Blue Ribbon: Kiel Yacht Club honoured by Minister President Daniel Günther

Among the guests, Günther welcomed representatives of the Kiel Yacht Club and its chairman Dr Hauke Berndt as well as the Minister of Sport Dr Sabine Sütterlin-Waack, the Lord Mayor of Kiel Dr Ulf Kämpfer and Hans-Jakob Tiessen, President of the State Sports Association.

"In Schleswig-Holstein, sailing is just as much a part of leisure activities as it is of popular and elite sport. Good work with young talent is essential for this importance, especially in a sport like sailing," says Günther. This is precisely where the Kieler Yacht-Club (KYC) comes in with its work with young talent, making it literally "child's play" to start sailing.

Youth work since 1910

Since 1910, the association has been offering Kiel Yacht School children and young people the opportunity to learn to sail under their own management and responsibility. "The more young people are given this opportunity, the better it is," said the Minister President.
With the Training group the Kieler Yacht-Club has extended this offer to adults and is opening the door to the world of sailing for even more people.

The Blue Ribbon of the Minister President of Schleswig-Holstein is awarded at irregular intervals in recognition of services to water sports. Since its creation in 2007, it has been awarded seven times. Among those honoured have been Peter Gast as the founder of the shipping race, Oliver Berking as the initiator of the Flensburg Classic Regattas and operator of the Yachting Heritage Centre and the Robbe & Berking Classics shipyard, as well as the organisers of Kieler Woche and Travemünder Woche.

Sailing training promotes personal development"

"The training demands and promotes personal development and sporting skills in equal measure. In particular, it is also about acting independently and with foresight," said Günther during the award ceremony. "Experienced leaders, committed planners and hands-on organisers of sailing in Schleswig-Holstein grow out of this early sense of responsibility," said the head of government. This is a great benefit for young sailors, for water sports and for Schleswig-Holstein as a whole.

Dr Hauke Berndt expressed his sincere thanks for the award on behalf of the Kiel Yacht Club. "Today, around 200 children are learning to sail in our youth and regatta group," said Berndt. Founded in the enthusiasm surrounding the Olympic Games in 1973, this youth development programme is the youngest element of the club and rounds off the training programme right down to the very youngest.