Regatta: Heinz Kettler Deutschland Cup - Paralympic gold meets Olympic silver

The national inclusive regatta series Heinz Kettler Deutschland Cup starts its fourth season on 14 and 15 May on Hamburg's Outer Alster. 16 teams from Germany, Norway and Belgium will be competing at the Hamburg Sailing Club - including Paralympic gold medallist Siggi Mainka. The patron of the first match day is Olympic silver medallist Susann Beucke.

The Heinz Kettler Deutschland Cup is the first national inclusive regatta series in Germany and has been bringing sailors with and without disabilities together in the same boats since 2023. The series was launched by Wir sind Wir Inclusion in Sailing e.V., the Möhnesee Yacht Club and the Heinz Kettler Foundation. Unlike many regatta formats, the organiser provides the boats - RS Venture Connect - so that complex boat logistics are not an obstacle to participation.

High sporting standards with Paralympics winner

The entry list includes Siggi Mainka, who won Paralympic gold in the Sonar in Beijing in 2008 and silver in London in 2012. He will be competing together with Jürgen Brietzke. The participation of the Paralympics winner underlines the sporting ambition of the series, which is not organised in separate classes but is held as a joint competition.

Sailing takes place in a league format on identical RS Venture Connect boats provided by the organiser. All crews board fully equipped boats directly at the jetty - own boat, trailer or transport logistics are deliberately not a prerequisite for participation. An additional effect: the crews can travel by train with low emissions, eliminating the need for long trailer journeys.

Hamburg Sailing Club as the driving force behind inclusive sailing

The Hamburg Sailing Club (HSC) and Wir sind Wir Inclusion in Sailing e.V. jointly run a wide range of inclusive sailing programmes on the Alster. These include a weekly school sailing course with the Bugenhagenschule Alsterdorf, which was awarded the Annemarie Dose Prize in 2025, as well as the Heinz Kettler Inclusive Youth Sailing Team Germany - a pilot project for young sailors with disabilities that is unique in Germany.

The staging of the first match day in Hamburg also sends out a signal for the city's Paralympic and Olympic bid: inclusive competitive sport needs to take centre stage. Susann Beucke, who won Olympic silver in the 49er FX in 2021 and is a Hamburg Active City ambassador, has taken on the patronage of the event. Hamburg Active City has been a strong supporter of inclusive sailing activities on the Alster for years.

Second match day at the SailGP in Sassnitz

From 18 to 20 August, the second match day will take place in Sassnitz as part of the SailGP - after the world premiere in 2025, another integration of inclusive sailing into one of the world's most prestigious sailing events. New for 2026: With the Berlin Yacht Club (BYC) and the Seglerhaus am Wannsee (VSaW) association, two traditional German sailing clubs are joining as co-hosts.

"VSaW has been intensively involved in inclusive and Paralympic activities for several years - from working with schools and partners such as Alba Berlin to participating in world championships. We are therefore all the more pleased to be pooling our experience and commitment together with the Berlin Yacht Club and Wir sind Wir," says Marlene Raabe-Steinherr, Deputy Chairwoman of the Seglerhaus am Wannsee association.

The 2026 season ends with the final from 19 to 20 September at the Royal Yacht Club Warche in Belgium - the first time the series has been held internationally.

The races on the Outer Alster are easy to follow from the waterside promenade. Start on 14 May at 10:30 am, award ceremony on 15 May at around 4:30 pm.

Matchdays 2026

Matchday 1: 14/15 May in Hamburg (Außenalster, Hamburger Segel-Club)

2nd match day: 18-20 August in Sassnitz (as part of the SailGP)

3. the final: 19/20 September at the Royal Yacht Club Warche (Belgium)