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Mobility Cup was held outside British Columbia for the first time in 1997, being hosted by Disabled Sailing Association of Alberta and Glenmore Sailing Club. DSA Alberta had been formed in 1994, inspired by the British Columbia programs, so hosting the national regatta gave the club a considerable boost. Organizers stated that there were at that time “more than 30,000 adults and children with mobility impairments in Calgary, any of whom may benefit from accessibility to sailing as a recreational and therapeutic experience.” The event included a practice day followed by five days’ racing for 28 competitors, using both the Sunbird and Martin 16 adaptive sailboats. The event is memorable as Mobility Cup 1997 was approved by the Canadian Yachting Association as Canada’s Qualifying Regatta for the International Foundation for Disabled Sailing (IFDS) Single-Handed Class to compete at the IFDS North/South American Regional Regatta in St. Petersburg, Florida, in October, 1997. |
LocationGlenmore Sailing Club, HostsDisabled Sailing Association of Alberta DatesAug. 24 – 29, 1997 PersonnelRegatta Chairman, Ron Pawlyk LegacyFirst event held outside of British Columbia; growth of DSA Alberta Trophy winnersMobility Cup | Danny McCoy, Toronto, ON Silver Fleet winner| Dale Keith, Calgary, AB Top sip 'n' puff sailor | Rene Dallaire, Montreal, QC |
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Touted as the “biggest and best ever” Mobility Cup, the event returned to Vancouver – having been held in Victoria, BC the previous year. Mobility Cup 1996 was held at Royal Vancouver Yacht Club during the last week of July, and featured a one-day race clinic followed by four days of races. The event was sandwiched between weekend heats of the WAVES regatta, an international one-design event – competitors from the WAVES and Mobility Cup events socialized, raising awareness of sailors with disabilities. This year’s event is memorable for featuring the debut of the Martin 16 sloop. |
LocationRoyal Vancouver Yacht Club, HostsDisabled Sailing Association DatesJuly. 23 – 28, 1996 PersonnelRegatta Chair, Kathy Campbell LegacyRacing debut of the Martin 16 sloop Trophy winnersGold Fleet winner | Brent Foote, Delta, BC Top sip 'n' puff sailor| Rene Dallaire, Montreal, QC |
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Mobility Cup was held outside Vancouver for the first time in 1995 – even though host city Victoria is only 69 km (43 miles) away. Nevertheless, fledgling sailing clubs across the country learned that event founder Sam Sullivan was interested in seeing the event held in other provinces, in order to promote sailing for people with disabilities on a national basis. This year also saw a key behind-the-scenes decision – to commission a high speed, maneuverable sailboat especially designed for people with disabilities. When Vancouver’s Don Martin designed the Martin 16 in 1995, he included power-assisted controls. Mark Isaak of M.I.D.S. was called in to create a versatile (mouth-operated) sip ‘n’ puff control system for the Martin 16. In 1998 he worked with Steve Alvey, of Disabled Sailing Association Alberta, to design the portable, modular system that is in used today. |
LocationThe Canadian Forces Sailing Association , HostsDSA Victoria DatesAug. 16 – 20, 1995 PersonnelRegatta Chairmen, Doug Nutting & Bill Macdonald LegacyFirst ever Mobility Cup held outside of Vancouver, BC Trophy winnersGold Fleet winner | Ken Bartell, Surrey, BC Silver Fleet winner| Sonja Sutmoller Snijders, Victoria, BC Top sip 'n' puff sailor | Rene Dallaire, Montreal, QC |
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The 1994 event involved 28 sailors with disabilities from across Canada and the US, who collectively sailed 135 times to compete for the Mobility Cup trophy. Held at the Jericho Sailing Centre, Vancouver, the event included two (mouth operated) sip ‘n’ puff sailboats, operated by Larry Boden of Vancouver and Rene Dallaire of Montreal. The system, which enables high level tetraplegics to sail, debuted in 1993’s event. The 1994 Mobility Cup also included a demonstration by blind sailor Bruce Gilmour. |
LocationJericho Sailing Centre , HostsDisabled Sailing Association DatesAug. 24 – 28, 1994 PersonnelRegatta Coordinator, Vaughan Wallace, LegacyIntroduction of sip 'n' puff sailing for high level quadriplegics Trophy winnersGold Fleet winner | Brent Foote, Delta, BC Silver Fleet winner| Roy Crawford, Victoria, BC |
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The four-day event held at Jericho Sailing Centre, Vancouver, saw racing by 28 competitors from across Canada and the US – with local Vancouver sailors in a minority. The event is remembered for a world first – if featuring a (mouth operated) sip ‘n’ puff sailboat, which enabled high level tetraplegics to sail. This was the culmination of a two-year high-tech project to “include people with severe disabilities as active participants in our sailing program.” It was put through its paces that year by Larry Boden of Vancouver. |
LocationJericho Sailing Centre, HostsDisabled Sailing Association DatesAug. 25 – 29, 1993 PersonnelRegatta Chair, Lori Beaulieu LegacyContinued development of the sport of adaptive sailing Trophy winnersGold Fleet winner | Dave Schroeder, Miami, FL Silver Fleet winner| Charles Rosenfield, East Woodstock, CT Top sip 'n puff sailor | Larry Boden, Vancouver, BC |
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Building on the momentum of the inaugural Mobility Cup, 1992 saw the event become national. Once again it was held in Vancouver, BC . The difference was that the previous year it had been a local Vancouver event that just happened to attract out-of-town sailors; this year it grew in size and scope and was on its way to becoming a Canadian event. The main focus was on inspiring adaptive sailing programs elsewhere across Canada. “I see the Mobility Cup more for its importance in helping develop new adaptive sailing programs and furthering existing ones,” continues Sam. “Many people see it just as a high quality race, but for me, that is not the essence of the Mobility Cup, although it is a high quality, competitive event.” |
LocationJericho Sailing Centre , HostsDisabled Sailing Association DatesAugust 19 -23, 1992 PersonnelRegatta Chairman, Trevor Murrie LegacyBecoming a national event Trophy winnersWinner | Brent Foote, Delta, BC |
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In 1991, Sam Sullivan, tetraplegic founder of the Disabled Sailing Association of BC, envisioned a sailing regatta to promote public awareness of the capacities of people with disabilities. This was held in Vancouver, BC, home of the DSA-BC. The event was held on the sheltered waters of English Bay. “It was important to have people come together and celebrate their achievements, and to do that in the form of a race,” said Sam. Following the success of the regatta, organizers realized they had a potential national event on their hands. |
LocationJericho Sailing Centre, HostsDisabled Sailing Association DatesAug 14 - 18, 1991 PersonnelRegatta Chair, Kathy Campbell LegacyDevelopment of the sport of adaptive sailing. Trophy winnersWinner | Ken Nore, Surrey, BC |