Tampa hosts sailing championships this week on Davis Islands

TAMPA, Fla. - Tampa is hosting the 2022 2.4mR World Championship and Para Sailing International Championship Regatta this week. It’s being held at the Davis Islands Yacht Club. 

The event has drawn 41 sailors and their coaches from Finland, the US, Canada, Italy, Puerto Rico, South Korea, the UK, Australia and Guatemala.

Opening ceremonies were held Sunday, practice Monday and races begin Tuesday at 10 a.m.

READ: Get fit for free with classes 5 nights a week at Curtis Hixon Park

One of the event’s unique features is that about half the entrants are disabled. Canadian competitor Jackie Gay lost her left leg in an accident 30 years ago, but she believes she has a shot at winning the event’s masters division. 

"It’s really going to be hard," she said Monday. "There’s a really high level of sailors here, everybody’s good, everybody’s fast." 

Jeff Linton of Ruskin has no physical disability. He was the 2007 Rolex Yachtsman Of The Year, but he said he and other competitors quickly forget who’s disabled and who isn’t once the event begins.

"Everybody is on the same playing field. It doesn’t matter if you have one foot, two feet, five feet, whatever. Everyone is pretty darn even," said Linton.

Everyone’s boat is nearly the same. They are 2.4 mR, one-person, keelboats. However, they can be configured with controls that can be operated with the feet or hands. Those with disabilities have many options on how to set up their controls. 

"We have people that steer with their feet," said Gay. "I don’t, because I only have one foot."

She said once they get on the water, competitors have an even shot whether they have disabilities or not. In this regatta, the keys are the determination and skill of the sailors. 

The racing begins at 10 a.m. Tuesday off of Davis Islands. The event is scheduled to continue through Friday. They’ll run as many races as they can before the weather deteriorates later this week.