Six days of racing, nine events, sailors from 40 nations. By the time the fleets packed up at the World Sailing Inclusion Championships in Portimão, Portugal, organisers were already talking about what comes next rather than what had just happened.
World Sailing CEO David Graham said the week had been about more than medals.
"This week was about breaking barriers, building lifelong friendships, and proving to the entire world that sailing is a sport where everyone belongs," he said. "This event builds on the legacy created at the inaugural event last year and raises the bar even higher for next year."
That legacy is about to take physical shape. A new international Training and Development Centre is being built at Portimão Marina, developed by Associação Vela Solidária, the body that co-organised the championships alongside World Sailing.
Operations are due to start in November 2026, with full programmes running from January 2027. The centre is meant to give Para and Inclusive sailors somewhere to train year-round, particularly through the European winter when most home waters are unusable.
Portimão's climate, sailing waters and accessible infrastructure make it a logical base for extended training camps.
Luís Brito, President of Vela Solidária, put it plainly.
"We want to offer the world, and particularly European sailors who are unable to sail in their home countries during the winter, the opportunity to come to Portimão and benefit from unique conditions in terms of infrastructure, accessibility, sailing waters and climate," he said. "Here, it is possible to sail every day of the year. We want to position Portimão as the global epicentre of Para and Inclusive sailing."
The centre will go through a World Sailing certification process, checking its facilities and operations against the sport's standards for Para Inclusive Sailing.
Interest from abroad is already locked in, with Switzerland, Norway, France and Austria among the countries holding agreements for winter training camps there.
Portuguese sailors stand to gain too, training and racing against international athletes without the cost and logistics of travelling overseas.
Vela Solidária is also developing a Winter Circuit, a series of races designed to support athlete development ahead of major international events. Combined with the new centre, it is meant to give sailors and national programmes more regular access to training and racing, not just one week a year.
World Sailing has been pushing for Para Sailing's reinstatement in the Paralympic Games. Expanding participation, strengthening international competition and developing opportunities for athletes all feed directly into that case.
The centre and the Winter Circuit show how organisers hope to keep building on the championship long after the fleet has gone home, turning one week of racing into a year-round foundation for the sport.
The 2026 World Sailing Inclusion Championships were organised by World Sailing and Vela Solidária, in partnership with the Portuguese Sailing Federation and the Municipality of Portimão, with backing from the America's Cup.
