Media Release

December 27, 2005 - For Immediate Release

Blind Match Racing Championships being held in Italy

The 2006 Homerus International Autonomous Blind Match Racing Championship will take place in Imperia, Italy (near the French border) from 22nd to 27th May, 2006.

The combined energy and enthusiasm of the Lions Club of Imperia and Circolo Velico Imperiese will enable this extraordinary event to be conducted at the same venue for the second year with support for competitors’ accommodation and meals provided during the six days.

Entries have already been advised from Australia, Israel and Italy, but another 10 nations that have expressed interest in sending teams are still to confirm.

The 2005 Champions, Paul Borg and Don Scott from Australia, will return to defend their trophy but will have at least two Italian skippers keen to change the result of their last encounter.  Allessandro Malipiero and Luigi Bertanza will want to improve on their 2nd and 3rd places from the 2005 event.

Sailors competing in this event must be IBSA classified B1 or B2 or B3. The championships are sailed in two matched 6 metre Meteor keelboats by a two person crew with a sighted umpire on board.  Three "beeping buoys", each with a unique signal, define the course, and each boat has a sound signal that changes when on port or starboard tack.  The championships are run under the ISAF RRS Appendix CX for Blind Match Racing first trialled at the 2005 Homerus Championship.

In addition to the racing program, the 1st Annual Autonomous Blind Sailors Conference will be held on May 28 for Sailors, Coaches, Umpires and Sailing Administrators.  The Conference will consist of concurrent presentation sessions in the areas of Self-Governing Blind Sailing. This is an opportunity to meet friends, colleagues, competitors and member of Homerus International to discuss achievements, technologies, challenges and ideas in order to promote autonomous sailing for blind and vision impaired athletes.

Further information is available from www.homerus.it

Issued by David Staley (DStaley@yachtingvictoria.com.au) on behalf of:

HOMERUS INTERNATIONAL

Via Provinciale 84

I - 25079 Vobarno (BS)

 ITALY

Tel +39-0365-599656  Fax +39-0365-599129   Email info@homerus.it   Website www.homerus.it