Meet the Paralympic sailing team

I n the last issue of PBO, we shone the spotlight on the British Olympic sailors who will be battling for Rio 2016 glory from 8-18 August. Now we look at our Paralympic contenders.

The Paralympic sailing regatta will run from 7-17 September, hosted at the Marina da Gloria, Rio De Janeiro. This could be the last Paralympic sailing competition as the International Paralympic Committee has dropped it from the line-up of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, a move that has caused outrage around the world. Sailing has been a Paralympic sport since 2000: however, it was a demonstration sport at Atlanta 1996.

Britain has gold medal contenders in all three Paralympic sailing classes. Helena Lucas, 2.4m keelboat

Helena, 41, made history when she won Britain’s first Paralympic gold medal at the London 2012 Games, becoming the first female winner of the male-dominated 2.4mR class. Helena, who was born without thumbs and has limited extension in her arms, is in the unusual position of having taken part in both Olympic and Paralympic campaigns. Having sailed 470s since 1997, she moved into the Paralympic 2.4mR in 2003 before making her Paralympic Games debut at Beijing 2008, finishing seventh.

Alexandra Rickham and Niki Birrell, Skud-18 keelboat Five-time World Champions and bronze medallists at London 2012, Alex and Niki have what it takes to win gold in Brazil. A shallow diving accident at the age of 13 while on a family holiday in Jamaica left Alex with C5/6 tetraplegia – a severe spinal cord injury. Niki, who was born with cerebral palsy, previously campaigned in the 470 Olympic class with his brother, Christian, before moving into the Paralympic 2.4mR one-person boat for a while.

John Robertson, Hannah Stodel and Stephen Thomas, Sonar keelboat John, Hannah and Steve narrowly missed out on bronze at London 2012 due to an off-the-water penalty imposed by the International Jury. The trio go to their fourth Paralympic Games as reigning World Champions. Former RAF mechanic John was disabled as a result of a motorbike accident in 1994. Hannah, who was born without a right forearm, became Britain’s first female sailing Paralympian when she and her Sonar teammates made their Paralympic debut at the Athens 2004 Games. Former ice sledge hockey player Steve, who is a double below-the-knee amputee after suffering from meningitis in 1996, has the unusual distinction of having represented Britain at both the winter and summer Paralympic Games.

www.rya.org.uk/britishsailingteam