg Williams responsible for steering. Jacob Williams from Queensland achieved silver in level 3 division 2. with on-board unified partner, Ben Fitzpatrick responsible for sail trim. Special Olympics is an international movement promoting sport for people with intellectual disabilities. (Melissa and Alyse were finalists in YA Awards - see p 6) Tracey Odiam new President Sailability WA Tracy Odiam became a paraplegic, after a motorbike accident several years ago. Tracy is the new President of Sailability WA. A friend brought Tracy in a wheelchair to the Sailability program to get her out of the house and she learnt to sail in the double 303 dinghies, progressing to owning her own Hansa Liberty single-handed racing dinghy. She has competed nationally and regularly competes in club racing at Royal Perth Yacht Club. Tracy has been active as a volunteer skipper and committee member and has now stepped up to the President s position, taking over from Graham Martin who served in this position for several years. Tracy is a shining example of what Sailability programs can do to transform people s lives. 3 Australian Sailing Team & support staff. Photo: Bernie Kaaks Nine months out from the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, the Australian Sailing Team is looking strong after securing 3 medals at the 2015 Para Worlds in Melbourne (28 November 3 December) and winning the Nation s Cup as the most successful country for the second time in a row. Gold, Silver, Bronze for Australian Sailing Team On the final day of the event, Australian Sailing s Sonar Team of Paralympians Colin Harris (WA), Jonathan Harris (NSW) and Russell Boaden (WA) won the silver medal with only one point separating the team from the winning British crew. With this result they moved up one place from their bronze medal last year. Paralympian Matt Bugg (TAS) took home the bronze in another nail-biting final in the 2.4mR class, winning his first World Championship medal Paralympic SKUD18 gold medallists NSW s Dan Fitzgibbon and Liesl Tesch defended their World Championship title after winning the 2015 Para World Sailing Championships on the penultimate day with an unassailable lead. Then, they wrapped it all up with another win in the final race, completing a dominant series winning eight out of eleven races. This World Championship win completes an unbeaten run for Fitzgibbon and Tesch since Australian Sailing Squad s SKUD18 crew of Ame Barnbrook (NSW) and Brett Pearce (NSW) completed the regatta with a strong result of sixth overall, while 2.4mR sailor Neil Patterson (TAS) finished in 25th. Australia already secured Rio 2016 country qualification for all three Paralympic boat classes at last year s Para World Sailing World Championships

4 Happy 21st Birthday - History was made 21 years ago. In 1994, the Australian Yachting Federation (AYF, now Yachting Australia) and State/Territory Yachting Associations agreed to establish a national disabled sailing network. That year, the AYF formed Sailability Australia (now the National Sailability Committee, NSC). Subsequently, all Yachting Associations formed State/Territory Sailability Committees. These State/Territory committees were later replaced by incorporated associations. 2013: Sailability Australia National Conference, ACT Below: Four of Sailability Australia s leaders: Dr Phil Vardy, Kay Cottee, Bruce Dickson, Neil Anderson. Phil later became Vice-President of the International Association for Disabled Sailing. Resilient national, state and local Sailability network Victoria: Created in : 24 programs The first Sailability operation in Australia actually preceded the creation of Sailability Australia by three years. Sailability Victoria was established by the Victorian Yachting Council in By year 2000, Sailability Victoria had been incorporated as a not-for-profit charitable organisation while continuing to operate as a committee of Yachting Victoria. At that time Yachting Victoria provided a part-time Sailability Coordinator and a mobile unit of four Access (Hansa) Boats and a safety RHIB supporting four Sailability programs and delivering pilot programs at other locations. Sailability Victoria amalgamated with Sailing for Everyone in 2003, including an additional four programs. According to Sailability Victoria President David Staley, From this small beginning, we have now grown to 24 programs around the State, offering sailing experiences In the early 1990s, Australians were inspired by the pioneering work of Sailability UK.. Subsequently, medical practitioner Dr Alan Rose founded Sailability Australia as a program of the Victorian Yachting Council. Quite independently, NSW scientist Dr Phil Vardy conceived the idea of disabled sailors contesting the Sydney-Hobart yacht race, which became Sailors with disabilities (SWD). In 1994, the Australian Yachting Federation (AYF, now Yachting Australia) and the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) convened a conference at VYC. The conference recommended that AYF establish Sailability Australia as a national committee, and that each Yachting Association (YA) establish a State/Territory Sailability Committee. Subsequently, Sailability Australia became the National Sailability Committee and State/Territory Sailability Committees were dissolved in favour of incorporated Sailability associations. Phil Vardy was appointed Chairman of Sailability and later National Sailability Coordinator. In order to undertake a 1996 Winston Churchill Fellowship, Vardy ceded the chairmanship to Sailability Australia patron Kay Cottee AO. The chairmanship subsequently passed to former AYF president Bruce Dickson AM and, in 2012, to former Sailability NSW president Neil Anderson. Members of the National Sailability Committee are nominated by Yachting Associations. Two delegates co-opted by Yachting Australia. The committee meets at least once a year, facilitated by YA, providing the opportunity to exchange valuable ideas and experience, and to collaborate on useful initiatives such as the Towards a National Approach Report, the YA/ASC supported National Sailability Conference, the Inclusive Club Standard (YVic), stronger Sailability presence on YA websites and an annual newsmagazine. There are now some 76 Sailability programs operating across Australia. According to Neil Anderson, the success is a combination of collaboration between programs, and the efforts of hundreds of volunteers at local sailing clubs. Thousands of Australian's have had the joy of experiencing sailing for everyone. But above all, what drives the Sailability family is the vision to make sailing truly inclusive, so every sailing club in Australia welcomes sailors of all abilities. 1996: 2.4mRs racing on Alfred Park Lake, Melbourne. Sailability Victoria had rooms and a boatshed there to sailors of all ages, abilities and backgrounds, enabling them to become involved in sailing at their local sailing club. Campbell Rose, Executive Director of Victorian Yachting Council was the person responsible for bringing Sailability to Australia back in In the late nineties, Peter (Donno) Donaldson would go around sailing clubs with a trailer-load of Access boats showing them how to set up a Sailability program and this is how I became involved. So many people have contributed as office bearers and at the program level Murray Mitchelhill, Charles Weatherly, Marilyn Morley, Bruce James, Graeme Lyell, Keith Bolton. I took over from Donno for a while in 2000, stayed on as Secretary till 2010 and then President in Sailability Victoria s story is marked by its progressive and innovative approach. Long before the Australian Sports Commission was pushing sailing clubs to make sailors with a disability more welcome, Sailability Victoria and Yachting Victoria were collaborating to make the sport of sailing more inclusive. The high level of cooperation and communication between Yachting Victoria and Sailability Victoria has strengthened both organisations and driven a high level of activity. Double Celebration! Sailability NSW also celebrates its 20th Anniversary. See page 7. 4

5 Sailability Australia! 5 Queensland: started : 12 programs 2007: volunteers and sailors at Sailability Gold Coast After some early experiments in the late 50s, involving two big-hearted medicos Drs Stratton and Sivyer and their patients, Sailability Queensland first sprang into life at Southport Yacht Club in A legendary character, the late Wyn Treasure was the driving force. Wyn, who later became president of AYF, established Sailability Gold Coast at the club. Wyn s widow Marion recently arranged for the doctors see the results of their early initiative. They were amazed. Sailability Qld was incorporated in August 1999 under the presidency of Wyn with the support of Yachting Qld. Sunshine Coast started, then Sailability Bayside and now there are 12! One early win was with Mission Employment to have the Work for the Dole scheme build the first two 7.5 m Salvo Yachts Freedom and Spirit. According to current President Moe Turaga, Sailability Queensland has adopted a broad-brush approach, built on the reality that a huge percentage of folk with disabilities are much more comfortable in a recreational setting. Over our 16 years, we have encouraged many people to improve their quality of life and some to achieve levels of activity and skills above and beyond their own, and their carer s and their families, expectations. Quite a few of our protégés have gone on to win awards at local and international levels. To us, the volunteers, these are special rewards. South Australia: Started: Six programs 2003: Access 303 s at Sailability Goolwa Regatta Sailing Club for state regatta In March, 1986, seven enthusiastic sailors met to form a Yachting SA - Sailability sub-committee. Amongst them were Deidre and Bob Schahinger, who are still SSA committee members.. SSA trialled a Learn to Sail course for nine people with an intellectual disability on 32 foot yacht. In 1996, SA s first Access 2.3 Dingo sailed fan-forced in an above-ground pool at Adelaide Boat Show. There was a big leap forward in 1998 with Adelaide Sailing Club and Port Adelaide Sailing Club taking on Sailability and the inaugural meeting of Sailability SA Incorporated. By 1999, there was a Sailability Program running at Goolwa. In 2013, Sailability Murray Bridge started. The first Sailability Regatta was held at Port Adelaide Sailing Club in 2000 and the first Access Nationals were held in SA at Adelaide Sailing Club in According to Sailability SA President, John Johnston, who was appointed in 2003, Our greatest strengths are our volunteers, and the way we operate out of established sailing clubs. We are also proud of our high standards in both equipment and skills. West Australia: started : Three programs 2004: Early example of accessible pontoon for Sailability, Royal Perth Yacht Club Sailability WA officially began after the Gold Medal success of WA crew of Robins, Dunross and Martin at the Sydney 2000 Paralympics. Royal Perth Yacht Club decided to develop a program for people with disabilities to participate in all Club sailing activities, from trying sailing to club racing and high performance competitions. According to Graham White, one of the original establishment group: Sailing for those with a disability is a mainstream Club activity as evident in the wardroom after racing when there are numerous wheelchairs, blind dogs and other support equipment. Since 2000, with the strong support of Yachting WA, the network has grown to four major yacht clubs which run Sailability programs, two in Perth and two in south-west WA. SWA is distinguished by the way Sailability at RPYC has secured sponsorships from major corporations, providing world-class facilities and training. According to Tracey Odiam, SWA President, Over our 15 years, Sailability WA members have achieved success at national and international level including Paralympics & world championships. We have also benefited from the fact that RPYC has been generous in acting as mentor, helping other clubs set up sound Sailability programs. SWA also has the advantage of having our own paid Sailability Coordinator, Ann Hodgkinson. Tasmania: started : Three programs Since 2003, Sailability Tasmania volunteers have treated guests to a sail on a Payne 24 It started in 1998, with just one secondhand 2.3 Access, Sailability began in Tasmania in Launceston. A Yachting Tasmania Committee was set up and ST was incorporated in April 1999 with programs in Hobart and Launceston. In 2001, three Payne 24 yachts were built under a Work for the Dole project sponsored by Mission Australia. Willing Sailability volunteers with boat building experience provided guidance & training. Sailability at Wynyard Yacht Club came on board in According to Sailability Tasmania president Rod Viney, for a small state, Tassie punches above it weight. Over 3000 people participate through the year across three programs, using a combined fleet of 000 craft. With Sailability, Derwent Sailing Squadron conducted the inaugural Hansa Class State Championship series in March The National Hansa Titles were held in Hobart in Sailability Tassie sailing activities are highly visible and attract regular media attention. The majority of participants are drawn from various disability support organisations and are taken out to enjoy a two hour sailing experience. There are a number of people with disabilities who have become members of Sailability and sail regularly, casually or competitively. Sailability ACT, go to page 6

6 2015 Sailor of the Year with a Disability goes to.. Daniel and Liesel (seen here at the Melbourne 2015 Para Worlds). This the third award in their own right. Liesel is Patron of Sailability NSW. Daniel Fitzgibbon and Liesl Tesch have won the Yachting Australia award for Sailor of the Year with a Disability for wins in the Skud 18. Other finalists were: Australian Hansa 2.3 Class Champion and Special Olympic World Summer Games gold medallist in the Laser 4.7 Allister Peek; and Special Olympic World Summer Games gold medallists Alyse Saxby and Melissa Nelson in the Level 3 Cal 20; World Cup winner and silver medallist in the International 2.4m class Matt Bugg; Paralympic Champs, World Cup winners and silver medallists in the Sonar Colin Harrison, Jonathan Harris and Russell Boaden. Shared history: Hansa and Sailability News in Brief SNSW 20th Anniversary Celebrations Sailability NSW turns 20 this year (see story opposite). And this happy band of sailors and volunteers will be celebrating their many achievements with a double header event on the weekend of Feb. There will be a Sailability NSW Presidents Cup and a Birthday Dinner. More details to come. 1997: Chris lends a hand at NSW Access Championships on Lake Chipping Norton, Sydney. Shane the Brain in background. In 1994 Campbell Rose, then Executive Director of the VYC (now Yachting Victoria) chaired a conference to establish a national Sailability movement. A young Chris Mitchell was there by invitation to demonstrate the Pee Wee (later Access, later Hansa) single and wide seat 2.3m dinghies. Chris recalls those heady days: A scientist and paraplegic, Dr Phil Vardy was there, saw the vision and was appointed national Sailability chair and coordinator. In those early years Sailability NSW (later other state Sailability associations) had a very close relationship with Access/Hansa Sailing, a symbiotic relationship where we designed and built the boats and equipment of universal design which can be handled by everyone. Sailability created the universal environment, the clubs and programs which were open to anyone, and encouraged independence, equality, and competition. Hansa Sailing is still on that path and developing it further as the world realizes that the best we can offer disabled people is inclusion and equality. And many mainstream sailing clubs are looking at ways to become more inclusive. Hansa sailcraft are now sold in 32 countries and are recognised as a class by ISAF. In Australia, in the 76 Sailability programs, there are some 800 Hansa craft in operation. They are truly standard equipment across the Sailability network. First INAS International Sailing Chps This event, for sailors with an intellectual disability are being hosted by Docklands Yacht Club in Melbourne, January Sailing will be on Melbourne s spectacular Victoria Harbour. 100 competitors from 6 nations are expected Four days of fleet races will be conducted in three divisions, :Single person in Hansa 2.3 class, Two person in the Hansa 303 class, Two person in Hansa 303 class Friendship Games Strong friendships and ongoing exchanges with Sailability groups in Japan have been a regular occurrence culminating in the Friendship Cup to be held at Lake Tuggeranong on November 26 & 27 next year when it is expected around 32 Japanese sailors will visit. Sailability ACT will be hosted this unique event. Contact Terry. Happy Birthday, Sailability Australia - continued from page 5 ACT: started i4: One program Pic: 2009, volunteers and sailors celebrate commissioning of the new pontoon Sailability ACT was formed on Feb as a single independent club and YA Discover Sailing centre. Chair Terry Peek OAM and Treasurer Amber Stewart were on the founding Committee and have carried on to this day. What makes SACT special? Terry explains: Our sailors are regular and successful at competition, locally, nationally and internationally. Australian Hansa Class championships have been held in the ACT from 1996 to 2003 and again in The club was central to the adoption of sailing as an official sport by Special Olympics Australia. And we have strong friendships with Sailability Japan. (see next col). Success has not come easily. Early attempts at inclusion were. thwarted, it was only the help of government and the Masons that brought breakthroughs including a new home at Lake Tuggeranong. Today, there are over 30 craft, lots of sailing and a bright future. Footnote: in 1998, Terry s then teenage son Allister (intellectual disability) who, on seeing an Access demo at Lake Ginenderra, said: On Saturday, Dad, are we going sailing? The rest is history. Positive on ISAF and disability sailing Followed its first meeting of the reconstituted ISAF Disabled Sailing Committee in China in November, committee member David Staley is optimistic about the committee s work. (David is President, Sailability Victoria and Victorian delegate to the National Sailability Committee of YA.) The preferred new name is the Para World Sailing Committee (PWSC). The meeting also noted an intent to not lose focus on the broader, non-elite aspects of sport inclusion and participation. Chris Tate takes on Sailability at YA Chris Tate has taken over responsibility for Yachting Australia s liaison with Sailability Australia. Chris is YA s Education and Training Coordinator and has been involved with a not for profit organization for children with disabilities. He looks forward to working with the National Sailability Committee. 6

7 A proud tradition, over two decades, of bringing the joy of sailing to everyone Started : 27 programs 2007: the first SNSW conference, getting together to make Sailability NSW even better. In the crowd of volunteers and sailors at NSW Academy of Sport were John Price (top left rear) now NSW president, Grahme Rayner (red wheelchair), then NSW president, with Kelly-Anne Oriel to hid right and Sailability World secretary Jackie Kay to his left with Maria Dalmon, Wendy Evans and Lindsay Dalmon. SNSW legends Paul Tayler, Elizabeth Atkin, Allan Jones, Neil Anderson are behind Grahme. Dr Phil Vardy front, third from right. Hansa founder Chris Mitchell far left, your editor far right. 7 Sailability NSW originally started as a committee of the NSW Yachting Association (now Yachting NSW) chaired by businessman/yachtie/ wheelie Denis Critchley. Sailing commenced in early 1995 at Gosford. The word spread to Sydney. In May 1995, Phil Vardy, Neil Anderson, Paul Tayler and Chris Mitchell organised a Come & Try day at Dobroyd. Jackie Kay brought a group from her work at Weemelah (North Ryde Rehabilitation centre). On December 21, 1995, Sailability NSW was incorporated as an association with Sailability Gosford and Dobroyd the first branches. By end of 1996, Sailability NSW had spread to North Sydney (now Manly), Pittwater, Illawarra, Narooma, Belmont, Albury, Northern Rivers and Middle Harbour. Twenty years later, there are now 27 Sailability programs in NSW. 1996: Paul Tayler and Neil Anderson helping double amputee sailor Dale Williams in an Access 2.3, at newly formed Sailability program at Dobroyd, Sydney Sailability Australia spinnaker on a Salvo 24 sailing out of Sailability Rushcutters Bay, Phil Vardy skippering Early challenges? Neil Anderson: Convincing people that sailing was a safe sport for people with disabilities fund raising for boats taking the trailer around the state to run Come and Try Days and taking time off work to do this! The years that followed were both exciting and testing. Sailability featured on ABC-TV s Beyond 2000 at RSYS. In 1995 global solo sailor David Adams became Patron (now Paralympic sailor Liesel Tesch). The late Bluey (Ian Ryan) and Greg Mott sailed an electric Access 2.3 by themselves. In 1996, Neil Anderson became second Sailability NSW President, after Denis Critchley. In 2000, Nava George was the first ventilated quad in the world to sail solo (in an Access 303 on Sydney Harbour). Other highlights: 10 year celebration of SNSW at Rushcutters Bay in 2005, the first state and national titles staged in Canberra in 1996, Sailability wheelie Lindsay Dalmon being awarded YA s Disabled Sailor of the Year, launch of the 303 in 98 and Liberty in There was the first state conference in In 2011 Ame Barnbrook received the Sir Roden Cutler Award for outstanding sporting ability. But, according to John Price, current President of Sailability NSW, the most meaningful developments have not been the ones that make news, but the steady improvements at the grass roots. We have gone through a period of rapid growth, which has caused some problems with issues of governance, so we have tightened up our conditions of entry into the Sailability family. Growth has been solid in regional NSW and over recent years, we have achieved a good balance between physically and intellectually disabled sailors. Sailability is for everyone! Photo: Vanessa Dudley, Access Worlds, Port Phillip Bay, Victoria 2004: All wet with a happy face, Wendy Evans, member Sailability Belmont & Toronto

8 Sailability Australia 2016 The year, the major events, your state Sailability contacts, NSC delegates and websites For Hansa Class Association updates, go to find them on Facebook or contact AHCA secretary Shauna Phillips at WA Tracey Odiam Sailability WA President Graham White AM Acting NSC delegate, member RPYC Ann Hodgkinson Sailability WA Coordinator & 7 Feb Hansa Class WA State Championships As part of Argonaut mini-series. Hosted by Royal Perth Yacht Club SA and go to clubs/classes 5 6 March South Australian Sailability Championships Goolwa Regatta Sailing Club John Johnston Sailability SA President Delegate to NSC and and Life Member Port Adelaide Sailing Club johnoj4@bigpond.com Mob: Victoria David Staley President Sailability Vic Delegate to NSC and Member ISAF Disabled Sailing Committee david_staley@bigpond.com Mob: Sam Watson, Inclusion Manager, Yachting Vic sailability@yachtingvictoria.com.au January First INAS International Sailing Chps Docklands Yacht Club in Melbourne, 30 and 31st January Victorian Hansa Class Championships Latrobe Valley Yacht Club Tasmania January Tasmanian Hansa Class Championships Wynyard Yacht Club Rod Viney NSC delegate, President Sailability Tasmania, Member of Bellerive Yacht Club and Derwent Sailing Squadron r.s.viney@bigpond.com Mob: NSW John Price Sailability NSW President jkprice1@optusnet.com.au Mobile: NSC Delegate tba Russell McLaren SNSW Coordinator russellmclaren@lycos.com Mob: & 14 February NSW Hansa Class Championships Nowra Community Sailing Club 20th Anniversary Weekend 27th February Sailability NSW Presidents Cup, Dobroyd Aquatic Club, Sydney 28 February Anniversary Lunch, Le Montage, Lilyfield ACT Terry Peek NSC Delegate, Vice- Chair - Sailing, Sailability ACT, Head Coach Special Olympics Sailing Terry Peek terrypeek@bigpond.com Mob: &15 November ACT Dinghy Championships Canberra Yacht Club Lake Burley-Griffin 26 & 27 November Friendship Cup Lake Tuggeranong Canberra, ACT. With Sailability Japan. Contact Terry Peek Queensland Moe Turaga NSC Delegate, President, Sailability Queensland, PR - Sailability Bundaberg moeturaga@hotmail.com Mob: th March - 28th March (Easter) 2016 Australian Hansa Class Championships Gold Coast Sailing Club, Queensland. Co-opted members Jackie Kay AM NSC Delegate, Secretary Sailability World, Treasurer IHCA jackie@sailability.org Graeme Adam NSC delegate, PR and news editor Member Sydney Flying Squadron graemeadam1@bigpond.com Mob: Sailability Australia is the Australian arm of Sailability World comprising seven state or territory Sailability Associations and some 65 programs. Australian sailors with disabilities are represented nationally by delegates on Yachting Australia s National Sailability Committee (nominated by State yachting Associations).