Inside the 2020 - 2023 Para World Sailing Strategy - Goal #1

The Goals include:

#1 - Increase Worldwide Participation to 45 nations on 5 continents by the end of 2023
#2 - Expand Competition
#3 - Effective marketing and communications
#4 - Governance and rules

Throughout December, World Sailing will give further insight into the goals, priorities and strategies as the sport aims for inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games.

Broken down into four specific goals, the first goal is to increase worldwide participation to 45 nations on six continents by the end of 2023. Following sailing's removal from the Paralympic Sports Programme, Para World Sailing has grown with more than 32 nations participating internationally each year at numerous World Championships.

The priorities around the goal include:

- Supporting World Sailing Member National Authorities by educating personnel and encouraging them to expand their Para sailing programmes;
- Embrace and recognise the diversity of Para sailing outside of the Paralympic sphere and broaden the range of physical, sensory and intellectual disability types that participate in sailing for mainstream acceptance;
- Ensure 20% of the athletes participating in World Sailing sanctioned Para events are under 30;
- Increase women's participation by ensuring 30% of the total athletes are female with an ultimate goal of 50%;
- Identify equipment that is available, affordable, transportable and well-suited to inclusive and Para sailing programmes and ensure its availability worldwide.

By 2023, World Sailing will look to have achieved 45 nations from six continents participating in all levels of Para sailing and inclusive events.

Targets over the next few years are:

- 2020 - 40 nations on 5 continents
- 2021 - 42 nations on 5 continents
- 2022 - 44 nations on 6 continents
- 2023 - 45 nations on 6 continents

To attain these goals, World Sailing will identify key locations and personnel in each region where Para Sailing Development Programmes and Seminars can be conducted. Locations will be selected based on their existing structure and in close proximity to neighbouring nations who can be mentored and supported through the journey. To further support this, Para Sailing Development Programmes will be fully integrated into the overall World Sailing Training and Development Program, ensuring greater knowledge sharing globally.

Throughout the last 18-months, World Sailing has established closer relationships with other sports organisations such as the Invictus Games, Blind Sailing International, Virtus Sport, Special Olympics and deaf sailing organisations. To support further growth, these relationships will be nurtured and new partnerships established to further support growth.

The World Sailing Trust, World Sailing's charitable arm, will also look to support the goal by developing a project that provides a set of global Para sailing equipment in order to facilitate clinics to train more sailors and coaches who can pass on their expertise for years to come.

Finally, World Sailing will publish a list of suitable equipment and recommended Para Sailing Classes by November 2020.