A Christchurch sporting club is hoping to introduce more Cantabrians to what it describes as “SailGP on wheels”, as it prepares to host blokart sailors from around the country later this year.

Canterbury Blokart Club Inc will host both the South Island Blokart Open and New Zealand Blokart Open at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand site at Wigram in October, bringing competitors together for four days of wind-powered racing.

The South Island Open will be held on October 23 and 24, while the New Zealand Open will run from October 23 to 26.

Club member Alan Scott said the sport combined the tactics and wind power of sailing with the speed and excitement of racing on three wheels.

“It’s like SailGP but on wheels,” Alan Scott said.

Blokarts are lightweight, three-wheeled land yachts powered entirely by the wind. Sailors sit close to the ground, steering by hand while using a sheet line to control the sail and their speed.

The Canterbury club has been operating since 2004 and meets most Sundays at the Wigram site, where members use the expansive sealed hangar apron and runway taxiway for sailing and racing.

Alan Scott said the club was keen to grow awareness of the sport among Cantabrians of all ages.

He was also working with the NZ Spinal Trust to promote blokart sailing as an activity suitable for people with paraplegia and other lower-body disabilities.

Accessibility is one of the features that sets blokart racing apart from many other sports.

Because blokarts are steered by hand, people with lower-body disabilities can compete alongside able-bodied sailors. Racing divisions are based on body weight rather than gender, helping create a level playing field between competitors.

The New Zealand Blokart Association Inc said regional competitions such as the South Island Open were designed to cater for sailors across a range of skill levels, while the New Zealand Open provided a more competitive national event.

For those who have never tried the sport, the Canterbury club provides blokarts and equipment for newcomers. No previous sailing experience is required.

The club also has a tandem blokart, allowing people to sail alongside an instructor or support person.

Alan Scott encouraged anyone curious about the sport to visit the Air Force Museum of New Zealand site, watch the racing and meet club members, or get behind the controls themselves.

The club generally sails from around midday on Sundays, subject to weather and access to the site.