Blind Sailing International (BSI) January 2016 Bulletin
To all Blind Sailing competitors and supporters:
2016 will be a great year for Blind Match Racing!
2016 ISAF Blind Match Racing World Championships in Sheboygan, USA September 20-25, 2016
BSI is very pleased to announce 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: https://www.blindsailinginternational.com/rmm-part-4/
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 on Lake Maggiore, Italy April 22-25, 2016
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.
Time is short, so if you are interested in participating in this regatta, please let Homerus as soon as possible.
For more details, visit the Homerus site: http://www.homerus.it
Homerus email address: info@homerus.it
Contact: Sabrina Bonzanini HOMERUS ASSOCIAZIONE ONLUS Associazione Sportiva Dilettantistica Iscritta nel Registro delle Persone Giuridiche presso la Prefettura di Brescia al n° 79 Via Provinciale 84 I – 25079 Vobarno (BS) Tel. +39-0365-599656 Fax. +39-0365-599129 Nearby airports include Milan-Linate, Malpensa, Bergamo and Verona.
Building The Blind Sailing Community
You can help us expand and develop Blind Sailing by sharing your sailing biography, experiences, stories, questions and suggestions with other blind sailors via BSI. Please forward any information you would like posted on the BSI web site, or included in the BSI Spring Newsletter.
On behalf of all of us at BSI, we wish you a very happy, healthy and successful 2016!
Vicki