Black & Lizars supports blind sailors 

A branch of Scottish optical group, Black & Lizars, has assessed the visual capacity of blind sailors competing in this year's Blind March Racing World Championships.

As official partner to the competition, which is hosted by the Royal Northern & Clyde Yacht Club, the Helensburgh practice has been ensuring that all sailors are competing on an equal visual level.

Blind match racing is one-on-one racing between identical Sonar keelboats, with Blind and partially sighted sailors racing around a marked course with only the sound of the buoys and wind to guide them.

Five international teams from Great Britain, the US, Canada and Australia are taking part in the five-day competition, which finishes tomorrow (7 September).

Black & Lizars Helensburgh practice manager, Jay Osborne, said: “We were thrilled to be invited to help at such an extraordinary event. These sailors are incredible athletes and have been a real inspiration to us all.”

Chair of the event, Dr Craig Macdonald, added: “Black & Lizars has been exceedingly helpful in the important classification process. The professional and knowledgeable staff based in the Helensburgh branch have provided technical support to ensure that competitors’ visual capacity is properly assessed according to international standards and ensuring a level playing field. We are extremely grateful for their expertise and thank them for their support of this event.”