London Paralympics: Sailing

The London Paralympics Sailing competition, which is held at Weymouth and Portland in Dorset between Saturday 1 and Thursday 6 September, features three mixed events - the Single-Person, Two-Person and Three-Person Keelboat competitions. The yachts used in the Paralympics differ from those used in the regular Olympics in that they have keels in order to provide greater stability; the keelboats also have open cockpits to allow more room for sailors. The competition is made fairer by a disability classification that should make the event - held in the ever-changing conditions of the beautiful but testing waters of Weymouth Bay on the south coast of England - all the more exciting. After being introduced as a demonstration event at the 1996 Atlanta Games, Paralympic Sailing became part of the official programme at the Sydney 2000 Games.