Following a successful season: Steffi Brix and Dirk Thalheim will be competing for Wir sind Wir Inclusion in Sailing e.V. at the Inclusive Sailing World Championships

27 September 2026

In brief: Steffi Brix and Dirk Thalheim have had a successful season. They won bronze in the Para category at the RS Venture Connect European Championships and finished second overall in the Heinz Kettler Germany Cup. From 4 to 10 October, they will be competing for Wir sind Wir Inclusion in Sailing e.V. at the World Sailing Inclusion Sailing World Championships in Portimão.

Hamburg, 27 September 2026. Steffi Brix and Dirk Thalheim, like Laura and Benedikt Weise, sail in the RS Venture Connect class. This boat also enables people with severe disabilities to compete in ambitious regattas. World Sailing has recognised the RS Venture Connect as the international standard class for para and inclusive sport.

A strong season

Dirk Thalheim is at the helm, with Steffi Brix serving as crew. In the Heinz Kettler Germany Cup, the pair compete as the ‘Alster HSC’ team for the Hamburg Sailing Club. The Heinz Kettler Deutschland Cup is the only national inclusive regatta series in Germany. At the season opener in May on the Alster, they finished third. At the final on 19 and 20 September in Bütgenbach, Belgium, they sailed to second place. This meant they also finished the season in second place in the overall standings, behind the SALTO SAILING Team Norway.

The RS Venture Connect European Championships were held in July as part of Travemünde Week. There, the pair finished eighth in the overall standings and won bronze in the Para category. They were one of five crews from our club to compete in these European Championships.

Dirk Thalheim used to compete in wheelchair basketball at the Paralympics. Today, his passion lies with sailing: “Once a competitor, always a competitor.”

Final preparations on the Alster

On 26 and 27 September, the pair trained specifically on the Alster in preparation for the Inclusive Sailing World Championships. Their training base was the Hamburger Segel-Club. The club’s two RS Venture Connect boats are also moored there. The training programme was drawn up by Calle Sibbert, who, together with Hans Nee, finished as runner-up in the Inclusive European Championships in Travemünde.

Also out on the water were Laura and Benedikt Weise. The pair sail in the inclusive programme run by the Offenbach Rowing Club 1874 and are new members of our club.

The Inclusive Sailing World Championships in Portimão

The World Sailing Inclusion Championships are being held in the Algarve. The opening ceremony is on 4 October, with the first races starting on 5 October. Around 230 sailors from over 40 nations will compete in eight disciplines – more entries than ever before. Thirty crews are entered in the RS Venture Connect class, including three from Germany. Steffi Brix and Dirk Thalheim are competing for Wir sind Wir Inclusion in Sailing e.V.

We’re keeping our fingers crossed for them and will be reporting from Portugal.