Travemünde Week is picking up the thread of inclusive sailing again and is organizing two regattas in inclusion classes this year. In cooperation with the Hamburg Sailing Club (HSC), the TW (July 26 to 28) is inviting teams of two with one sailor with and one sailor without a disability in the RS Venture Connect and S\V 14 classes. The so-called German Cup will be sailed in each case.
The RS Venture Connect has already proven itself at the Travemünde Week. In 2021, the inclusion class held its world championship at Travemünde Week, and now the S\V 14 are joining them. Both classes pursue the same goal, but have a different boat design.
While in the 4.90 meter long RS Venture Connect the two sailors sit next to each other in bucket seats, the seats in the 4.40 meter long S\V 14 are positioned one behind the other. The various options for compensating for disabilities and the combination of one sailor with and one without a disability make it possible for everyone to enjoy sailing in these two classes.
For some years now, the two classes have been gaining more and more popularity in the clubs, so that these regattas can now be organized for crews with their own boats. Manuel Hünsch, who as an international judge is very familiar with both the Travemünde Week and inclusive sailing, and Birgit Stamp-Oehme, project manager of the Travemünde Week, have initiated the two inclusive regattas and want to further promote the idea of sailing for everyone.
“In recent years, we have offered para-water sports and inclusive sailing in various formats at Travemünde Week – from trial sailing to world championships. We would be delighted if these beginnings could now develop into a regular regatta offering for inclusive sailing at Travemünde Week,” says Birgit Stamp-Oehme. And Frank Schärffe, Managing Director of Travemünder Woche gGmbH, adds: “We have set ourselves the task of keeping the barrier to sailing as low as possible for everyone and providing the appropriate infrastructure.”
The project is supported by the German Sailing Association with President Mona Küppers and Elke Paatz, responsible for inclusion at the DSV. The experienced race director Jens Hahlbrock and his team from the HSC will be in charge of the race, while the international jury of the Travemünde Week will be on hand if required.
The regattas of the two inclusion classes will find their home in the heart of the Travemünde Week. The barrier-free berths will be set up in the Passathafen, and the regatta course will be close to shore with short distances for the sailors and good visibility for the spectators.
“The Travemünde Week offers a great environment to present the possibilities of sailing for inclusion,” says Manuel Hünsch. “You can hardly get closer to the public with sailing. And if conditions allow, the finals on Sunday will be sailed with expert commentary on the Trave in front of the Passat.”
This year’s regattas are a test run for an application for an inclusion championship. The Travemünde Week would like to host the German Championship in 2025. The registration portal for the inclusion regattas is now open and the notice of race has been published.
