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Kiwi teenager Xervier Doney returned from Sydney last month with two world titles following a remarkable showing at the 2025 Para Sailing International Championships, held as part of the Hansa World Championships at the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club in Pittwater.
The event drew 195 sailors from 17 countries, including the United States, France, Germany, Japan, and the host nation, Australia. Among them was Doney, a student at Wa Ora Montessori High School in Lower Hutt and a member of Sailability Wellington, who competed in two divisions for athletes with intellectual impairments and won both.
The 17-year-old, who started sailing at age five and only began racing in the singles class six months ago, claimed victory in the Hansa 303 one-person event, finishing ahead of Australia’s Bronwyn Ponder. He then partnered with Dad, Paul, to win the two-person division, beating Leo Purdie and Joel Suarez Felipe of Hong Kong and the Philippines, and the Australian duo Bradley and Colin Alderton.
It’s believed Xervier is the first New Zealander with Down syndrome to win at this level of international sailing. But according to his father, the medals were only part of the achievement.
“Xervier is the only person with Down syndrome sailing singles here, and we would love to encourage other people with intellectual disabilities to get involved and to really push themselves,” Paul said during the regatta. “Our club [Sailability Wellington as a part of Titahi Bay Boating Club] has a lot of people with various types of intellectual disabilities, and it’s only recently started to push towards them doing individual sailing. Xervier is here to prove it can be done.”
The father-son duo also won the Ability Cup at the New Zealand Hansa national championships in February, an event held at Titahi Bay, where rules require that only the sailor with the impairment may control the tiller.
Xervier Doney (right) and Dad Paul at the prizegiving. Photos / Hansa world championship, supplied
For Xervier, the motivation is simple. “I love sailing. The speed, the accessibility — it makes it super fun. It was a great experience,” he said, before offering advice for others. “Don’t be scared on the water and just go for it. And if you want to go sailing, call us or go to Sailability!”
The Hansa 303, along with the SKUD 18, is one of the boats used in international para sailing competition. Although it has not been part of the Paralympic Games since 2015, para sailing remains an International Paralympic Committee-recognised sport, and World Sailing continues to lead the campaign for its return, with an eye on the 2032 Brisbane Games.
Fifteen other New Zealanders also took part in the world championships across several classes. Tony Vaka came closest to the podium, placing fifth in the Liberty Open fleet, while Paul Wager and Annika Pennifold finished sixth in the SKUD 18 division. Megan Kensington flew the flag for New Zealand in an official capacity as principal race officer at the event.
Full results here.
