Sensation on Rügen: Jonathan takes home to the Sailgp team!

Sensation on Rügen: Jonathan takes home to the Sailgp team!

Sassnitz, Deutschland - The anticipation for the big home race of the German Sailgp team in Sassnitz on Rügen grows. On August 16 and 17, the Baltic Sea became a competition arena for top-scale sailors from all over the world. The focus is particularly on Jonathan Knottnerus-Meyer, Grinder of the German team, who comes from Schwerin and has sailed with his family around Rügen in his childhood. "The races in my homeland are particularly cool for me," he says with shining eyes. For the event in Sassnitz, he hopes for ideal conditions: a wind from southwest with 12 to 16 knots and flat water to enjoy the racing speeds of up to 100 km/h with the futuristic catamarans that float over the water surface thanks to their foils.

Knottnerus-Meyer, who started his sailing career at the optimist at the tender age of six, has not only taken the water world in the blood, but also an academic career. The doctor has completed his studies and works in parallel on his doctoral thesis. However, it makes no secret of the fact that it is significantly more difficult for prospective professional sailors in Germany than in countries such as Great Britain or New Zealand, where sailing enjoys a different appreciation. All the more, he praised the outstanding work at the sail base in Rostock in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, which acts as important talent forces.

sailing in Germany

Sailing is a popular water sport in Germany with a long tradition. Around 1.57 million Germans show particular interest in sailing, which is quite remarkable for a total population of around 68.60 million. Furthermore, the German Sailing Association (DSV) has over 193,000 members and around 1,350 clubs that drive sailing in Germany. A highlight in the event calendar is the Kiel Week, the largest sailing event in the world, which takes place annually in Kiel in June and attracts over 4,000 sailors from around 50 nations. The best sailing season lasts from May to September, which every passionate sailor can only confirm.

Another engine of sailing in Germany is Boris Herrmann, who has extremely inspired the interest in this sport by participating in the Vendée Globe and Ocean Race 2023. Well -known historical figures such as Jochen Schümann, triple Olympic champion, also left their mark. As the DSV noted in the latest statistics, there are over 2,300 sailing clubs in Germany that promote enthusiasm for water sports and train the next generation in the fresh sea air.

It remains exciting how the home race in Sassnitz will develop. Many hope for a spectacular event that will inspire both participants and spectators. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is on everyone's lips with Jonathan Knottnerus-Meyer, and the region could establish itself as a real sailing mecca.

For all fans of sailing: remember August and be there live when the German team fights for victory and honor in domestic waters. The wind could carry the sailors wide!