Australian Para wingfoiler Simon Bibby has finished sixth overall in the Inclusive Wingfoil – Open Seated division at the 2026 World Sailing Inclusion Championships in Portimão, Portugal, flying the flag as his country's sole representative in a discipline making its debut on the world stage.
The championships ran from 4 to 10 October and drew a record 222 athletes from 40 nations. Seated wingfoiling featured on the programme for the first time, as a demonstration event for the discipline.
Bibby described the whole experience as surreal.
"It was surreal. I couldn't quite believe where I was. Being the only Australian made it even more special," he said. "Getting up on stage at the opening ceremony was an emotional moment. Being the first competitor called up was an incredible feeling."
The racing itself was a slow build. Bibby struggled early, then found his groove, posting two fourth-place finishes and a second in Race 10 as conditions and equipment adjustments came together.
He was one of only two Para-classified athletes in the division, alongside France's Guillaume Colin, placing him at the sharp end of a sport still working out its shape. Bibby came to seated wingfoiling through his own recovery journey, and Portimão marked a serious step forward in that progression.
For Bibby, the people mattered as much as the results.
"It's a great group of people from all around the world, all sharing the same passion for wind and water," he said. He pointed to the camaraderie among rivals, both on and off the water. "Being part of other people's journeys and helping each other out is what makes it really special," he reflected.
He's optimistic about where the sport goes from here, particularly at home.
"The future looks bright. We've already got five people in Australia who are close to competing," he said, stressing the value of international collaboration in sharing knowledge and building connections.
Australian Sailing has reaffirmed its support for reinstating Para sailing at the Brisbane 2032 Paralympic Games, viewing events like this as central to strengthening inclusive pathways and growing the sport.
Bibby now turns his attention to the 2027 World Sailing Inclusion Championships in Gdynia, Poland. He returns home with fresh motivation to grow Para wingfoiling and bring more people with disability into the sport.
