Susann Beucke is still riding the wave of success from Enoshima. The 30-year-old from Strande won silver in the 49erFX with her helmswoman Tina Lutz on 3 August. One month later, she was back on the water in her home waters off Strande for the first time on 1 September. However, not on the 4.90 metre long and familiar 49erFX Olympic dinghy, but on the much larger "flying" GC32 catamaran, with which Boris Herrmann and his team Malizia with Susann Beucke will start the Welcome Race of Kiel Week on Saturday morning. "I may have achieved a good school leaving certificate with the silver medal," says Beucke and smiles, "but when it comes to the GC32, you have to say that I'm starting from scratch again." According to Beucke, this starts with the terminology on board the almost twice as large projectile. "The boat is so new, so big, but I'll do my best!" Beucke is breaking new ground - and is looking forward to it. The quintet is already training. For the Strander, it marks the start of a new career: that of a professional sea sailor.
"Boris and his manager Holly Cova are very supportive," says Beucke shortly before the start of the 127th Kieler Woche, where she is enjoying her home race. When she walks across the harbour area, she usually makes slow progress. She is still besieged by fans who congratulate her, ask for autographs or simply want to hear from the approachable athlete what it was like in Japan. The German Sailing Association has invited its medallists, all Enoshima starters and other guests to an Olympic reception at the national base in Kiel on Saturday. It will be the first reunion for the entire German Sailing Team after their successful Olympic campaign with three medals.
Susann Beucke is looking forward to the Kiel Sailing Summit. Above all, however, she is happy that she can finally sail again. She will now gradually expand her previous 49erFX radius with coastal missions. Initially, she will compete in the Welcome Race at Kiel Week. The programme also includes racing with mini-transat ace Morten Bogacki in the Baltic 500, and "Sanni" Beucke has her sights set on a start in the French Figaro Championship in the autumn. The medium-term goal of the Olympic silver medallist and double European champion is to set up her own sailing campaign. "Boris is a great role model and I can learn a lot from him. I just want to make it as a woman," she says. The 49erFX programme continues, as Susann Beucke also wants to attack again in the future together with her helmswoman Tina Lutz. A medium-term goal is the European Championships in Aarhus next year. The decision as to whether the duo will continue until the 2024 Olympic Games will be made by both sailors next year.
Lured by the fascination of the seas and always with a hands-on mentality, Susann Beucke wants to conquer the world of sailing. "I want to gain long-term partners and build a strong campaign." Her new chapter begins on her own doorstep in Strande, and Susann Beucke's joy can be seen and heard. "I'm so happy to be back on the Kiel Fjord. Our boat in the Welcome Race is too fast to be able to bring a home advantage into play(laughs)but it's great to be able to operate in the familiar and familiar here. I know the route of the Welcome Race from Kiel to Eckernförde from weekend trips. However, not much wind has been forecast for Saturday so far. The forecast is currently only a handful of knots." A total of over 160 yachts will gather on Kiel's inner fjord on Saturday, when the sea-going yachts traditionally open the Kiel Week sailing regattas from 9 am. The impressive spectrum of big boats at the start of Kiel Week ranges from the multihulls with the "Malizia I" to the participants in the Nord Stream Race on the ClubSwan 50 racing boats and the ORC yachts starting the Welcome Race, through to the yardstick-measured boats taking part in the Aal Regatta to Eckernförde.
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
