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C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic and Regatta - How you can help to reinstate sailing at the 2020 Paralympic Games.
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NEWPORT, R.I. (April 7, 2015) – On January 31, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) announced that sailing would not be included as a sport for the 2020 Paralympic Games. This announcement sent a shock wave around the sailing community as a whole. As a result of this, a call to action was announced and The Clagett organization would like to continue to ask for the sailing community's support.
According to Scuttlebutt issue #4267, ISAF is working towards the reinstatement of sailing as a sport in the Paralympic Games. To assist in this effort, sailors across the world are being asked to unite on behalf of all disabled sailors and submit letters of support. These letters can be sent to ISAF at this address: [email protected]
Paralympic sailing has provided an opportunity for so many to represent their country on a truly level playing field as so many Paralympians can attest to. Sailing is one of the few sports that can have both able bodied and disabled sailors compete on a field of play that is level in every sense and the end result is determined by the sailors skill.
Many people from across the worldwide sailing community have sent letters and again we ask that if you want to see sailing back in the Paralympic Games for 2020 please email letters voicing your support.
"The Clagett hopes and encourages all sailors from across the world to reach out to their friends and sailors to write to the above address to reinstate sailing in the Paralympics. We all also need to reach out to our National bodies as well and encourage as many National bodies to put pressure on the IPC to include sailing as a Paralympic sport in 2020. To quote Dr. Bernard Destrube, “Produce exciting photos, moving stories, encourage compelling letters, from your national sailing federations, get signatures on the petition. Use your network to get personal contacts so that each decision-maker of the IPC will want sailing back....,” commented Clagett co-founder and President Judy McLennan (Portsmouth, RI).
In an earlier release distributed by The Clagett on the support of the reinstatement of sailing to the Paralympics, we apologize that recognition of Scuttlebutt was inadvertently left out.
About the C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic & Regatta: Founded in 2002, the C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic and Regatta honors the late Tom Clagett (1916-2001), a U.S. Navy World War II veteran who learned to sail on Chesapeake Bay. As a young man he suffered temporary paralysis as the result of a bout of meningitis; an experience that left him with a deep respect for the accomplishments of people with disabilities. The Clagett’s mission is to assist sailors in realizing their potential on the water by providing them the knowledge and tools to improve their skills as well as the opportunity to utilize these talents in competition. Tom Clagett's motto was "Reach for Success," and it is these words The Clagett strives towards every year.
The event includes all three classes that have been chosen as the equipment of Paralympic Sailing : the three-person Sonar, the two-person SKUD-18 and the singlehanded 2.4 Metre (mR). Clagett competitors have seen medal success at the 2008 and 2012 Paralympic Games. Competitors often comment that The Clagett has improved their quality of life as they apply what is achieved on the water to every day situations.
Additional information can be found online at www.clagettregatta.org or follow The Clagett Regatta on Facebook
Credit : C. Thomas Clagett, Jr. Memorial Clinic
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