Inclusive World Championships: Sailing to cheer on in Rostock's city harbour
Tatjana Pokorny
· 22.08.2023
Participants from seven nations are expected to take part in the fourth Inclusion World Championships. The world championships will take place for the second time in Rostock from 23 to 27 August. They will be sailing on the S/V 14 and RS Venture Connect keelboats, which have been specially developed for inclusive sailing.
It's a competition on an absolutely equal footing because the handicap is not on board" (Stefanie Drese)
Against the backdrop of Rostock's city harbour, one World Championship challenger with and one without a handicap will form a team. The boats are provided on site. The official organiser of the exciting showdown is the World Sailing Association. The five-day regatta is organised by the Norddeutscher Regatta Verein in cooperation with the Rostocker Regatta-Verein and the Yachtclub Möhnesee. The organisation and implementation are in the hands of the association "Wir sind Wir - Inclusion in Sailing e. V.".
Together with DSV President Mona Küppers, Stefanie Drese has once again taken on the patronage this year. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's Minister for Social Affairs, Health and Sport is looking forward to organising the title fights again after last year's success: "In terms of inclusion, sailing does more than many other sports. It is a competition on an absolutely equal footing because the handicap is not on board. After last year's successful premiere, I wish the organisers another successful sailing event. The conditions in the Rostock sailing area are ideal for this.
Everyone can contribute their personal strengths to the team. The handicap is secondary. Sailing together, getting to know each other and breaking down mutual insecurities and prejudices - that's inclusion!" (Mona Küppers)
Rostock's Lord Mayor Eva-Maria Kröger supports the World Championship Summit in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. She says: "The fact that we are once again able to host this top-class competition here on the Warnow after last year's fantastic premiere is also down to the outstanding organisation team. A big thank you for that!" Hannah Stodel, Para World Sailing Manager at the World Sailing Federation, agrees: "It's really exciting and thrilling to see so many participants coming together for the Inclusive World Championships in Rostock."
Four-time Paralympian and three-time world champion Hannah Stodel is taking part in Rostock. She says: "I believe that sailing should be for everyone and that there should be no barriers. That's the way forward for our sport." Hannah Stodel has proven on many regatta courses that a handicap is no obstacle to taking on big challenges. In the Rolex Fastnet Race, Stodel came 13th in Class 40 in 2019.
Inclusion World Cup: Intense encounters between people with and without disabilities
Inclusion World Championship fan Mona Küppers knows: "Sailing is a particularly strong driver of inclusion, as handicaps can be very effectively equalised by making adjustments to the boats. In this way, people with and without disabilities meet as equals and sail competitively against each other - just like at the Inclusive World Championships. We can showcase this great inclusive potential of our sport at the World Championships in Rostock with great publicity."
For holiday guests in the region, the Rostock city harbour offers a wonderful opportunity to experience the city of Rostock, its harbour and exciting sport at the same time. Among the participants are prominent teams such as Jürgen Brietzke and Siegmund Mainka. He came to sailing via wheelchair badminton after an accident in 2006 and fell in love with the sport of wind and waves. "Sigi" Mainka took part in the Paralympics three times with helmsman Jens Kroker, winning gold in Beijing in 2008 and silver off Weymouth in 2012.
The World Cup favourites: two "Hamburger Deerns"
Defending champions Silke Basedow from the Hamburg Sailing Club and Nadine Löschke (FC St. Pauli Sailing) are also taking part. The dynamic duo beat well-known names such as the teams led by multiple world champion Heiko Kröger and Paralympics winner Jens Kroker in 2022 and are top favourites to win gold at the World Championships. Their team name: Hamburger Deerns.
The review: Impressions of the 2022 World Inclusion Championships:
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