Inclusion World Championship: Basedow/Löschke defend the title - Great enthusiasm about the event
YACHT-Redaktion
· 28.08.2023
After four days of racing in good sailing conditions, the Inclusive Sailing World Championships came to an end on Sunday off the coast of Rostock. The race for the title remained exciting until the very end. In the two final races, some of the teams only realised that they had won when they got ashore and then reacted all the more emotionally. After all, victory was calculated on the basis of the results of the preliminary rounds and the position in the final.
The eight best teams from the preliminary rounds sailed the final round of the overall ranking in S\V14 class boats. Prior to this, they had also completed daily races in the RS Venture Connect. The team from Australia had a commanding lead up to the leeward buoy, but opted for the less favourable side in terms of wind and were overtaken by the defending champions Silke Basedow and Nadine Löschke, who once again took the gold medal. Silver went to the youngest team at the World Championships: Annelie Kraatz and Leo Paul Nüske from Rostock, who were welcomed ashore with applause and cheers as local heroes. Bronze went to Australia.
"We are delighted that we were able to defend the title, even if it was much closer in the final than in 2022. We had perfect wind conditions in the final race, actually the best of the entire World Championships," said Silke Basedow from the "Hamburger Deerns" team. "We wanted to be on the podium and are very happy about the win," added her team-mate Nadine Löschke.
Annelie Kraatz and Leo Paul Nüske: runners-up at the age of 14
The two 14-year-olds Annelie Kraatz and Leo Paul Nüske could hardly believe that they were suddenly runners-up. Although they had done well throughout the entire event and crossed the finish line first in most of the heats, neither of them had expected to win a medal. "I can't quite grasp it yet, we had only hoped to finish in the top half beforehand. It went really well," said a delighted Annelie Kraatz. Her team partner Leo gave himself an early birthday present with the runner-up title, as he celebrates his 15th birthday on Monday. "It's my first time taking part and I'm runner-up right away thanks to my 29er captain - that's the greatest present I've ever received," said an overwhelmed Leo with tears in his eyes.
The world champions in the RS Venture Connect class were Genevieve Wickham and Grant Alderson from Australia. Here, too, it was an extremely close decision. The British team of Jazz Turner and Adam Billany crossed the finish line first and couldn't believe their success. Turner, who had to take a break the day before due to health problems, crossed the finish line with an astonished look on her face and tears in her eyes. Team-mate Billany was speechless with joy. However, based on the results of the heats, the title went to the Australian team, who came second in the final.
Once again, Wickham and Alderson had chosen a different direction to most of the other teams on the way to the windward mark - in this case the right one. It was the course to the gold medal. The close race with Silke Basedow and Nadine Löschke, who ended up in third place in this class, just before the finish line couldn't change that. "Yes," Alderson shouted with relief at the finish. "It couldn't have been closer. We knew we had to give it our all and it worked out. We are incredibly happy to go home with two medals in our luggage - unbelievable," he said after the award ceremony. The joy was also written all over his sailing partner's face.
Enthusiasm about the atmosphere at the World Cup
Both were delighted with the family atmosphere at the World Inclusion Championships and praised the good organisation and hospitality. "We really enjoyed our stay in Rostock and the great atmosphere at the event," said Alderson. The title in the Para classification went to the Norwegians Henriette Smith and Solfrid Lindhjem Kvinnesland.
Accompanied by great applause, not only the first three of the two final races received a medal at the award ceremony on Sunday, but all participants were also able to take one home as a souvenir. The medals were presented by Stefanie Drese, Minister for Social Affairs, Health and Sport in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the President of the Rostock City Parliament Regine Lück and Hannah Stodel from World Sailing. Drese once again emphasised the appeal of the inclusive world championship and said that she was delighted to be able to take on the patronage of the event once again.
You are active role models for all those who still dream of sailing." (DSV President Mona Küppers)
DSV President Mona Küppers also emphasised the perfect example of inclusion at the World Championships. "The Inclusive World Championship is sailing at its best - in a form that makes it clear that sailing is neither elitist nor limited to certain groups of people. You participants in the World Championship impressively demonstrate what is possible when many people pursue a common goal. You are active role models for all those who still dream of sailing. For people with and without disabilities," she said to the participants.
