WAIS Sailors Win Paralympic Medals in China

The Australian Paralympic sailing team has completed its competition in Qingdao with medals in both the sonar and SKUD18 classes.

WAIS athletes performed brilliantly in the light winds of China with all three sonar athletes (Colin Harrison, Graeme Martin and Russell Boaden) and one member of the SKUD18 crew (Rachel Cox) on individual scholarships with WAIS.

The sonar crew finished with a bronze medal after being pipped by the French on countback, despite being equal on points. The WA crew in fact finished only one point shy of gold, which according to Harrison equates to just one boat length.

Germany won the gold with 35 points, ahead of France and Australia on 36.

“Obviously there’s a fair bit of disappointment when your expectations are to be right at the top. So there’s mixed emotions of being disappointed but also happy that you do come home with a medal from the whole event,” Harrison said.

“We were sitting in the silver spot for most of the week and then it came down to the final day.

“We actually finished equal second but got knocked down on a countback and gold was only one point away, so that’s a boat length.

“It gives you an idea of how close it was.”

With Harrison and the crew in action on day one of the Paralympics, they were unable to march in the opening ceremony. But with the boys headed for Beijing and the Athlete’s Village, the party is well and truly on towards Wednesday’s closing ceremony at the Bird’s Nest stadium.

“We’re really looking forward to that (closing ceremony),” Sonar helmsman Colin Harrison said.

“With sailing you’re always away from the main action. So we can’t wait to see our team-mates, and the Village, and the Bird’s Nest and Water Cube, and all we’ve been seeing and hearing about.”

Even with distance proving a factor during competition, the men were able to kick start proceedings following the final race.

“There were a few beers flowing when we got back to the dock and container sheds. I had a few protest hearings to go off to but the beer was still cold when I got back. So we had a celebratory drink and then off to the medal ceremony,” Harrison said.

Harrison stopped short of confirming he would continue in sailing but did suggest London was on the long term horizon.

“It’s a bit early to call but I suspect our (Sonar) crew will be a different team in London,” Harrison said.

“My long-term plan was always for London and Beijing is a step on the way. I want to improve my skills over the next few years and get more experience.”

Fellow WAIS scholarship holder Rachel Cox was a member of the SKUD18 class along with Daniel Fitzgibbon that claimed silver in a tight finish.

From the last two races, Cox and Fitzgibbon managed a first and second place finish to ward off the challenge of Canada, who would claim bronze. The USA team won gold with 11 points well clear of Australia on 18.

It was a remarkable result for WAIS athletes with four of the five medallists based in Perth.