Foggy start for Blind Sailing World Championship

Sheboygan, WI (September 15, 2017) – The 2017 Blind Sailing World Championship began September 12 for fifty sailors representing five nations competing in the Sonar class sailboats: Australia, Canada (2 teams), Great Britain (4 teams), New Zealand and United States (6 teams).

The sailors are competing in the three divisions (based on level of visual impairment of the sailors). The boats are sailed by a team consisting of two visually impaired sailors and two sighted sailors on each team.

The first two days of the Championship got off to a foggy start with only a few races each day for all three divisions. On day three the fog slowly faded to allow for a hazy day of sailing bringing light winds to the race course. Today the sun finally came out with winds between 10-12 mph to allow 12 races throughout the day.

With two more days to go, there is plenty of racing with the possibility of increased breeze tomorrow and lighter winds to close the championship on Sunday, September 17.

The current standings after Day 4 are:

B1 Division:
1st USA /Team Wind Whisperers – Duane Farrar – Nett Score: 22
2nd GBR – Sharon Grennan– Nett Score: 23
3rd USA/Rogue Lemmings – Pauline Dowell– Nett Score: 33

B2 Division:
1st GBR – Lucy Hodges– Nett Score: 10
2nd CAN – David Brown– Nett Score: 23
3rd USA/Tree Takers – Willi Fontanez– Nett Score: 26

B3 Division:
1st GBR – Laura Cammidge– Nett Score: 15
2nd GBR – Mark Austen– Nett Score: 18
3rd CAN – Chris Jonas– Nett Score: 2228

Event details: www.sailsheboygan.org/2017bfrw

Source: Lisa Hartman, SEASheboygan.org