A lot of media coverage focused on high profile named and aged competitors, such as Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark in the sailing, 100-year-old Ruth Frith at the athletics and 98-year-old swimmer Margo Bates. One event that didn’t gain media attention was the Access sailing event in the protected waters of Iron Cove in Sydney Harbour. The 2009 World Masters Games welcomed 28,000 competitors across 28 events over nine days of competition throughout many venues in Sydney, Australia.

The Access sailing event at Dobroyd Aquatic Club, hosted a competitive event for able and disabled athletes. Though there is no Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark at Dobroyd to bring media attention to their event, competitors enjoyed solid and spirited competition making the most of the windy and trying conditions over the five days of competition.

The Access sailing event provides the excitement of lively competition, catering by age to all levels of experience rather than physical ability. Competitors sail the special purpose Access 2.3 and 303 dinghies, designed for abled and disabled competitors. Unlike the sailing vessel raced by Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, which is capable of capsizing and throwing competitors into the water, the Access dinghies are specially crafted to people with a very wide range of abilities and according to Pat Griffith, an official and member of the Dobroyd Aquatic Club explains, “the Access dinghies use a centreboard keel weighing 70kg, which if necessary, can be ballasted for additional stability”. The dinghies have other unique design features, allowing athletes like Leonard Snowdon, who lost both his right arm and leg in a train accident, the ability to compete in relative safety.

Though the competitors were there to compete for gold, silver and bronze medals in their respective age categories (35+, 45+, 55+, 65+) in singles and doubles, the event was encapsulated in a social atmosphere. Glenny Grunfelder, a World Masters Games official concurs “some of the athletes have been through so much in their lives that sometimes it’s not all about the medals, most athletes are here to have a good time, socialize, and catch up” he says.

Find out more at:

www.2009worldmasters.com

Story by Jerad Williams for the ARGUS