The application has been submitted and the first deposit paid: embRacing Team Germany wants to take part in the Youth America's Cup 2024 before the 37th America's Cup. The event will take place from 19 September to 2 October in Barcelona. Behind the initiative is 23-year-old Kiel-based driver Paul Farien. And at his side is a group of young, dynamic and multi-talented sailors as well as experienced sponsors and clubs. The first hurdles on the Barcelona course have already been overcome.
Paul Farien is studying socio-economics in Kiel. Among other things, he is focussing on corporate development, new ideas and the revision of structures. Now he has his own major international project on which he can - and wants to - demonstrate his skills. "Our time is now!" says the highly talented foiling ace Paul Farien, who also shines in the fast-paced moth shortly after joining the company.
Alica Stuhlemmer brings Olympic bronze on board
At Farien's side, other young talents will be fighting for the chance to make a strong impression for German sailing in the America's Cup for young sailors up to the age of 25: Jesse Lindstädt is the 2019 Nacra U21 World Champion, Lukas Hesse was the 2020 German Champion in the 49er and a finalist in the 2022 69F Youth Foiling Gold Cup. The most prominent competitor is Alica Stuhlemmer, the Olympic Nacra 17 bronze medallist from Japan. She sailed to the podium there with helmsman Paul Kohlhoff.
On board as senior advisor and mentor is two-time star boat Olympian and successful Kiel coach Marc Pickel, who recently played a significant role in the German skiff medals at the Olympics. The international network of the developer of the P-Starboats and Pickel's wealth of experience will help the young team to plan and prepare. Internationally renowned sailing sport stars have high hopes for the German campaign.
Boris Herrmann is enthusiastic, Philipp Buhl is committed
Circumnavigator Boris Herrmann says: "There are some very talented young sailors with great potential in the team. It would be great to see a German team at the 2024 Youth America's Cup in Barcelona." New Zealand America's Cup veteran Ray Davies predicts: "Team Germany will be a top team because they have a lot of up-and-coming talent and always manage their campaigns at the highest level."
Ten years ago, the German story in the Youth America's Cup began with Team All in Racing and the later Olympic medallists Erik Heil and Thomas Plößel as well as Laser World Champion Philipp Buhl. Paul Kohlhoff and Next Generation Team Germany continued it at the Red Bull Youth America's Cup 2017. Today, Germany's most successful Laser and Ilca-7 helmsman Philipp Buhl is involved in the embRracing campaign alongside his own Olympic campaign and recent brilliant successes in the Moth world championship.
Buhl says: "I support this team wherever I can! Many of the young sailors have great qualifications. There are not many nations with so much ambition, especially in foiling." This foiling ability will be in demand in the Youth America's Cup. But as usual, talent, ambition and good ideas alone will not be enough to reach the starting line of the Youth America's Cup.
Marc Pickel: "There were no such opportunities when I was starting out"
Marc Pickel invested the first entry fee of 5,000 euros associated with the initial information document required by the organisers in the initial phase in order to get the promising team out of the starting blocks and onto the Cup track.
Marc Pickel, who most recently coached Erik Heil and Thomas Plößel in Japan when they won another bronze medal, says: "I want to give something back from my network. It's a shame that I'm no longer so young myself. We didn't have opportunities like this when I was starting out. I think it's great that there is a young team that is taking the initiative here in an intensive and convincing way. The concept of the Youth America's Cup, the foiling AC40 boats - smaller sisters of the foiling AC75 monohulls - the event, the venue of Barcelona and the timing are great and make a lot of sense for this German campaign."
Emirates Team New Zealand is one of the role models for the determined young guard on the move. "The current defenders didn't win the America's Cup at the first attempt either, but with hard work, good ideas and fun. We want to create a new basis modelled on the Kiwis and, with a lot of hard work, a new culture as a platform for the future," says Marc Pickel. In spring, the New Zealand organisers will provide feedback on which applicants will be admitted to the Youth America's Cup alongside the seeded youth teams of the America's Cup participants.
The motto is: "Youth, Diversity & Performance"
The embRacing Team Germany is aiming for an approximate budget totalling 258,000 euros. At 82,000 euros, the regatta participation costs are the largest item. The damage deposit to be paid amounts to 25,000 euros. The embRacing Team Germany estimates the extra costs of the regatta itself at 25,000 euros and its training and preparation budget at around 50,000 euros. Travelling and other extra costs are listed at 30,000 euros. Media and marketing expenses as well as costs for the promotion and acquisition of the sailing team members each amount to 15,000 euros. A further 16,000 euros are earmarked for equipment.
In addition to strong partners, the aim is to consciously seek cooperation with clubs, smaller companies and individual fans. Behind the scenes, the initiative is already being supported by agency professionals. The new German team for the Youth America's Cup has long since taken off with its motto "Youth, Diversity, Performance". Its young founders and drivers are convinced that they will make it to the starting line of the prominent prelude to the 37th America's Cup.
