Switching from the KYC to the St Francis Yacht Club: Felix Weidling, what drew you to San Francisco?
Tatjana Pokorny
· 14.02.2023
Tell me, Felix ...
... what draws you to San Francisco?
My new job. Douglas Slowan, a US-American who I know from my time on the Kieler Woche jury and with whom I am friends, tipped me off that the St Francis Yacht Club was looking for a race director. So I applied. After two rounds of interviews with the honorary regatta committee and two rounds of interviews with the club's general manager, I was accepted. I start there in February.
Your family is going with you. Was the decision to move to California easy for you?
Yes, you only get a chance like this once in a lifetime. And my wife is a keen traveller, she's up for it too. Cedric is 18 years old and will be attending a German school in Silicon Valley in Mountain View, where Apple and Google are based. Our younger son Bo will go to an American public school.
You are a property specialist, have gained various professional experiences in the water sports industry and worked as a regatta secretary for the Kiel Yacht Club for ten years. The best prerequisites for the new job?
I hope so. In addition to my job, I am also a regatta sailor myself. In 2007, I had the chance to sail with the German America's Cup team in Valencia. I crossed the Atlantic and competed in various boat classes.
Why does a US club hire a German regatta manager?
After a few recent changes, they wanted a lot of experience and consistency. I bring both with me. Together, we want to ensure that the St Francis Yacht Club remains one of the top American clubs alongside the New York Yacht Club.
Your new employer is one of the five largest US sailing clubs, right?
Yes, it's an impressive club with 98 employees, all the trimmings and a large restaurant on the Bay Area waterfront. The Americans love socialising, which is sometimes neglected in Germany. Of the approximately 3,000 members, only around 800 sail, but they all use the club, enjoy getting together, meeting friends and going out to eat together. The St Francis Yacht Club is a place to get together.
And what does it have to offer in terms of sport?
A lot! The centrepiece is the annual Rolex Big Boat Series in September. This is their little Kiel Week. This year, the 505 World Championship will be added as a special event. In May, we are organising the One Million Dollar Race with the SailGP final. For the future, the strategic focus is on which interesting classes we can offer a great venue.
What are you taking with you from Kiel into your new job?
Without the strong and incisive mentors I had during my time at the Kieler Yacht-Club, I would not have been able to take advantage of this opportunity. I am very grateful to my companions and hope to see them again at my new club. I will definitely remain a member of the KYC.
About the person: This is Felix Weidling
Felix Weidling (45) took over from Regatta Secretary Roland Rademacher in 2009 and began organising regattas for the Kieler Yacht-Club. In addition to the annual regattas such as Maior, Young Europeans Sailing, BlueRibbonCup and, of course, Kiel Week, Felix Weidling also organised world and European championships at the KYC.
As a full-time employee of the club, Weidling was also a member of the regatta committee. This is where regattas are advertised, funding is organised and the sailors and coaches are looked after before, during and after the regatta. Felix Weidling was also always present at the Kieler Woche trade fair stand at boot.
"My primary goal was to give our volunteers the maximum possible support to make every single regatta a success. No regatta can function without the strong commitment of the volunteers," says Weidling, describing his tasks.
The St Francis Yacht Club will be an Olympic venue in 2028
Founded in 1927, the St Francis Yacht Club organises around 140 regatta days each year, including fleet race regattas, match race regattas, Wednesday evening regattas and kite nights. The highlight is the Rolex Big Boat Series in September. Around 100 yachts compete against each other in 7 boat classes. The event will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2024, which will be flanked by a surprise moment. Another top event to be organised will be the tour finale of the SailGP series in May. A special challenge for Felix Weidling will be the kite disciplines of the 2028 Summer Olympics, which will be held in San Francisco Bay. "It's a great pity that our 2024 Olympic bid was unsuccessful. That's why I'm delighted to be part of "LA28"!" enthuses Weidling.
The club has around 3,000 members and a spacious clubhouse right on the Bay Area waterfront with a view of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Prison Island. Inland, the club has its own island, "Tinsley", which is used as an excursion destination by many club members. The most famous St. FYC member is Paul Cayard, who has already won five America's Cups and two Olympic Games in his career.
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Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
