Inclusion World Championship for Sailing: Gold for Silke Basedow and Nadine Löschke

The world championship title in inclusive sailing went to Silke Basedow and Nadine Löschke from Hamburg. Even more female power at the top was provided by Lilli Zellmer and her foresailor Johanna Schablowski in silver. Bronze went to para-sailor Jens Kroker and his wife Sabine Kroker-Hohmann. The World Championships in Rostock were not only characterised by exciting races on the water, but also by perfect inclusion on land.

A total of 25 inclusive teams from seven nations sailed for the title for four days at the World Championships in the Hanseatic city of Rostock. During the regatta, the women’s teams were already quickly ahead and were able to defend their top positions until the end. The same teams held on to first to third place until shortly before the final. Silke Basedow and Nadine Löschke, who competed at the World Championships as “Hamburger Deerns” and got to know each other through an inclusion project, led the field. Basedow normally sails in the national league. And the runners-up at the World Championships also had an experienced regatta sailor at the helm, Lilli Zellmer, who is a member of the DSV national youth team.

Together with her foresheet Johanna Schablowski, who suffers from a muscle weakness caused by a metabolic disease, she sailed to silver place. The successful Para sailor Heiko Kröger from Schleswig-Holstein and his crewmate Clemens Kraus were in third place until they entered the final. It was only shortly before the final start that Jens Kroker and his wife Sabine Kroker-Hohmann passed Kröger for third place.

Nevertheless, everything still seemed open before the starting signal was given for the final race with the finish directly in front of the event tent. For all six final teams, every place was still possible. The disappointment of many teams was all the greater when the final race was cancelled because the time limit had been exceeded. Wind shifts had made it necessary to change the course and caused a delay. There was a demand from the active participants not to start another race after the time limit had expired. Thus, the results after the tenth flight were at the same time the final results of the World Championships. A chance to catch up was no longer possible, which Heiko Kröger especially regretted. He was left with the consolation prize of the “Golden Pineapple” for fourth place.

The new world champions, Silke Basedow and Nadine Löschke, were very happy. “We never thought before that we would go home as world champions. But winning is great, and of course we now have to defend the title next year,” Löschke said, beaming. Her coxswain Silke Basedow was also very enthusiastic about the inclusion format. “It was my first ever inclusion regatta and it was great to see how much you can learn from each other. I realised here how many limits are simply in the mind, and what all is possible. That was very inspiring,” she summed up.

Despite sporting competition at World Cup level on the water, there was an almost family atmosphere on the event site of the inclusive sailing event, which DSV President Mona Küppers also praised once again at the award ceremony. “The World Championships are a living example of inclusion on and off the water. Three letters are enough to describe the World Championships: T-O-P! Everything is really well organised and everyone is enthusiastic,” said Andreas Sand from the non-profit Heinz Kettler Foundation, which is one of the financial supporters of the World Championships. For him and his helmsman Erich-Thomas Aust, both from the Möhnesee Yacht Club, the Olympic idea of being there is what counts most in the World Cup races, says Sand.

The organisers and promoters of the World Championships in Rostock also summed up the event positively. “We are very satisfied. Everything went well and we got a lot of positive feedback about the event,” the responsible persons agree. “I hope we will see each other again next year at the fourth World Championship in Inclusive Sailing in Rostock,” said Tobias König, chairman of the organising North German Regatta Association, and thanked in particular the approximately 50 volunteers who helped at the event.

There was also a signal from the city of Rostock for a repeat of the World Championship in the Hanseatic city. “I hope we can hold the event in a similar way again in Rostock next year,” Dr. Heiko Lex, Head of the Rostock Sports Office, looked ahead. Stefanie Drese, Minister for Social Affairs, Health and Sport in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, was also enthusiastic about the successful World Cup in the Hanseatic city at the award ceremony. “Congratulations to all the athletes. Please come back to Rostock next year,” the patron of the World Championships addressed the sailors directly.

Text courtesy of Katrin Heidemann, images courtesy of Sven Jürgensen.