Sailors to represent Australia at the London 2012 Paralympic Games have been named with the team containing a mixture of experienced campaigners and first time Paralympians.

Australia will send three crews to the London Paralympic Games with sailors competing in the Skud 18, Sonar and 2.4mR classes at the Paralympic Games.

Daniel Fitzgibbon and Liesl Tesch will race in the Skud 18 class, with Colin Harrison, Stephen Churm and Jonathan Harris racing in the Sonar and Matt Bugg in the single person 2.4mR.

Yachting Australia High Performance Director Peter Conde said that the three crews were all strong medal chances.

‘Since sailing became a Paralympic sport in 2000, Australia has won a gold, silver and a bronze medal and we’re looking to this team to increase that tally at the London Games,’ Conde said.

‘Dan and Liesl have been on the podium at every regatta they have competed in as a crew.

‘In the Sonar class Colin, Stephen and Jonathan have only competed in the one regatta together but that was a very strong fourth place at the IFDS World Championships in January.’

‘While Matt Bugg continues to get stronger and is working his way up the ladder at every event in the 2.4mR.’

The Australian Paralympic Sailing team is an Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) camp-based program. The program is funded and supported by the Australian Sports Commission and Australian Paralympic Committee in partnership with Yachting Australia and the AIS.

The AIS, working in partnership with the Australian Paralympic Committee and Yachting Australia, has supported the training, development and preparation of Australia’s sailors for the Paralympic Games by providing access to specialist coaching, sports science expertise, intensive training programs and state-of-the-art facilities including the European Training Centre next to Lake Varese, Italy.