QUADRIPLEGIC American sailor Paul Callahan has praised the ‘extraordinary effort’ that has made the 2012 Sailing venue so welcoming to disabled people.

The 51-year-old helm, who is expected the represent the United States in the Paralympics next year is competing at this week’s Skandia Sail for Gold regatta in the Sonar keelboat class with crewmates Tom Brown, a single-leg amputee, and Bradley Johnson, a double-leg amputee.

Thirty-one years after a fall on a wet floor left Callahan with a broken neck and the prognosis of a lifetime in bed, the father of twin boys has completed Harvard Business School, worked for Goldman Sachs, competed in the 2000 Sydney Paralympics, and even sailed a specially adapted America’s Cup boat, Easterner, against Ted Turner. Six years of physiotherapy enabled Callahan to regain some mobility in his arms but not his fingers and he drives the boat using ‘upside down bicycle pedals’.

He also runs Sail to Prevail, based in Newport, Rhode Island, the National Disabled Sailing programme which annually serves more than 1,500 disabled children.

Callahan arrived at Littlesea Holiday Park, which offers disabled accessible caravans, with his American team-mates on May 30 and will stay until the Paralympic test event – the 2011 World Championships in July.

He said: “This is the first time I’ve been here and it’s great.

“When you go to any other country there’s always hurdles but I can see the extraordinary effort the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy is making so this whole facility works for disabled as well as able-bodied people.

“They should be commended for that. I think it’s a model for other countries which are holding world-class events, it’s the little details that would normally be overlooked and it allows you to focus on your sailing rather than the things you encounter from being away from home.”

The American team have also been aided by Dorset businessman Kevin Smith of Mobility UK Solutions in Poole, who has loaned them a specially-adapted van for the duration of their stay.

Callahan is equally impressed by his British competitors in the Sonar fleet – John Robertson, Hannah Stodel and Steve Thomas, who live on Portland.

He said: “We’ve been friends with the British team since Sydney 2000 and they’re terrific, I have a special respect for them.

“They have a high level of sportsmanship and we enjoy competing against them above all the other teams. The UK should be proud to have John, Hannah and Steve representing their country because they certainly serve the country very well with the way they conduct themselves on the water.”