Obituary - Ian Harrison MBE (GBR)

It is with great sadness that World Sailing reports the passing of Ian Harrison MBE.

Ian Harrison MBE passed away on Friday, August 26 after a long period of ill health.
 
Ian was born and grew up in Poole, UK on March 21, 1937 and passed away in Leicester, UK on August 26, 2016 aged 79.
 
A foundation member of both the Sailability movement and the International Foundation for Disabled Sailing (IFDS), his energy and commitment was key to sailing being accepted as a Paralympic medal sport in 2000.  He was also the IFDS Technical Delegate for the first Paralympic Sailing Competition in Sydney.
 
Ian is survived by his dedicated and loving wife Pauline, herself an energetic and committed volunteer for their sport and the community.  Pauline was Chair of the IFDS Development Committee for countless years, organising conferences and seminars and supporting Ian in all his endeavours.  Their unique partnership has enabled the sport to create many opportunities for sailors with a disability at the participation, development and high performance levels.
 
Ian’s outstanding contributions to sport and the community have already been formally recognised.  In 1988, he was awarded an MBE (Member of the British Empire).  In 2005, Ian was awarded the IPC Paralympic Order, the highest tribute a person connected with the Paralympic Movement can achieve. Other holders of the Paralympic Order include former President of the IOC Juan Antonio Samaranch, with Ian being the first person directly connected with sailing to receive the Order.  ISAF (now World Sailing) awarded the ISAF Long Service Gold Medal to Ian in 2008.
 
Ian trained as a social worker in Britain and was to finish a distinguished career as the Director of the Leicestershire Association of the Disabled. Ian was a founding member of Sailability in the 1980s, starting the British organization with the overriding aim that no disabled person should be denied the opportunity to sail. He went on to become Chairman and then Vice-Chairman when Sailability merged with the Royal Yachting Association’s Seamanship Foundation to become RYA Sailability.  Ian became an IFDS Vice-Chairman at the foundation’s inception in 1988, and ten years later took over the role of Chairman. Ian retired from the post of Chairman at the beginning of 2005.
 
Ian’s life in sailing began when his grandfather built him a boat as a one year old. His love of the sport grew at Poole Yacht Club and he went on to sail Snipes at national level. A life on the sea beckoned and Ian trained on HMS Worcester. His first tour saw him leave for India, where he caught Polio. As a result of the illness which eventually restricted him to a wheelchair, Ian stopped sailing for many years.  This was something that motivated him in his desire to see all people encouraged to sail whatever their situation.
 
When Ian came back to the sport it started with model yachts and radio sailing, before he was invited to sail on the Challenger Trimaran.  In 1988, Ian competed for Great Britain at the 2.4mR World Championship, the class which would become the Paralympic equipment for the single-person keelboat.  He was to become a regular in the class until he retired in 1999 to become the Sailing Technical Delegate for the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games.  Ian also regularly sailed in the three-person keelboat, the Sonar, appearing at the Worlds since 1990.  He was part of the crew that qualified Great Britain for the Atlanta 1996 Paralympics where sailing was first included as a demonstration sport.  He then acted as a reserve for Andrew Cassell, Tony Downs and Kevin Curtis who went on to win the regatta.
 
World Sailing and the Para World Sailing Committee extends its deepest sympathy to Pauline and family.  We also give thanks for the life of a wonderful, generous and energetic man who played such a fundamental role in the development of para sailing.
 
Ian Hamilton Harrison MBE (1937-2016)
1972-1988 – Director of the Leicestershire Association of the Disabled
1980-2000 – Founding member and Vice Chairperson of RYA Sailability
1988 – Awarded an MBE (Member of the British Empire)
1988-1998 – Vice President of the International Foundation for Disabled Sailing
1998-2005 – President of the International Foundation for Disabled Sailing
2000 – Technical Delegate for the Paralympic Sailing Competition (Sydney AUS)  
2005- Awarded the Paralympic Order, the highest recognition presented by the IPC
2008 – Awarded the ISAF Long Service Gold Medal