50 years of the Olympics in Kiel: Exciting generation talk

Alica Stuhlemmer: "The love of sailing makes everything possible!"

Successful Olympic athletes from 1972 and 2020 and promising young talents talked about their passion for Olympic sailing in front of almost 100 guests in the DSV Lounge at the weekend. Authentically told anecdotes, insights into the 1972 Olympic Games and a lively exchange about life as an Olympic athlete then and now made this very special talk round an experience with a lot of sea value. "This evening was a great success," said a delighted DSV President Mona Küppers, who opened the discussion as host. The conclusion of this event came from one of the youngest in the prominent circle. The 22-year-old Nacra 17 bronze medallist from Enoshima (2021) said: "The love of sailing makes everything possible." She received unreserved applause from the other panellists and the captivated audience as she celebrated 50 years of the Olympics in Kiel.

Three generations of successful sailors met in the DSV lounge at the national sailing centre for a lively discussion amidst the remarkable anniversary exhibition with many original exhibits from the 1972 Olympic sailing competitions: Ulli Libor, bronze medallist in 1972 as helmsman in the Flying Dutchman, Hans-Christian Schröder, seventh in the Finn Dinghy for the GDR and European Champion in 1972, Heinz Laprell, eleventh in the Tempest in 1972, Alica Stuhlemmer and Ole Schweckendiek, European Youth Champion in the Ilca 6. Click here for all the latest information and results from the regattas on the occasion of " 50 years of Olympia ".

Presenter Tim Kröger, himself a successful professional sailor, starts the evening with a look back at the special situation in 1972: 50 years ago, two independent German teams competed for the first time. The question: How much contact was there between the GDR and West German sailors back then? "Officially, of course, none at all," says Hans-Christian Schröder, a GDR sailor at the time, with a twinkle in his eye. "We had travelled here with a clear performance mandate. That was the point." But nobody could control what happened on the water. Schröder recalls that there were never any interpersonal problems. 50 years after winning his second Olympic medal, Ulli Libor also remembers many conversations from boat to boat, for example with the Schwerin FD helmsman Herbert Hüttner.

When the conversation turns to the assassination attempt in Munich, there is still a sense of shock and horror in the lounge today. "The Games were over for my skipper Wolf Stadler, he wanted to leave immediately," says Heinz Laprell. And Ulli Libor still remembers: "Those were such cheerful, happy games. That was over in a flash." Looking back at the club evening also included many structural and technical aspects, which were vividly explained and commented on. Ulli Libor had the laughs on his side when he reported with a mischievous smile on the fine-tuning of the waterline of his Flying Dutchman: "It was called One Design with construction tolerances."

Which of the current Olympic disciplines would the oldies choose today?

Hans-Christian Schröder would want to sail the Ilca today ("It's light, athletically demanding and easy to transport"). Heinz Laprell would choose the racy 49er. And Ulli Libor? He would like to sail the Nacra 17 with Alica Stuhlemmer as his foresailor. In any case, the 22-year-old and the 82-year-old struck up a great conversation. Given Libor's obvious interest in technical development work, Stuhlemmer joked charmingly in his direction: "You'll notice, I'm currently recruiting ..."

Ole Schweckendiek: "I will learn a lot from Philipp Buhl"

As a well-known visionary and former Conger co-developer, Libor also brought the Waszp into play as a substitute boat for Olympia. At 17 years old, the youngest in the group is actually about to change classes. After his many Ilca 6 successes in a row, Ole Schweckendiek is now already switching to the Olympic Ilca 7 (ex-Laser). There he will also meet his idol Philipp Buhl, who won the first World Championship title for a German helmsman in this discipline in 2020. "Philipp was already sailing in the Olympics when I was still in the Opti," said Schweckendiek. He added: "I will learn a lot from him." At 75 kilograms, the young star is still around ten kilograms short of the optimum competition weight of 85 kilograms. But in light winds, the intelligent and tactically strong helmsman, who has just been crowned German champion, should soon be "knocking on the door" of the top contenders.

Alica Stuhlemmer: "You fall down, you get up"

Boat shapes, regatta formats, technology, training methods, support for competitive sailors from the German Sailing Association, state funding measures and private sponsors - a lot has changed since 1972, as the discussions at the talk summit on 50 years of the Olympics in Kiel revealed. But one thing - as the members of the round table made clear time and again, regardless of age - unites the generations. Alica Stuhlemmer gave a good account of the passion that has also seen her sail onto the Olympic podium with enormous dedication and hard work: "First of all, there is the love of sailing, then that spark is ignited, your ambition awakens, you race. You fall down, you get up, you put a lot of energy into this sport. Bit by bit, you can reap the rewards. And finally comes the Olympics ..."