Portimão welcomes record field for 2026 World Sailing Inclusion Championships

A record 222 athletes from 40 nations will take to the water in Portimão from Monday as the 2026 World Sailing Inclusion Championships bring together leading Para Inclusive sailors, established international competitors and a new generation of athletes from across the world.

Racing begins on Monday 5 October and runs through to Saturday 10 October, with medals to be decided across nine events over the six days of competition.

The 2026 event builds on the inaugural World Sailing Inclusion Championships in Oman in 2025, and continues the momentum created through World Sailing’s wider Para Inclusive programme.

World Sailing President Quanhai Li said the growth of the Championships demonstrated the progress being made across the sport.

“This is not just a regatta; it is a defining tradition for our sport,” he said at Sunday's Opening Ceremony, held at the historic riverside Antiga Lota de Portimão. “It is a powerful continuation of a movement that will shape Para and inclusive sailing for decades to come.”

“The core goal of these Championships remains clear: to celebrate ability over limitation.

“We are here to provide an elite racing platform where every sailor, regardless of physical ability, competes with visibility, purpose, and equity.”

That ambition is reflected in a championship bringing together athletes with a wide range of backgrounds, abilities and sailing experience.

For Thailand’s Tanat Upatising, Portimão is both a competitive opportunity and a chance to take new knowledge and experience back home. Upatising began sailing in 2021 and normally races the SV14 in Thailand. Portimão is his first World Sailing Inclusion Championships and his first experience racing the RS Venture Connect (Para Inclusive Two Person Keelboat).

“It’s our first time in this boat, so it’s really exciting and challenging,” he said.

Upatising took part in the Inclusive Development Programme (IDP) ahead of the Championships and said the experience had already proved valuable.

“We came for the three-day development programme, which was really helpful. We learned a lot and had the chance to get out on the water in the boat, which was great.”

He added that one of the most striking aspects of the event had been seeing sailors with different abilities competing together.

“It’s amazing to see people with so many different abilities here. It was the first time I had seen vision impaired sailors sailing a boat, and it was amazing.”

There is no shortage of competitive ambition too.

“There are 28 teams, so we’re hoping we can finish at least in the top five. Top three would be nice!”

But for Upatising, the importance of the week goes beyond the final results.

“There are a lot of things I want to take back home, but we have to start somewhere. I hope we can take what we’ve learned here back to Thailand and keep building, so that we can grow from an emerging nation into something more.”

The Championships also form an important part of World Sailing’s wider campaign for sailing to return to the Paralympic programme at Brisbane 2032.

President Li said every race in Portimão would help demonstrate the strength and potential of Para Inclusive sailing.

“Every start, tactical manoeuvre and finish line crossed proves that Para Inclusive Sailing is high-performance, vibrant, and expanding across the globe,” he said.

For Jamaica’s Andre Daley, however, the week represents something much more immediate: the latest step in a sailing journey that began only a few months ago.

Daley started sailing in June this year after an accident while scuba diving in 2025. He arrives at his first World Sailing Inclusion Championships determined to make the most of the opportunity.

“I’m very excited. I came to give it my all and do my best,” he said, with his introduction to sailing having come through World Sailing Inclusive Development Programme in Antigua.

“That was my first time sailing. I learned how to sail, learned the parts of the boat, and learned a lot. I’m still learning this week as well.”

Even for a sailor still at the beginning of his journey in the sport, the impact of sailing is already clear.

“When I’m out on the water, I feel free. It’s amazing. I’d love for more people to come and try.”

The 2026 World Sailing Inclusion Championships take place in Portimão, Portugal, from 5-10 October, delivered in partnership with Vela Solidária, the Municipality of Portimão, and the Portuguese Sailing Federation, with backing from The America’s Cup.