By Gary Anderson

August 23 - IFDS President John Twomey will be competing at 2013 World Championships in KinsaleTen-time Paralympian and International Association for Disabled Sailing (IFDS) President John Twomey has claimed that he has no problem "multi-tasking" at this year's World Championships in his home club of Kinsale as he combines the roles of President and competitor.

The 57-year-old from Cork, elected President of the IFDS last November, will be competing in the sonar class with crew-mates Ian Costello and Anthony Hegarty while simultaneously trying to ensure that the whole event runs smoothly over the five days of competition from next Monday (August 26) until the following Saturday (August 30).

"They're two different roles altogether," said the qualified accountant.

"[For] the competitor role, the last three days aren't the most important three days of the preparation; it's the whole package.

"So I'm able to mix both roles quite easily.

"I've been in business all my life so I'm well used to multi-tasking.

"The main [Presidential] role during the week is in the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

"There will be certain functions that I will have to attend but notwithstanding that, the sailing happens during the day.

"That's when you're out on the water.

"I'm very lucky that we have a very good structure for these events so the people are in place from both Kinsale Yacht Club and the Federation to manage and organise these things.

"So it takes a lot of pressure off the likes of the President then.

"There's an excellent organising committee that we have together in Kinsale Yacht Club.

"One of the Federation vice-presidents is coming in from Canada, Brian Todd, and he's going to take a lot of my roles over for me.

"So it's just a matter of organising yourself and coordinating it.

"And you know what?

"A bit of common sense goes a long way in life."

Ian Costello (left) John Twomey (centre) and Anthony Hegarty will be competing in the sonar class in KinsaleIan Costello (left) John Twomey (centre) and Anthony Hegarty will be competing in the sonar class in Kinsale






















This will represent the first time the IFDS World Championships will have been staged in Ireland following a successful bid headed by Twomey and regatta director John Stallard, which saw the Irish town secure hosting rights four years ago, up against bids from Australia, Canada and China.

Twomey, who won discus gold and bronze at the 1988 Seoul and 1984 New York Paralympics respectively as well as a table tennis silver in Arnhem in 1980, is looking forward to welcoming some of the world's best disabled sailors to the Kinsale Yacht Club.

"It's wonderful," he said.

"It's creating a great buzz in the town.

"We have 18 countries in at this stage, 75 boats in for it and every boat comes with a coach.

"There's a lot of family, friends, officials and media from around the world here.

"Kinsale is a cosmopolitan, international place and it really suits this.

"And people love the town.

"They absolutely love it."

Ireland's most experienced Paralympian, who has been in a wheelchair since 1970 after suffering a spinal injury following a crash during the County Cork Cycling Championships at the age of 14, took up competitive sailing following Atlanta 1996 and while he would love to secure a World Championship medal on home waters, he acknowledges that it will not be an easy task.

Udo Hessels (left) Marcel van de Veen (centre) and Mischa Rossen will be looking to add World Championship success to their Paralympic gold at London 2012Udo Hessels (left) Marcel van de Veen (centre) and Mischa Rossen will be looking to add World Championship success to their Paralympic gold at London 2012




























The London 2012 gold medal winning Dutch crew of Udo Hessels, Marcel van de Veen and Mischa Rossen, German silver medallists Robert Prem, Siegmund Mainka and Jens Kroker and Norway's Aleksander Wang-Hansen, Marie Solberg and Per Eugen Kristiansen who won bronze, will provide big obstacles to a home win as will the British trio of John Robertson, Hannah Stodel and Stephen Thomas.

They may well have a point to prove to Twomey following the IFDS's controversial decision to penalise them for tampering with their boat which saw them miss out on a medal at London last year.

"From our [his team] own perspective -and that's the only one I can speak from – we have a lot of good preparation work done," said Twomey.

"I have the team that I had in London and the three of us have been together for a few years.

"We're comfortable in what we're doing and like everything in life, a bit of luck never goes astray.

"The gold, silver and bronze medallists from London are here and a number of others that have been world champions.

"So you've the cream of the cream here and we're up there with them.

"We're not favourites but we're comfortable where we are and with a bit of luck, who knows?"

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