SHEBOYGAN – A team of Israeli sailors who are blind visited here for an international competition in late September, for the Blind Match Racing World Championship.
In the competition, blind sailors navigate without a sighted person, relying on sounds from buoys and other boats, according to Rich Reichelsdorfer, executive director of the Sailing Education Association of Sheboygan, which hosted the event for the World Sailing governing body.
Several other teams competed, two from the United States and one each from Canada and Great Britain.
“They’re back in control of something,” said Reichelsdorfer, who said sailing for the blind and disabled is rewarding for people who are always being told what to do and where to go.
The Israeli team was comprised of skipper Elad Rosenzvieg, main sail trimmer Zohar Halevi and jib trimmer Yaniv Elimelech. All three men are blind.
The coach was Gal Gerber and the team manager was Guy Feingold, who are both sighted.
Israeli sailors Guy Feingold and Elad Rosenzvieg attended a reception held for them at the Milwaukee Jewish Federation, 1360 N. Prospect Ave., after their international competition in Sheboygan. The sailors, who are blind, are able to enjoy some freedom and control while out on the water.
A coach like Gerber stays in the boat with the blind team, sailing around until it’s time for their “matched” two-team race. Then, just before the race, the coach jumps into a power boat that comes alongside.
Great Britain won the races, with the Israeli team coming in fourth place. They were at a disadvantage, having arrived after a sailing clinic that all the others participated in, because they were delayed in obtaining funding. They actually turned to their own credit cards for at least part of the funding, Reichelsdorfer said. A fund held at the Jewish Community Foundation, of Milwaukee Jewish Federation, provided some support, according to Caren B. Goldberg, executive director of the Foundation.
“They actually sailed very, very well. They learned an extreme amount in a short period of time,” Reichelsdorfer said. “They were just so excited to be here. It was incredible to see the enthusiasm from them.”
“We’re trying to build disabled sailing as well as community sailing. We’re just trying to get people out on the water. Hopefully this works in building the recognition, getting more people to hear about our programming.”
In particular, Reichelsdorfer is proud of a mechanism developed and maintained by the Sailing Education Association of Sheboygan –– it allows people who are severely disabled to sail, including one man with severe ALS who used it.
“He’s got a little bit of movement in his mouth; he can bite down on some switches,” Reichelsdorfer said. “We put a very basic autopilot on the boat. He’s able to sail all by himself.”
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