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Sailability Online

2001 North American Championships

Report

The North American Access Dinghy Championships were a fantastic experience for everyone involved. Alder Allensworth, President of Sailability Florida (and Sailability USA), and her band of jolly volunteers ran an efficient, yet wonderfully relaxed and happy regatta.

Nth American Champion, Danny McCoy & other trophy winners from Shake-A-Leg Miami.

Competitors included Herb Meyer of California (Chairman of Sailability USA and competed in this year's Australia Championships); also competing were a number of Canadian Paralympic sailors with Danny McCoy and John McRoberts in the 2.3 Gold Fleet and Ron Ingalls (John McRoberts' coach) in the 303 Gold Fleet.

Whilst the guys in the Gold Fleets got down to some serious sailing, they also had a novel way to sort out on-water disputes - there were no protests over the entire three days. After one race in which Meredith fouled John McR, he and Danny cornered her and removed her rudder blade. (Meredith is a program co-ordinator from Shake A Leg Miami). At the end of the next race, after a physical tussel (John is a quad and Meredith an able bod), John was relieved of his rudder blade and Meredith sailed back to the dock leaving John stranded in the bay. John then convinced Herb to lend him one of Herb's twin rudders off the 303S. This in itself was a sight to behold as the two quads sorted themselves out. There was lots of good natured bagging out over the weekend.

There are many other humorous stories - like 14 year old Jessica......"I waited so long and worked so hard for this day. There I was sitting in my favorite orange Access Dinghy waiting for my turn for the race instructions. I was thinking this is the first competition. I started getting real nervous, my stomach was jumping and I new I needed to shut it all out and relax for a few minutes. I laid my head back and stretched out my legs. I tuned into the sound of the water hitting the sides of my boat with the wind gently moving across my face. I was reeling real good when all of a sudden I was awoken. I had the most relaxing nap and found myself kissing the sea wall as the safety boats were heading in my direction. Although I was embarrassed at the way in which I was found, it was worth it. I totally tuned into my boat and what I needed to do in the next upcoming days in this regatta."

And there is Alder, co-ordinator of the event. After months of hectic preparation and a busy weekend Alder woke up on the last day of competition, put on her swimming costume and t-shirt and after a day in front of TV cameras and being photographed with every trophy winner at the presentation ceremony, realised that that she was actually still wearing her nightie !

And Tracey (one on Nava's nurses) who entertained us by doing the splits between Nava's support boat and the dock while preparing for a race and ended up taking a dunking........... and there were the young disabled kids from Shake-A-Leg Miami - they endeared themselves to everyone with their fun-loving and exuberant hot dogging antics out on the water prior to the races.

It was wonderful to see Canadian Paralympic 2.4mR sailor, Danny McCoy, taking the time to give the young sailors coaching sessions on the shore as well as offering advice out on the course to those who were having a little difficulty. This was the atmosphere of the entire weekend-sharing and helping out wherever possible.

Nava George was the only Australian competitor. Nava is 21 years old and a ventilatored quad. In the regatta, she sailed an electric 303S from Shake A Leg Miami (thanks Harry). Over the three days of the Championships Nava experienced a myiad of emotions. The excitement of her first international competition, probably a little fear with sailing in unknown waters in an unknown boat with unknown competitors as well as the frustration of a mechanical breakdown during one race and then the exultation of winning a heat for the first time. Attending the Championships in Florida was a mammoth undertaking for Nava as she travelled with four nurses and her Dad. Well done Nava.

The sailors, the volunteers (and the volunteers' children), the City of Clearwater and many local community organistations really did make this an event to remember.

Copyright © Access Dinghies, 2002-2005