World Sailing Inclusion Championships begin in Portimão

The 2026 World Sailing Inclusion Championships have commenced in Portimão, Portugal, featuring a record 222 athletes representing 40 nations. The competition spans nine medal events and follows the inaugural championships held in Oman in 2025.

The event serves as a critical platform for the movement to return para sailing to the Paralympic Games. Sailing has been absent from the Paralympic programme since Rio 2016, having been excluded from Tokyo and Los Angeles 2028 due to criteria regarding worldwide reach. World Sailing has submitted a bid to the International Paralympic Committee for the sport's return at the Brisbane 2032 Games.

World Sailing President Quanhai Li stated that the championships demonstrate the sport's growth and high-performance capabilities. The current programme includes various disciplines such as the Challenger trimaran, RS21 keelboats for vision-impaired crews, and the Hansa 303, alongside demonstration disciplines like Para Inclusive WingFoil.