2016 Blind Match Racing

Blind Sailing International (BSI) announced the 2016 ISAF Blind Match Racing World Championships will be held September 20th (Tuesday) to the 25th (Sunday), 2016, in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, USA. Sailors in all three vision classification categories, B1, B2 and B3, will compete in one single class. The racing will use Sail Sheboygan’s 3-person Sonar class boats with the Homerus audible racing system.

Sail Sheboygan link: http://www.sailsheboygan.org/

Sheboygan has an excellent worldwide reputation as a Match Racing venue. They ran the very successful Blind Match Racing World Championships in 2014. The September 2016 event will be particularly exciting, as the Blind Match Racing World Championships will be hosted alongside the 2016 Women’s Match Racing World Championships.

The Blind and Women competitors will each have their own boats, courses, RC and umpire teams. Once on shore, all competitors and officials will be able to socialize together. Further details and the NOR will be distributed to BSI members as soon as they become available.

2016 Revisions to Blind Sailing Race Management Manual
Please note that as of January 2016, there have been revisions to the Blind Sailing sections of the ISAF’s Race Management Manual. These include changes to the format for Blind Match Racing. The updated Race Management Manual can be found here.

If you would like further information on the 2016 Blind Match Racing World Championships and the changes to the Blind Match Racing format, please email BSI Chairman Vicki Sheen: chairman@blindsailinginternational.com

Blind Match Racing Training and Practice Information
During 2015 there were several excellent Match Racing coaching events in the USA, Italy and U.K., and there are more planned for 2016. If you are interested in Blind Match Racing and would like more information, or would benefit from additional support for yourself, a team or a sailing centre, please contact BSI at chairman@blindsailinginternational.com

Homerus Italian Match Racing Championship
There will be a Homerus-sponsored Italian Match Racing Championship in Arona on Lake Maggiore, Italy, from April 22nd (Friday) to 25th (Monday), 2016. The regatta will likely be sailed in 2-person Meteor class sailboats, with two classification categories: B1 and B2. Please note that free meals and accommodations are available for competitors during the regatta days. The Homerus Italian Match Racing Championship will be an excellent training opportunity to prepare for the ISAF Blind World Match Racing Championships in Sheboygan.

Blind Sailing International

Report by Blind Sailing International