“Sailing into the Future. Together”: An Adventure that Continues

Two years have now passed since the conclusion of the Sailing into the Future. Together sporting adventure, which from 2022 to 2024 took the Class40 IBSA to seas all over the world, covering over 25,000 miles across ten regattas, five podium finishes, and as many ocean crossings.

However, for IBSA, sailing has never solely been about major international competitions; from the very beginning, it has also stood for sustainability, inclusion, and accessibility. For this very reason, since 2022, IBSA has launched various inclusive sailing projects in support of people with disabilities, through collaborations with sailing clubs, boat donations, and support for dedicated projects in France, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, and the Czech Republic.

Recent weeks have injected further momentum into the initiative, with various events organised on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea and on Lake Lugano (Switzerland). Here is a brief look at the highlights.

In Antibes, on the French Riviera, IBSA France once again organised the IBSA Regatta in collaboration with the Société des Régates d’Antibes. The fourth edition of this sporting event was held on 25 and 26 September, bringing together 80 young sailors with disabilities aged between 12 and 17, hailing not only from France but from across Europe. In addition to organising this regatta, IBSA France supported inclusive sailing by donating Hansa 303 boats: two to the Société des Régates d’Antibes and another two to the Association de Classe Hansa, to be used for activities, training, and competitions throughout the year. 

The French subsidiary of the IBSA Group is also supporting the personal challenge of young sailor Nathan Mesiano, who, after losing his right arm in an accident, returned to the water and resumed competing alongside sailors without disabilities. Following his results in the F16 Youth and F16 competitions, Nathan is now preparing for the 2027 Mini Transat, the solo transatlantic regatta covering over 4,000 nautical miles.

In Switzerland, since 2022, IBSA has supported the Associazione Velabili, founded in 2016 at the Circolo Velico Lago di Lugano to promote sailing for people with physical, cognitive, and sensory disabilities. IBSA supported the Velabili’s participation in the Special Olympics World Games in Berlin in 2023 and, in 2025, donated an RS Venture Connect – a slightly larger boat than the Hansa 303, also designed for accessible sailing.  

The Velabili also participate in the traditional IBSA Cup, which this year took place on 29 and 30 August on Lake Lugano. They competed alongside various other sailing classes, joined by two crews made up of IBSA employees.

In Spain, IBSA Iberia chose to partner with the Escuela de Vela Adaptada in Sitges (Barcelona), giving rise to the IBSA Iberia Inclusive Sailing Academy, launched in 2024 and now entering its third season. This project allows children and young adults with disabilities to learn sailing techniques, with the aim of helping them progressively develop independence, safety, and the ability to skipper the boats. 

In 2025, IBSA reinforced this programme by donating two Hansa 303 boats (vessels specifically designed for people with disabilities) to the Escuela de Vela Adaptada.

In Italy, the collaboration between IBSA Italy and the Italian Sailing Federation (FIV) also continued in 2026 in support of the Para Sailing Academy, an initiative created to promote and develop inclusive sailing nationwide. Launched in 2022, the partnership has introduced inclusive sailing to various settings and supported athletes' preparation with specialised training for coaches and instructors. In doing so, IBSA has helped consolidate a network and a wealth of expertise destined to endure long after the partnership concludes.

Demonstrating the flexibility of the model and its ability to adapt to local contexts, the Sailing into the Future project in the Czech Republic has expanded beyond sailing to embrace rowing, with the "Rowing into the Future" initiative launched in 2023.  

IBSA Czechia chose to partner with the local Paprsek club, a historic organisation dedicated to rowing for people with visual and motor impairments. Through the purchase and restoration of a specially modified boat, IBSA has enabled these athletes to train and return to competition, transforming sport into a tangible opportunity for inclusion and participation. 

Whether navigating Lake Lugano, sailing the waters of Sitges or Antibes, competing in Italy, or rowing in the Czech Republic, “Sailing into the Future. Together” remains a vibrant, dynamic, and authentically human project. 

Through the direct involvement of its people and its support for independence in sport, IBSA renews its promise of Caring Innovation: an innovation that stems from scientific rigour to navigate towards a future of shared experiences and true inclusion.