BU sailor makes waves at world championships

18 September 2007

World class student sailor takes a step closer to realising her dream of competing in the 2008 Paralympics.

BU’s Megan Pascoe finished sixth in this year’s IFDS Disabled Sailing World Championships in Rochester, New York. Medals and places on the British Paralympic squad for Beijing were up for grabs on Lake Ontario.

Competing in the 2.4mR class of single-handed craft, the 21-year-old was the top British competitor in the fleet of 45, as well as the leading female sailor.

Megan recorded eight finishes inside the top ten during five days of racing to equal her final position at last year’s world championships. Her 59 total points this year left her just four points shy of fifth place and 16 points away from the bronze medal.

The Sports Psychology and Coaching Sciences student from Ardingly, West Sussex, has had a promising year so far. In January, she won the silver medal at US Sailing’s Rolex Miami Olympic Classes Regatta.

She also brought home a bronze medal from Kiel Week in Germany during June, and in August was came 20th overall in the 2.4mR Open World Championships for sailors of all abilities.

Megan recorded eight finishes inside the top ten during five days of racing to equal her final position at last year’s world championships.

Megan, who has cerebral palsy, received an Alumni Fund Scholarship from BU in 2006 to contribute towards the development of her coaching skills. The scholarship is also supporting the cost of sailing equipment as Megan works towards Paralympic qualification.

She first competed at the IFDS Disabled World Championships in 2005 when she finished fifth.