Galway Bay Sailing Club has been selected to host the National Disabled Sailing Championships next year in recognition of its successful Access sailing programme for young people with disabilities.
And this weekend John Twomey, a 10 time Paralympian and president of the International Disabled Federation, will visit Galway Bay Sailing Club to watch the club’s Access sailors competing in the first GBSC Access Autumn Series.
Members of the Galway Speeders, a sports club for young people with physical disability, have been taking to the water in the first series of races for disabled sailors, using the Hansa 303 dingies. The fleet of youth sailors have participated in the national Hansa event in Dun Laoghaire.
This increased activity is facilitated by a group of volunteers from Galway Bay Sailing Club, many of whom are still in school and college. The club also provides rescue, craft, and storage of the fleet of Hansa dingies. The Irish Sailing Association has provided some of the Hansa boats as has Tralee Sailing Club. The renovation of the Renville Pier and the addition of a new large slipway by Galway County Council some years back has had a significant impact on the ability of this group to access the Bay.
The Galway Speeders are beginning a fundraising campaign to provide a personnel hoist that can be used at Renville Slip and other sailing venues in Galway to transfer the sailors in and out of the boats more easily.
For more information please see www.speeders.ie or contact [email protected]
