Classification and VI Community Webinars underway

Classification update and Town Hall Series

Classification remains a central focus in 2026, with significant progress now well underway. The Classification Sub-Committee is fully formed, bringing together all 11 International Classifiers in a dedicated structure to lead the next phase of reform. 

Work continues on updated Classification Rules, alignment with the IPC Classification Code, and the development of a modernised Classification database designed to strengthen transparency, consistency and long-term compliance across Para sailing. 

In February, we hosted a series of Classification Town Halls to provide the community with a clear update on progress and next steps. These sessions covered the Underlying Health Criteria (UHC), the phased timeline for Classification Rule changes in 2026, development of the new database project, and the inclusion of Cognitive Impairment at the World Sailing Inclusion Championships in October 2026. 

The engagement and questions raised during the Town Halls were constructive and valuable, reinforcing the importance of consultation as we move through this reform period. 

For those unable to attend live, session recordings are now available via the World Sailing Academy (WSA) platform ensuring continued access and transparency for the global community. 

Classification underpins fairness, credibility and athlete confidence. Our 2026 approach remains consultation-led, evidence-based and phased ensuring clarity, consistency and trust as implementation progresses. 

Further updates and follow-up sessions will be scheduled as the rules drafting process advances. 

Growing Blind Sailing around the world – VI Webinar Series

Alongside governance reform, we are investing in practical development support. 

We are pleased to have launched a new four-week webinar series, “Growing Blind Sailing Around the World,” hosted by World Champion Lucy Hodges MBE. 

These sessions focus on the realities of building sustainable Blind Sailing programmes – from engaging clubs and sailing centres, to developing national strategies and long-term community growth for visually impaired sailors. 

Lucy has shared her personal five-year journey developing Blind Sailing in the UK through her charity, offering real-world insight into what works, what doesn’t, and why. 

The series is designed for athletes, coaches, administrators and MNAs and provides an opportunity to share knowledge, connect internationally and accelerate VI sailing development worldwide. 

The webinars run over four consecutive weeks, with weeks one, two and three already completed. Each weekly session ran three times across different time zones to ensure global accessibility.

The last week will run with identical sessions repeated three times to maximise participation across time zones. This session will focus on long-term development, scalability and sustainability of VI programs:

Week 4 – Session 4

Asia/Oceania: 11 March, 0900 UTC:  https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/7ae0e866-d0ad-473d-bff4-6edd4a5bb25f@dc6f03c6-cb87-43fe-a696-cf514438f6cb

Europe/Africa: 11 March, 1300 UTC: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/bdbb9a75-9992-4340-9eee-c9396d9e041d@dc6f03c6-cb87-43fe-a696-cf514438f6cb

Americas: 12 March, 1930 UTC: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/c33b0d2a-e3ef-4da0-9342-dffa67946a07@dc6f03c6-cb87-43fe-a696-cf514438f6cb

We encourage MNAs to join where possible, or to share the links widely within your networks. These sessions are a practical opportunity to strengthen local delivery and expand access for visually impaired sailors worldwide.

If you experience any difficulty registering, or have questions, please contact the Para Sailing team at: para.worldsailing@sailing.org

All our webinar recordings and support worksheets are available on the World Sailing academy.