The purpose of classifying disabled athletes is to “level the playing field” and rank persons with disabilities on their function and performance of sailing tasks. This ranking of sailors is like the ranking of athletes in other sports such as weight classes in wrestling.
The US Sailing Functional Classification System measures the sailor’s ability in order to:
- Ensure equitable competition at all levels for sailors of varied levels of ability
- Encourage crews of mixed ability to compete together and complement each other
- Quantify functional limitations caused only by physical disability
Classifiers are responsible for the classification of disabled sailors. Physicians, physical therapists, occupational therapists and other allied medical professionals trained in the US Sailing Functional Classification System (FCS) are eligible to become classifiers. Learn more by reading the US Sailing Functional Classification System Manual.
US Sailing classifications are valid for an Olympic quadrennium (currently 2013-2016). The US Sailing Master Classification List contains all the names, class and status of athletes who have been classified. To view the list, please click the link in the menu to the right.
Classification is required for all US Sailing Team Sperry qualifiers and the US Disabled Sailing Championship. Classification is strongly suggested for all other US disabled sailors.