Alongside the world’s fastest boats: In Sassnitz, people with and without disabilities compete in the same regatta
SailGP Inclusive 2026: Inclusive regatta from August 18 to 20; regatta tours for guests in wheelchairs from August 18 to 23 · Five sailing clubs are hosting the event, together with the Germany SailGP Team presented by Deutsche Bank · Patron: Stefanie Drese, Minister of Social Affairs, Health, and Sports of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
Hamburg/Sassnitz, August 5, 2026
On one side of the regatta course, F50 catamarans race across the water at over 100 km/h—the fastest sailboats in the world. A few hundred meters away, a sailor with a disability boards his regatta boat via a specially constructed, accessible gangway and sets off to compete in an international regatta. Same venue, same week, same water.
From August 18–20, 2026, the inclusive regatta will be held for the second time at the Sassnitz City Harbor, running parallel to the ROCKWOOL Germany Sail Grand Prix—as the 2nd race day of the Heinz Kettler Germany Cup, Germany’s first and only national inclusive regatta series, which will enter its fourth season in 2026 and go international for the first time in September with a race day in Belgium. Sixteen crews from four nations will compete, with racing taking place daily from approximately 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The event is organized by five sailing clubs in collaboration with the Germany SailGP Team presented by Deutsche Bank.
Who’s sailing here
Siggi Mainka, Paralympic gold medalist, will be competing in Sassnitz. Mainka lost both legs above the knee in an accident at the age of 18. In 2008, he won Paralympic gold in the Sonar class in Beijing, and silver in London in 2012. He is one of the most successful German sailors of all time—and today competes in a regatta series where disability does not constitute a separate class.
The field features a high-caliber lineup of athletes. Among the competitors are Hans Nee and Calle Sibbert, 2026 European silver medalists in inclusive sailing, as well as Dirk Thalheim and Stephanie Brix, who placed third at the 2026 Para European Championships.
Sophia is ten years old and visually impaired. She had her first sailing lesson in May 2025—alongside Susann Beucke, the Olympic silver medalist from Tokyo. Since then, she has been training with the Heinz Kettler Inclusive Youth Sailing Team Germany on Hamburg’s Outer Alster. Sassnitz is one of her stops this season. From the Helga Cup to the Deutschland Cup to SailGP: Sophia competes in regattas.
“I’m really looking forward to sailing on the Baltic Sea—and of course, I’m hoping for lots of wind!” says Sophia.
Her parents add: “We’re incredibly proud that Sophia gets to be out on the water alongside experienced and successful sailors. We hope that people won’t have to talk about disabilities, but will instead see the person with their abilities, passion, and potential. That’s exactly what Sophia experiences when she’s sailing.”
Between these two lies the full spectrum of this sport—and both sail on equal footing with everyone else, in the same boats and according to the same rules.
Sports on equal footing, without a special program
Sailing takes place on eight accessible RS Venture Connect boats provided by the organizer. Every crew is inclusive: people with and without disabilities sail in the same boats, under the same rules, in direct competition. No separate classes, no special program.
The fact that the boats are provided is not a minor detail, but a core concept: owning a boat, a trailer, and handling boat logistics are no longer obstacles. Anyone who wants to sail can sail.
New in 2026: Wheelchair-bound guests will take to the regatta course
From August 18 to 23, the organizers will take up to 40 wheelchair-using SailGP guests directly onto the water in their wheelchairs—aboard the accessible sailboat “Henk de Mol.” Two to four tours are planned each day. Guests do not have to leave their wheelchairs; the boat was built specifically for this purpose. For the first time, a SailGP event will be accessible to wheelchair-bound guests directly from the water.
This initiative is supported by the associations Inklusives Segeln für Alle e.V. and Wir sind Wir Inclusion in Sailing e.V. The Deutsche Postcode Lottery is helping to fund the project—with support from its participants.
Guest of Honor Steffi Nerius – Opening on August 18
Steffi Nerius will be coming to Sassnitz as a guest of honor. The 2009 world champion in javelin throw, born in 1972 on Rügen, is now vice chair of the Herman van Veen Foundation, which financed the wheelchair-accessible conversion of the “Henk de Mol.” In Sassnitz, she will be sailing on the boat herself. Nerius is supporting the regatta escort trips for wheelchair users, will deliver a welcoming address at the opening ceremony on August 18, and will participate in the awards ceremony.
What still needs to be built in Sassnitz
Accessible infrastructure is virtually nonexistent in Sassnitz’s city harbor. The clubs are providing it themselves: a mobile, accessible boat dock, since there isn’t one; ramps and an event site adapted for accessibility; the rented Alte Kühlhaus Sassnitz as a fully accessible event headquarters; and a specially equipped accessible campground with appropriate showers and restrooms. In addition, there will be six safety boats and over 50 volunteers traveling from Hamburg, Berlin, and North Rhine-Westphalia.
Who Makes This Possible
An accessible regatta of this size cannot be funded by entry fees alone. SailGP Inclusive 2026 is made possible through a combination of public funding, private foundations, and corporate partners.
The Germany SailGP Team presented by Deutsche Bank is a partner and supporting member of Wir sind Wir Inclusion in Sailing e.V. The state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and the Vorpommern Fund support the event as public sponsors. The Heinz Kettler Foundation is the title partner of the Heinz Kettler Germany Cup and has supported the regatta series since its inception in 2023. The Viessmann Foundation supports the organization of SailGP Inclusive 2026 as part of its charitable efforts. The Deutsche Postcode Lottery contributes to funding the project “Regatta Companion Trips for Wheelchair Users”—supported by its participants. Local hosts are the City of Sassnitz and the Sassnitz City Harbor.
“True participation begins at the same starting line. In Sassnitz, people with and without disabilities are not guests at a top-tier sporting event, but active athletes competing in the race.
With our funding, we are supporting a sporting highlight that showcases the work of Wir sind Wir Inclusion in Sailing e.V. and gives participants the stage to demonstrate in direct competition what they have achieved through regular training: athletic skill, teamwork, and self-confidence,” says Markus Pfuhl, Managing Director of the Viessmann Foundation.
Five Clubs, One Alliance
What began in 2025 as a partnership between two organizations has grown into an alliance of five clubs by 2026—from the Alster to the Wannsee to the Sauerland. The Möhnesee Yacht Club was already part of the initiative in 2025. Newly added as co-organizing clubs are the Berliner Yacht-Club and the Verein Seglerhaus am Wannsee; a new partner is Inklusives Segeln für Alle e.V.
Patronage and Awards Ceremony
Stefanie Drese, Minister of Social Affairs, Health, and Sports for the State of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, will serve as patron. She will attend the awards ceremony on August 20 at 7:00 p.m., which will once again take place at the Germany SailGP Team’s Team Base.
“At the highest level, in the midst of one of the world’s largest water sports events, we are demonstrating what inclusion in sports looks like in practice. People with and without disabilities compete together under the same conditions. Nothing shows more clearly that inclusion and top athletic performance are not opposites, but that it all comes down to team spirit, strategy, and skill. By integrating the inclusive regatta into the prestigious SailGP, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania made history last year with Sassnitz as the host city, and the fact that this commitment from all partners involved has now become a permanent fixture fills me, as Minister of Sports and Social Affairs, with immense pride. Of course, I am especially happy for our athletes, who can showcase their skills on one of the most prestigious stages in the sport of sailing,” says Stefanie Drese.
“As the first SailGP event worldwide to integrate an inclusive regatta into its race weekend, we set new standards in Sassnitz. In 2026, we will fulfill our promise that this will not be a one-time event. Sports are for everyone. When everyone gives their best, we move forward together. Sailing, in particular, impressively demonstrates what’s possible when diverse people work together as a team,” says Tim Krieglstein, CEO of the Germany SailGP Team.
Press Service
Accreditation through Sven Jürgensen, sven.juergensen@wir-sind-wir.org, +49 171 683 5555.
On-the-water coverage: We offer press escort trips—journalists can experience and photograph the regatta directly from the course. Registration through the press contact.
On-site interviews: Sailors with various disabilities, coaches, and representatives of the host clubs are available for interviews. Please contact the press liaison to arrange these.
Visual highlights:
- Boarding and disembarking directly from a wheelchair via the mobile dock, daily before the start and after crossing the finish line
- Regatta action on the water in front of Sassnitz City Harbor, daily from approximately 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Regatta sightseeing cruises aboard the “Henk de Mol” with wheelchair-using guests
- Awards ceremony on August 20 at 7:00 p.m. at the Germany SailGP Team’s Team Base, with Minister Stefanie Drese
Images from the 2025 premiere: flickr.com/photos/svenjjj/albums/72177720327729951
Download the press release as a Word file:
Press Release_SailGP_Inclusive_Download Word File
Key Dates
Inclusive Regatta: August 18–20, 2026, daily from approximately 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Regatta Sightseeing Cruises: August 18–23, 2026
Opening Ceremony: August 18, 2026, approximately 6:30 p.m., Altes Kühlhaus Sassnitz
Awards Ceremony: August 20, 2026, 7:00 p.m., Team Base of the Germany SailGP Team
Location: Sassnitz City Harbor, Rügen – held in conjunction with the ROCKWOOL Germany Sail Grand Prix
Format: Round 2 of the Heinz-Kettler Germany Cup
Boat Class: RS Venture Connect (accessible, provided by the organizer)
Field of participants: 16 crews from 4 nations (Belgium, Germany, Norway, Czech Republic), 32 sailors
Patron: Stefanie Drese, Minister of Social Affairs, Health, and Sports of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
Motto: #AlleAnBord – Sailing on Equal Footing, the Disability Stays Ashore
Partners & Sponsors
Germany SailGP Team presented by Deutsche Bank (partner and supporting member) · State of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania · Vorpommern Fund · Heinz Kettler Foundation (title sponsor of the Heinz Kettler Germany Cup) · Viessmann Foundation · Deutsche Postcode Lottery (contributing to the funding of regatta escort trips for wheelchair users) · City of Sassnitz and Sassnitz City Harbor (Hosts)
About the Organizing Clubs
SailGP Inclusive 2026 is being organized jointly by five clubs: Wir sind Wir Inclusion in Sailing e.V., Inklusives Segeln für Alle e.V., Berliner Yacht-Club, Yachtclub Möhnesee, and Verein Seglerhaus am Wannsee. The five clubs also cooperate closely on inclusive sailing beyond Sassnitz and offer inclusive sailing projects as part of their club activities.
About the Germany SailGP Team
The Germany SailGP Team presented by Deutsche Bank is part of the international SailGP Championship, the world’s most spectacular sailing league. With the #AlleAnBord initiative, the team is setting new standards for diversity and inclusion in sailing. Sebastian Vettel, Formula 1 legend and co-owner of the team, is personally committed to promoting inclusive sailing.
Press Contact
We are Wir Inclusion in Sailing e.V.
Sven Jürgensen
Email: sven.juergensen@wir-sind-wir.org · Mobile: +49 171 683 5555
Website: www.wir-sind-wir.org
Inquiries for wheelchair users regarding regatta escort trips (not suitable for electric wheelchairs; personal coordination required): news@wir-sind-wir.org
Social Media: #WeAllSail #AllAboard #SailGP #InclusionInSailing
