Inclusive Sailing

IBSA’s project Sailing into the Future. Together focused on a sport – sailing – and made it a vehicle for raising awareness on issues such as inclusion and social integration, in collaboration with organisations that promote inclusive sailing initiatives. Activating inclusive sailing projects means being promoters of a cultural and social change, and creating a path of enrichment that benefits all those involved. Sport becomes a tool for discovering aptitudes and talents, going beyond physical and cognitive disabilities, an opportunity to improve self-confidence and create opportunities for knowledge, while teaching respect for others. With these purposes, we decided to start partnerships with a few sailing clubs in Switzerland, Italy, France, Spain and the United States.

In Switzerland, we sponsor the Associazione Velabili, an organisation based at the Circolo Velico Lago di Lugano and founded in 2016 to promote sailing programmes for people with physical, mental and sensory disabilities.

In June 2023, we supported the Associazione Velabili in participating in the Special Olympics World Games in Berlin, the world’s largest inclusive sporting event.

In addition, since 2023 IBSA Switzerland is a sponsor of the end-of-season regatta of the Circolo Velico Lago di Lugano. The first two editions of the IBSA Cup saw the participation of several sailors, including the athletes of the Associazione Velabili on board Hansa 303s, boats specifically designed to be sailed by people with disabilities in single or double crew.

In France, we started a collaboration with Société des Régates d’Antibes, on the French Riviera, reinforcing our message of inclusion and social responsibility.

The donation of two Hansa 303s allowed the famous club, already involved in sailing activities for young people, to extend its initiatives to people with disabilities.

In September 2023, IBSA France organised in Antibes the first IBSA Regatta, a two-day event dedicated to young sailors between 12 and 17, including 23 athletes with disabilities from ten French sailing clubs. The event, which was a great success, was also repeated in September 2024.

In Italy, we donated two Hansa 303s to the Yacht Club Punta Ala (in the province of Grosseto). In addition, IBSA Italy signed a three-year partnership with Para Sailing Academy (a disabled sailing school) of the Italian Sailing Federation (FIV, Federazione Italiana Vela). This project, supported by CONI, CIP and World Sailing, intends to make sailing increasingly accessible both nationally and internationally.

We also support associations that promote sailing activities for people with disabilities in Spain and in the United States.

In Spain, IBSA Iberia started a collaboration with Escuela de Vela Adaptada de Sitges (Barcelona), to promote a series of activities related to inclusive sailing for children and young people.

In the United States, IBSA USA supports the Newport (Rhode Island) association Sail to Prevail, which aims to allow around 1.500 disabled people to practice sailing with the support of professional skippers.

Although skipper Alberto Bona’s sporting project on the Class40 IBSA will be concluded at the end of 2024, the project Sailing into the Future. Together will continue to live through inclusive sailing, with new impetus and the hope of extending this commitment to other realities and nations. Inclusion makes it possible to value differences and imagine horizons rather than boundaries, helping build a better future.