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Sportsman's choiceShooting star Ole Schweckendiek wins in the north

Tatjana Pokorny

 · 30.12.2022

Sportsman's choice: Shooting star Ole Schweckendiek wins in the northPhoto: osga_photo
U21 world champion Ole Schweckendiek at the 2022 award ceremony in Vilamoura, Portugal
Germany's best male and female sailors remain on the wave of success: In Schleswig-Holstein, just before the end of the year, 17-year-old Ilca 7 helmsman Ole Schweckendiek was voted Sportsman of the Year. He left top players from other sports in his wake and epitomises a trend

He was the shooting star on everyone's lips this year: 17-year-old Ilca-7 helmsman Ole Schweckendiek from the Kiel Yacht Club. For the first time since Heiko Kröger's election in 2001, a sailor was once again crowned the sporting number one in Germany's northernmost federal state. With his victory at the U21 World Championships and other titles in the Ilca 6 junior class, Ole Schweckendiek has attracted a lot of attention in 2022. The award for his achievements comes early in the likeable sailor's career. It is unlikely to be the last.

Successful dinghy sailor even at a young age: Ole Schweckendiek from KielPhoto: ChristianBeeck.deSuccessful dinghy sailor even at a young age: Ole Schweckendiek from Kiel

Like his role model Philipp Buhl: early success, focussed work

The student from Kiel had sailed from one success to the next this year. Ole Schweckendiek achieved his U21 World Championship triumph at the end of August just a short time after switching to the Olympic boat class. The focussed young competitive athlete from the German Sailing Team was thus strongly reminiscent of his role model Philipp Buhl.

The 2020 Laser World Champion and two-time Olympic participant had himself won the U21 and U19 World Championships at the age of 17. Buhl warmly congratulated the high-flyer from Kiel: "That's a fantastic result for Ole! Congratulations and welcome to the Laser Standard." Schweckendiek, for his part, is a Buhl fan: "Philipp is extremely likeable and shows that you can still enjoy the sport even as a successful sailor."

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Here Ole Schweckendiek was already standing in line with German sailing legends at the summer celebrations to mark 50 years of the Olympics at the Olympic Centre in Kiel-Schilksee. Also taking part were Ulli Libor (3rd from right), Heinz Laprell, Hans-Christian Schröder and Olympic Nacra 17 bronze medallist and club colleague Alica StuhlemmerPhoto: tatiHere Ole Schweckendiek was already standing in line with German sailing legends at the summer celebrations to mark 50 years of the Olympics at the Olympic Centre in Kiel-Schilksee. Also taking part were Ulli Libor (3rd from right), Heinz Laprell, Hans-Christian Schröder and Olympic Nacra 17 bronze medallist and club colleague Alica Stuhlemmer

For the members of the national sailing team, Schweckendiek's success at the Schleswig-Holstein sportsmen's election will not be the last success of its kind. At the beginning of 2023, the best athletes from the Hanseatic clubs from the previous year will once again be elected in Hamburg, among other places. Several members of the NRV Olympic Team have recommended themselves for this with golden successes in 2022: World champions Luise Wanser/Philipp Autenrieth (470 Mixed) and Sebastian Kördel (iQFoil) are in with a good chance.

Sailors on course for success with World Championship gold medals

Despite their outstanding successes in 2022, the most successful DSV athletes were unable to hold their own against better-known TV faces in the nationwide athlete of the year awards. In sailing-orientated federal states, on the other hand, their achievements are more widely recognised. Hamburg's Sportsman of the Year in 2021 was also a sailor, Boris Herrmann. The two-time Olympic 49er bronze medallists Erik Heil and Thomas Plößel from the NRV were voted Hamburg's Sports Team of the Year 2021.

In April 2022, Boris Herrmann was named Hamburg's Sportsman of the Year for his Vendée Globe success in 2021. Team Director Holly Cova accepted the award on his behalf at the Hamburg Sports Gala. Herrmann was connected via video conferencePhoto: Tim GroothuisIn April 2022, Boris Herrmann was named Hamburg's Sportsman of the Year for his Vendée Globe success in 2021. Team Director Holly Cova accepted the award on his behalf at the Hamburg Sports Gala. Herrmann was connected via video conference

Tatjana Pokorny

Tatjana Pokorny

Sports reporter

Tatjana “tati” Pokorny is the author of nine books. As a reporter for Europe's leading sailing magazine YACHT, she also works as a correspondent for the German Press Agency (DPA), the Hamburger Abendblatt and other national and international media. In summer 2024, Tatjana will be reporting from Marseille on her ninth consecutive Olympic Games. Other core topics have been the America's Cup since 1992, the Ocean Race since 1993, the Vendée Globe and other national and international regattas and their protagonists. Favorite discipline: Portraits of and interviews with sailing personalities. When she started out in sports journalism, she was still intensively involved with basketball and other sports, but sailing quickly became her main focus. The reason? The declared optimist says: “There is no other sport like it, no other sport with such interesting and intelligent personalities, no other sport so diverse, no other sport so full of energy, strength and ideas. Sailing is like a constantly refreshing declaration of love for life."

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