Resilient, Focused, and Driven: Fia Fjelddahl demonstrates the spirit of the World Sailing Inclusion Championships

Returning to the international stage with a clear strategy and newfound momentum, Fjelddahl and Patric Rosenberg delivered a masterclass in composure, winning both opening races despite taking a deliberate, cautious approach at the start.

For Fjelddahl, this championship represents both a redemption quest and a celebration of how far Para Inclusive Sailing has come.

Precision Strategy and Trusting the Process

Entering the opening day, Fjelddahl admitted to feeling the pressure. Mindful of strong currents and eager to avoid premature starter penalties (OCS) that previously cost her a medal at the 2025 World Inclusion Championships in Oman, she and Patric opted for a conservative starting line approach.

Starting roughly 20 seconds behind the fleet in race one, Fjelddahl and Rosenberg remained undeterred.

“I thought the race was over. And then I just said, ‘Okay, we go boat by boat… just a little bit quicker than everybody else’. Do the rounding of the marks really well — and we did boat by boat by boat, and then by the end, on the last downwind, we ended up winning the race,” she explains.

They replicated their systematic “metre-by-metre” execution in the second race, polishing their start timing and maintaining total control from the first lap to secure back-to-back victories.

A Partnership Built on Balance

Central to this success is the seamless partnership Fia enjoys with crewmate Patric Rosenberg, whom she has sailed with since 2022. The duo offers a complementary mix of strengths and temperaments on the water, where Fjelddahl’s nervous energy is balanced by Rosenberg’s steadying presence to keep the boat calm when pressure builds.

Bound by a disciplined, process-oriented mindset, the duo has tuned out the distraction of early leads by focusing strictly on a “metre-by-metre, day-by-day” approach with impressive results.

A Bright Future for Para Inclusive Sailing

Having represented Sweden at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games at a young age, Fjelddahl has witnessed the evolution of adaptive sailing firsthand. While reinstatement in the Paralympic Games remains a priority for the global sailing community, Fjelddahl emphasises that the rapid growth and inclusivity of the sport points towards a bright future.

“In Sweden, we’re growing and growing. I feel that the sport is growing in so many nations,” Fjelddahl shared. “Sailing is such an inclusive sport that everybody can be part of it and we’re really showing that here… 10 years after the Paralympics, we’re growing and we’re better than ever.”

The 2026 World Sailing Inclusion Championships in Portimão, Portugal, serve as a powerful testament to this expansion, bringing together a record fleet of 222 athletes from 40 nations, from seasoned competitors to new sailors, while inspiring further national grass-roots growth in countries all around the world.