Paralympic Sailing

Paralympic Sailing

The Malta Sailing Federation has been driving initiatives to develop and  promote inclusion in Sailing and aiming to inspire a whole new generation of people who will have a new appreciation of the sport.

Malta’s  first foray into parasailing occurred in 2021 when Gianluca Aquilina took part in the 2021 Hansa Class World and International Championships in Palermo.

In 2022 the Federation was presented with three Hansa 303 Class Boats following a collaboration with Yachting Malta and Frank Salt  who together donated three boats which were subsequently presented to three local sailing Clubs. A Fourth boat is expected to join the fleet later on in 2022.

The Hansa 303, which is sailed in over 28 countries and is a recognised World Sailing Class,  is designed to accommodate sailors with disabilities, catering to a wide array of disabilities. The Hansa 303 was raced for the first time in the Para World Championships in 2017. For many sailors, the easy adaptability of the Hansa 303 is particularly helpful.

This initiative ties in with the efforts being carried out by World Sailing as it seeks to get Para Sailing reinstated for the Los Angeles Paralympic Games in 2028.  Events around Para Sailing have increased around the world with five major Para Sailing World Championships taking place globally.