The sailing was conducted in another, spectacular, purpose built venue

Australia’s sailor in the 2.4mR class, Peter Thompson, waits to be lifted aboard while coach Lachlan Gilbert organises the equipment before a race at the Athens summer Paralympics. Thompson, who had won the world championships in 1999, finished 5th in Athens after his fourth place finish at the 2000 Sydney Paralympics. The sailing took place from a brand new venue at Helliniko in the south of Athens. Like many of the 2004 venues, not only was it state-of-the-art but it was also huge. The venue was so far from the Paralympic Village, at the opposite end of Athens, that the sailing team stayed in a nearby hotel for the duration of the regatta.