bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

paywallTypes

createdDate

publishedDate

sponsorType

urlAlias

moreOnThisArticles

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

articleSpeeches

socialHeadline

headline

images

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

Sarah Karacs

Cho Ping has overcome many challenges in life, but none quite like learning to trust the sea.
The 55-year-old Paralympic athlete from Jiangsu has devoted herself to a lifetime of competitive sport, despite having no control of her legs.
The fencing, tennis and track sportswoman disabled by polio announced her retirement three years ago after an impressive cross-discipline career competing in Asian and world championships for 30 years.
But when presented with the opportunity to try Sailability - sailing for the disabled - she could not turn it down.

"The first thing that came to mind was: Getting into the sea was so frightening. Normal people could go here and there. But how could we get around? I had seen some disabled people sail, but I felt it was dangerous."
Despite initial anxieties about taking to the sea, Cho developed a dee love for the sport and now trains in Hebe Yacht Club off the Sai Kung coast. She says what she enjoys most is the feeling of freedom it gives her.
"Taking part in track [races] you just get to see the narrow trails. The sea is so broad, your heart opens … it feels marvellous," she says.
Watch: Rowing across the waves brings disabled sailors to a new phrase of life

Cho is determined that the team she trains with will be the first from Hong Kong to qualify for next year's Paralympic Games, a bold ambition for someone who two years ago was terrified of falling into the water.

Sailability Hong Kong was established by sailing stalwarts Mike and Kay Rawbone in 2009, bringing a new discipline to a city they say lacks the resources for empowering the disabled and appreciating what they can do.
"People with a disability have often never been on water and can't swim," Mike Rawbone says in the cafe that overlooks the yacht-dotted shore.
In rows along the concrete leading into the sea lie 16 small Paralympic yachts, all with mechanicals that enable foot or arm manipulation, or both.
"Sailing helps the disabled improve their confidence and change people's perceptions," he says.
"If you put somebody with a disability in a boat and somebody who is 'normal', they are level."
Sailability is a beneficiary of this year's Operation Santa Claus charity fundraiser jointly held between the South China Morning Post and RTHK. Last year, the fundraiser bought the organisation two boats.
Proceeds from this year's drive will go towards an outreach programme, raising awareness of the sport among schoolchildren and non-English-speaking communities through hiring translators, offering tasters days and expanding their classes' sizes and numbers.
BACKGROUND: This story published as part of an historic collaboration between the South China Morning Post and the Hong Kong Baptist University journalism department 



Operation Santa Claus: Hong Kong children find joy and inclusion in mochi-making

Operation Santa Claus success shows Hong Kong’s robust charity spirit

Operation Santa Claus raises HK$19 million for Hong Kong fire victims, other causes

Operation Santa Claus: law firm volunteers dig deep with Hong Kong elderly

Operation Santa Claus

Sailability offers athlete opportunity to sail into Paralympic comeback

Students from Caritas Lok Kan School gather to try sailing with the Hebe Haven Sailability Trust in Sai Kung, which caters to people with disabilities.Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Yip Wing-lok, volunteer of Hebe Haven Sailability Trust, sailing with Caritas Lok Kan School. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

News

Hong Kong

Education

Sailability offers people with disabilities the opportunity to face new ocean-borne challenges, and sportswoman eyes Paralympics


Sailability offers athlete opportunity to sail into Paralympic comeback

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Sailability offers people with disabilities the opportunity to face new ocean-borne challenges, and sportswoman eyes Paralympics

Sailability offers people with disabilities the opportunity to face new ocean-borne challenges, and sportswoman eyes Paralympics