[Nfbf-l] Article posted here: Blind Sailing International Championship Sheboygan, Wisconsin, September 9th-14th

[Alan Dicey]

Dear Friends,
I just thought I would go to the web site and copy and post the article here 
for those who like me often have a hard time going to some web sites!
With Best Regards,
God Bless,
Alan
Plantation, Florida
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When Kris Scheppe steps aboard a boat, the disadvantages he has coped with 
all his life vanish.
Scheppe, 35, has retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative eye disease that has 
destroyed his peripheral vision and left him with very limited sight.

Despite being able to see only a narrow field directly in front of him, 
"like looking through a straw," Scheppe has been a champion power lifter, a 
winning preps wrestler and a business owner.

Now the 1998 Sheboygan Falls High School graduate is a competitor in the 
International World Championship of Blind Match Racers, going on now in 
Sheboygan.

The competition, which began Wednesday and wraps up on Sunday, is taking 
place in the lake off Blue Harbor with teams from the U.S., Australia, Great 
Britain, Italy and Canada.

"The big thing about sailing is I can't drive a car or anything but I can 
get out on the water and I can steer the boat," Scheppe said during a break 
in the action this week. "It gives a big freedom you don't have anywhere 
else. You feel the wind on your face, you go through the water, the wind, 
the waves. It's definitely a great feeling."

For Scheppe, the real reason to participate in the blind match racing 
championships isn't to win, it's to spread the word that blind sailing is a 
legitimate sport.

"This is the first time the U.S. has been involved," Scheppe said. "Our goal 
is just to be here, make a showing, get the country involved."

Scheppe started sailing when he was 11 years old on his family's boat. As a 
young man he started a sailing club at Florida Gulf Coast University in 2005 
and began competing with a club in Ft. Myers, Florida, in 2009.

When he heard about the world championship event in Sheboygan, he reached 
out to his competitive sailing community to put together a U.S. team.

Scheppe said he hopes to participate in future blind sailing competitions, 
including a world blind fleet racing competition next year. He has 
participated in blind fleet racing at the national level in 2012 and 2013, 
when his team took fourth.

In between sailing events, Scheppe does web development for a pool 
construction company in Naples, Florida, where he lives. He also volunteers 
for an organization called Camp Abilities, a sports camp for visually 
impaired children.

For the former Ironman National Wrestling Champion, teaching young people to 
love sports is the next best thing to sailing.

"Sometimes I think we get more out of it than the kids do," he said. "Seeing 
where they are at the beginning of the week ... and three or four days later 
to have them in the boats, sailing in a regatta. It's really rewarding to 
see them come from not knowing to racing a regatta and going home and 
wanting to sail more."

Scheppe has also established his own nonprofit, Blind Sailing Unlimited, to 
promote sailing for the visually impaired and raise money to make 
participation possible for blind sailors.

"I'm just trying to grow the sport of blind sailing in the U.S.," Scheppe 
said. "Right now if I was able to get a grant, full time, and go around and 
start new programs, I would love to do that. Hopefully a lot of people will 
see that the U.S. team was here, that they competed, and they'll say, 'Wow, 
I didn't know about that, I want to do that,' and give us a call."

Reach Janet Weyandt at 920-453-5121

To learn more


Blind sailor Kris Scheppe hopes race encourages love of the sport
Janet Weyandt, Sheboygan Press Media 7:September 13, 2014
The United States team's Kris Scheppe, grips the controls of the boat Friday 
September 12, 2014 on Lake Michigan during the International Association for 
Disabled Sailing championships in Sheboygan.. (Photo: Gary C. 
Klein/Sheboygan Press Media)Buy Photo Fullscreen Australia, left, and 
Italy's entries pilot around a buoy during the International Association for 
Disabled Sailing Friday September 12, 2014 in Sheboygan. (Photo: Gary C. 
Klein/Sheboygan Press Media)Buy Photo Fullscreen
The Britain team pilots their sailboat during blind match racing action 
during the International Association for Disabled Sailing championships 
Friday September 12, 2014 in Sheboygan. (Photo: Gary C. Klein/Sheboygan 
Press Media)Buy Photo Fullscreen
The Canadian team pilots their sailboat near a buoy during blind match 
racing action during the International Association for Disabled Sailing 
championships Friday September 12, 2014 in Sheboygan. (Photo: Gary C. 
Klein/Sheboygan Press Media)Buy Photo Fullscreen
The Italian team pilots their sailboat during blind match racing action 
during the International Association for Disabled Sailing Friday September 
12, 2014 in Sheboygan. (Photo: Gary C. Klein/Sheboygan Press Media)Buy Photo 
Fullscreen
Australian sailors around a buoy during the International Association for 
Disabled Sailing championships Friday September 12, 2014 in Sheboygan. 
(Photo: Gary C. Klein/Sheboygan Press Media)Buy Photo Fullscreen
The United States entry including Kris Scheppe of Sheboygan Falls during 
action in the International Association for Disabled Sailing Friday 
September 12, 2014 in Sheboygan. (Photo: Gary C. Klein/Sheboygan Press 
Media)Buy Photo Fullscreen
The United States entry including Kris Scheppe of Sheboygan Falls during 
action in the International Association for Disabled Sailing championships 
Friday September 12, 2014 in Sheboygan. Scheppe, in orange holds the tiller 
of the boat. (Photo: Gary C. Klein/Sheboygan Press Media)Buy Photo 
Fullscreen
The United States team's Kris Scheppe, grips the controls of the boat Friday 
September 12, 2014 on Lake Michigan during the International Association for 
Disabled Sailing championships in Sheboygan.. (Photo: Gary C. 
Klein/Sheboygan Press Media)Buy Photo Fullscreen
The United States team's Kris Scheppe, in orange, grips the controls of the 
boat Friday September 12, 2014 on Lake Michigan during the International 
Association for Disabled Sailing championships in Sheboygan.. (Photo: Gary 
C. Klein/Sheboygan Press Media)Buy Photo Fullscreen
The sailboat of the United States makes a turn during the International 
Association for Disabled Sailing championships Friday September 12, 2014 in 
Sheboygan. (Photo: Gary C. Klein/Sheboygan Press Media)Buy Photo Fullscreen
Australia, left, and Canada compete in the International Association for 
Disabled Sailing championships Friday September 12, 2014 in Sheboygan. 
(Photo: Gary C. Klein/Sheboygan Press Media)Buy Photo Fullscreen
The United States team's Kris Scheppe, in orange, grips the controls of the 
boat Friday September 12, 2014 on Lake Michigan during the International 
Association for Disabled Sailing championships in Sheboygan.. (Photo: Gary 
C. Klein/Sheboygan Press Media)Buy Photo Fullscreen
The flag is raised before the start of the race at the International 
Association for Disabled Sailing championships Friday September 12, 2014 in 
Sheboygan. (Photo: Gary C. Klein/Sheboygan Press Media)Buy Photo Fullscreen
The United States team's Kris Scheppe, grips the controls of the boat Friday 
September 12, 2014 on Lake Michigan during the International Association for 
Disabled Sailing championships in Sheboygan.. (Photo: Gary C. 
Klein/Sheboygan Press Media)Buy Photo Fullscreen
The United States team's Kris Scheppe, grips the controls of the boat Friday 
September 12, 2014 on Lake Michigan during the International Association for 
Disabled Sailing championships in Sheboygan.. (Photo: Gary C. 
Klein/Sheboygan Press Media)Buy Photo Fullscreen
Boats race Friday September 12, 2014 on Lake Michigan during the 
International Association for Disabled Sailing championships in Sheboygan.. 
(Photo: Gary C. Klein/Sheboygan Press Media)Buy Photo Fullscreen
Kris Scheppe, originally from Sheboygan Falls, right front, relaxes with 
Patrick Gafney of Plymouth and fellow competitor Scott Ford of Traverse 
City, Michigan Friday September 12, 2014 at the Sheboygan Yacht Club 
following competition. (Photo: Gary C. Klein/Sheboygan Press Media)Buy Photo 
Fullscreen
Scheppe, grips the controls of his boat Friday on Lake Michigan during the 
International Blind Match Racing Championships in Sheboygan.(Photo: Gary C. 
Klein/Sheboygan Press Media)
The International Blind Match Racing Championships continue Saturday and 
Sunday in the water off South Pier. Races take place between 10 a.m. and 5 
p.m. The finals will be held on Sunday.

The Sailing Education Association of Sheboygan and Blue Harbor have teamed 
up to provide spectators with a place to watch and listen to all the action. 
A hospitality tent at Blue Harbor will be outfitted with speakers, so 
spectators can listen in as a match racing expert follows the competing 
teams around the course and describes the action. In addition, a boat will 
be available to take spectators out on the water so they can see the race up 
close.

Saturday's events include live music, a bonfire and fireworks after dark.

To learn more about Kris Scheppe's Blind Sailing Unlimited, go online to 
Blindsailingunlimited.org.
Here's a great article that was in the Sheboygan Press about me.
http://www.sheboyganpress.com/story/sports/outdoors/silent-sports/2014/09/12/blind-sailor/15541305/

If you'd like more information about getting into sailing let me know.

Kris Scheppe