Eighty athletes representing 25 countries in three keelboat classes - the 2.4mR, the SKUD 18, and the Sonar, took part in sailing in the 2008 Summer Paralympics.

Competitors had a wide range of physical disabilities including degenerative nerve disease, blindness, missing limbs, and polio.

Boats were prepared and launched from the docks of the Qingdao International Sailing Centre, which also included the accessible Qingdao Paralympic Village, a 5-star hotel which previously housed the Olympic Sailing athletes.

Functional Classification System full details: [1] The 2-person keelboat (SKUD18) made its official début in the Paralympics.

The only Paralympic class keelboat with a spinnaker, emblazoned with the national flag of each country.