New podcast episode: How Laura Pukropski became the head of a sailing school at the age of 24
Antonia von Lamezan
· 31.07.2026
What do you do when a lifelong dream suddenly starts to falter and, almost at the same time, a completely different – but no less significant – opportunity presents itself? In this episode, host Timm Kruse speaks to Laura Pukropski, who, at just 24 years of age, has taken over a sailing school: the very one where she herself gained her first experience as a sailing instructor on the water as a teenager.
Pukropski’s journey has been an unusual one. She was an active competitive sailor, a member of the national squad, and had her sporting future firmly in her sights. But then things turned out differently than planned. Funding structures collapsed, and her prospects in elite sport changed abruptly. It was at precisely this moment that a long-cherished childhood dream turned into a concrete business venture. Instead of giving up, Pukropski decided to make a fresh start on the water: this time not as a regatta sailor, but as an entrepreneur.
From sailing instructor to entrepreneur
In the YACHT podcast, Laura Pukropski explains how closely her story is linked to ‘her’ sailing school. She started working there when she was just 13; over the years, what began as a holiday job led to her taking on more and more responsibility. Three years ago, Laura gradually took over the running of the sailing school when the previous owners had to step down due to their age. In 2026, she finally bought the sailing school, which she intends not only to continue running but also to reorient. This involves the broader question of what sailing can actually be: more accessible, more open and closer to people who may never have had any contact with the sport before.
This is one of the fascinating aspects of this episode: Pukropski describes sailing not as an exclusive world, but as a space for experiences that should be open to far more people. She talks about why affordable entry-level opportunities are important and why she herself is a prime example of the fact that you don’t have to come from a sailing family to find your place in the sport.
Challenges and Vision
This episode explores responsibility, resilience and the question of how to take on a leadership role in your early 20s: in an industry where experience, authority and tradition are closely intertwined. Pukropski speaks openly about what it’s like to be a young female manager, to make decisions, to lead staff and guests, and to stand her ground in the face of doubts and prejudices.
At the same time, it becomes clear that these challenges do not deter her, but rather that she has big plans. The sailor wants to promote inclusion on the water, foster connections and build a sense of community, and create a place that is more than just a stop on the way to the next qualification. She reveals what her vision looks like.
Between risk, support and optimism
The episode portrays Laura Pukropski as someone who takes on responsibility at an early age, whilst being fully aware of the risks involved in such a decision. On the one hand, loans, the heavy workload and the realities of a seasonal business place a strain on her; on the other hand, she has strong family support, great motivation and optimism.
If you’d like to hear how a young elite sailor became an entrepreneur, why courage is sometimes more important than perfect planning, and what forward-looking ideas lie behind her work, this episode offers a story from the world of sailing that is as personal as it is fascinating.
You can listen to YACHT’s sailing podcast with Laura Pukropski here
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Antonia von Lamezan
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