From the Spectator Stands to the Water<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
Until now, wheelchair users have almost always experienced the world\u2019s major sailing events from land: from the edge of the pier, from the second row, with binoculars. The regatta itself\u2014the wind, the water, the boats just a few meters away\u2014has been reserved for others. That\u2019s exactly what we\u2019re changing. And we now have strong support: The German Postcode Lottery is funding our \u201cSailing for Wheelchair Users\u201d project, which Wir sind Wir Inclusion in Sailing e.V. is implementing together with Inklusives Segeln f\u00fcr Alle e.V. This is made possible by the participants in the Postcode Lottery, a fixed portion of whose ticket sales goes to nonprofit projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The funding supports our regatta-accompanying trips for wheelchair users at two of Germany\u2019s largest sailing events: Kiel Week in June and SailGP off Sassnitz in August.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the heart of it all is a boat unlike any other in Germany: the \u201cHenk de Mol.\u201d People in wheelchairs roll directly onto the boat\u2014no transferring, no switching to a special seat, no being lifted. Anyone who wants to can steer the boat themselves, handle the sheets, and be part of the crew. Those who just want to sail and take in the view can do exactly that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The \u201cHenk de Mol\u201d was developed and built by our partner Inklusives Segeln f\u00fcr Alle e.V.<\/strong> under the leadership of Stephan Krings. Experienced sailors and boat builders from Lake M\u00f6hnesee and Lake Baldeney spent two years converting a standard hull so that wheelchairs can be safely accommodated on board. For the past four years, we\u2019ve been taking it out onto the regatta courses together at Kiel Week\u2014and in 2026, Sassnitz will join us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During Kiel Week 2026, nearly 40 people in wheelchairs set sail on the \u201cHenk de Mol\u201d on the fjord. Among the guests was Kiel\u2019s mayor, Gerwin St\u00f6cken. Multiple-time Paralympic champion Kirsten Bruhn tried out the inclusive sailing experience: \u201cWater sports have always fascinated me, and inclusive sailing is a great opportunity. It was a little intimidating to hand over control, but it was a lot of fun!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n But it\u2019s hard to quantify the impact these trips can have. In 2025, we received a request through the \u201cW\u00fcnschewagen\u201d in Saxony-Anhalt\/Magdeburg: Hans-J\u00f6rg, a guest at a hospice, had one last big wish\u2014to experience Kiel Week from a sailboat. On the third day of Kiel Week, he set out on the \u201cHenk de Mol\u201d amid strong winds and rain and watched the 49er and 29er regattas up close.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And one thing has remained consistent over the years: the demand is greater than we can meet. Facilities for people with disabilities, advocacy groups, families with members in wheelchairs, and individuals\u2014we\u2019ve had to turn down far more requests than we could accept.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Behind every single one of these trips is a large team of volunteer helpers. They are the heart of the program: They steer the boat, look after the guests on board, help with boarding and disembarking, maintain contact with organizations and families, and coordinate registrations. None of this is paid work. What they contribute is their time\u2014about ten consecutive days on site each time, first in Kiel, then in Sassnitz, plus preparation, travel to and from the locations, and setup and takedown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, \u201cvolunteer\u201d does not mean \u201cfree.\u201d The \u201cHenk de Mol\u201d is moored in Essen year-round and must be transported to the Baltic Sea and back on a special trailer. On site, there are additional crane fees and port charges, and the crew and volunteers need lodging and meals for the entire duration. This is exactly where funding from the Deutsche Postcode Lottery comes in: It covers these material costs\u2014transportation, lodging, meals, crane and port fees. Our volunteers contribute their labor. Without this support, the event would not be possible in this form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From August 18 to 23, 2026, we\u2019ll be in Sassnitz on R\u00fcgen with the \u201cHenk de Mol.\u201d Together with SailGP and the Germany SailGP Team, we\u2019ll take wheelchair-bound guests right to the regatta course\u2014to the F50 catamarans that fly across the water at speeds of up to 100 km\/h. At the same time, we\u2019ll host our own inclusive regatta in Sassnitz\u2019s city harbor, where people with and without disabilities will compete against each other in the same boats and under the same rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kiel and Sassnitz are beacons for us\u2014visible proof that this program is needed and works. But they\u2019re also just two weeks a year, on a single boat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s why we\u2019re working together with Inklusives Segeln f\u00fcr Alle e.V. to turn this one-of-a-kind boat into a series. The BENTE25 open.i is a mass-production-ready successor\u2014the \u201ci\u201d stands for inclusion. It isn\u2019t available yet, but it\u2019s set to go into production soon. And that\u2019s precisely where the key difference lies: mass production significantly reduces the cost per boat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This brings within reach what we\u2019ve been talking about for years\u2014deploying such boats at multiple locations in the future, year-round and on a permanent basis. Berlin, Hamburg, Kiel, the Schlei, Lake Schwerin, the Lusatian Lake District, Lake Constance, Bremerhaven\u2014anywhere people with disabilities can regularly take advantage of such an offering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not as an exception, not as a special event, but as a natural, everyday service right on their doorstep\u2014for recreational cruises as well as for active, self-directed sailing, for sailing courses, and for regattas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Funding from the German Postcode Lottery\u2014and thus the support of its participants\u2014helps us continue on this path: and to demonstrate in Kiel and Sassnitz what is possible when people in wheelchairs aren\u2019t just spectators, but are sailing along with everyone else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For this next step, we\u2019re looking for partners\u2014companies, foundations, and sponsors\u2014who will join us in the coming years to acquire such boats and bring them to where they\u2019re needed: to Hamburg, to Kiel, to Lake Constance\u2014to all suitable bodies of water where there are people who would make use of such an opportunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So far, there is exactly one boat of this kind in Germany. We\u2019d love to be able to say there are many. If you\u2019d like to support this initiative\u2014as a partner, sponsor, or supporter of a single boat in your sailing area\u2014please feel free to contact us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kieler Woche Inklusiv 2026 \u2013 the film:<\/strong> https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=dMwTxLi-QVA<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kieler Woche Inklusiv 2025 \u2013 the film:<\/strong> https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=mUvBSA0mkls<\/p>\n\n\n\n The \u201cSailing for Wheelchair Users\u201d project is funded by the German Postcode Lottery\u2014and thus by its participants. It is implemented by Wir sind Wir Inclusion in Sailing e.V. in collaboration with Inklusives Segeln f\u00fcr Alle e.V. At the German Postcode Lottery, at least 30 percent of all ticket proceeds go to nonprofit organizations and projects throughout Germany. We are very pleased to be part of this community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Supported by participants in the Postcode Lottery<\/em> \u2014 [insert logo here, minimum width 25 mm]<\/p>\n\n\n\n #PowerOfPostcodes<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Wir sind Wir Inclusion in Sailing e.V.<\/strong> was founded in November 2022 to establish sailing as a tool for social inclusion\u2014without distinguishing between para-sailing and regular sailing. Our projects include the Helga Cup, the Heinz Kettler Germany Cup\u2014the world\u2019s first inclusive regatta series\u2014the BAT Sailing Team\u2014inclusion in action on the regatta course\u2014as well as inclusive programs at Kiel Week and the SailGP in Sassnitz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Inklusives Segeln f\u00fcr Alle e.V.<\/strong> developed and built the \u201cHenk de Mol\u201d and operates it year-round on Lake Baldeney in Essen. The club, led by Stephan Krings, has been taking people in wheelchairs out on the water for years and is our partner for regatta support trips for wheelchair users in Kiel and Sassnitz\u2014in Sassnitz, it is also one of the organizing clubs for the inclusive regatta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Contact<\/strong> Sven J\u00fcrgensen, President We Are We Inclusion in Sailing e.V. sven.juergensen@wir-sind-wir.org \u00b7 +49 171 683 5555 www.wir-sind-wir.org<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stephan Krings Inclusive Sailing for All e.V. [Please add email, phone number, and website]<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sailing for Wheelchair Users \u00b7 Kiel Week and SailGP Sassnitz 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Until now, wheelchair users have almost always experienced the world\u2019s major sailing events from land: from the edge of the pier, from the second row, with binoculars. The regatta itself\u2014the wind, the water, the boats just a few meters away\u2014has been reserved for others. That\u2019s exactly what we\u2019re changing. And we now have strong support: The German Postcode Lottery is funding our \u201cSailing for Wheelchair Users\u201d project, which Wir sind Wir Inclusion in Sailing e.V. is implementing together with Inklusives Segeln f\u00fcr Alle e.V. This is made possible by the participants in the Postcode Lottery, a fixed portion of whose ticket sales goes to nonprofit projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The funding supports our regatta-accompanying trips for wheelchair users at two of Germany\u2019s largest sailing events: Kiel Week in June and SailGP off Sassnitz in August.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the heart of it all is a boat unlike any other in Germany: the \u201cHenk de Mol.\u201d People in wheelchairs roll directly on board\u2014no transferring, no switching to a special seat, no being lifted. Anyone who wants to can steer the boat themselves, operate the sheets, and be part of the crew. Anyone who just wants to sail and watch can do exactly that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The \u201cHenk de Mol\u201d was developed and built by our partner Inklusives Segeln f\u00fcr Alle e.V.<\/strong> under the leadership of Stephan Krings. Experienced sailors and boatbuilders from Lake M\u00f6hnesee and Lake Baldeney spent two years converting a standard hull so that wheelchairs could be safely accommodated on board. For the past four years, we\u2019ve been taking it out onto the regatta courses together during Kiel Week\u2014and Sassnitz will be added to the itinerary in 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s hard to quantify the impact these trips have. In 2025, we received a request through the \u201cW\u00fcnschewagen\u201d in Saxony-Anhalt\/Magdeburg: Hans-J\u00f6rg, a guest at a hospice, had one last big wish\u2014to experience Kiel Week from a sailboat. On the third day of Kiel Week, he set sail on the \u201cHenk de Mol\u201d amid strong winds and rain and experienced the 49er and 29er regattas up close.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But it\u2019s not just about the big goodbyes. Multiple-time Paralympic champion Kirsten Bruhn tried out inclusive sailing: \u201cWater sports always fascinate me, and inclusive sailing is a great opportunity. It was a little intimidating to hand over control, but it was a lot of fun!\u201d Kiel\u2019s Mayor Bettina Aust boarded the boat in heavy rain along with three guests in wheelchairs\u2014under the motto \u201cInclusion knows no bad weather.\u201d Among those steering the boat in Kiel was Nadine L\u00f6schke, the reigning world champion in inclusive sailing and a wheelchair user herself. The participants ranged in age from twelve to over seventy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And one thing remains constant year after year: the demand is greater than we can meet. Organizations for people with disabilities, advocacy groups, families with members in wheelchairs, individuals\u2014we had to turn down far more requests than we could accept.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Behind every single one of these trips is a large team of volunteers. They are the heart of the program: They operate the boat, look after the guests on board, help with boarding and disembarking, maintain contact with facilities and families, and coordinate registrations. None of this is paid work. What they contribute is their time\u2014about ten consecutive days on site, first in Kiel, then in Sassnitz, plus preparation, travel to and from the locations, and setup and takedown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, \u201cvolunteer\u201d does not mean \u201cfree of charge.\u201d The \u201cHenk de Mol\u201d is moored in Essen year-round and must be transported to the Baltic Sea and back on a special trailer. On site, crane fees and port charges are added, and the crew and volunteers need lodging and meals for the entire duration. This is exactly where funding from the German Postcode Lottery comes in: It covers these material costs\u2014transportation, lodging, meals, and crane and port fees. Our volunteers contribute their labor. Without this support, the project would not be possible in this form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From August 18 to 23, 2026, we\u2019ll be in Sassnitz on R\u00fcgen with the \u201cHenk de Mol.\u201d Together with SailGP and the Germany SailGP Team, we\u2019ll bring wheelchair-using guests right to the regatta course\u2014to the F50 catamarans that fly across the water at speeds of up to 100 km\/h. At the same time, we\u2019ll host our own inclusive regatta in Sassnitz\u2019s city harbor, where people with and without disabilities will compete against each other in the same boats and under the same rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kiel and Sassnitz are beacons for us\u2014visible proof that this program is needed and works. But they\u2019re also just two weeks a year, on a single boat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s why we\u2019re working together with Inklusives Segeln f\u00fcr Alle e.V. to turn this one-of-a-kind boat into a production series. The BENTE25 open.i is a mass-producible successor\u2014the \u201ci\u201d stands for inclusion. It isn\u2019t available yet, but it\u2019s set to go into production soon. And that\u2019s precisely where the crucial difference lies: mass production significantly lowers the cost per boat. This brings within reach what we\u2019ve been talking about for years\u2014deploying such boats at multiple locations in the future, year-round and on a permanent basis. Berlin, Hamburg, Kiel, the Schlei, Lake Schwerin, the Lusatian Lake District, Lake Constance, Bremerhaven\u2014anywhere people with disabilities can regularly take advantage of such an offering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not as an exception, not as a special event, but as a natural, everyday service right on their doorstep. For recreational cruises as well as for active, self-determined sailing, for sailing courses, and for competitive sailing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Funding from the German Postcode Lottery\u2014and thus the support of its participants\u2014helps us continue on this path: and to demonstrate in Kiel and Sassnitz what is possible when people in wheelchairs aren\u2019t just watching, but are sailing alongside everyone else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For this next step, we\u2019re looking for partners\u2014companies, foundations, and sponsors\u2014who will join us in the coming years to acquire such boats and bring them to where they\u2019re needed: to Hamburg, to Kiel, to Lake Constance\u2014to all suitable bodies of water where there are people who would benefit from such an opportunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So far, there is exactly one boat of this kind in Germany. We\u2019d love to be able to say there are many. If you\u2019d like to support this initiative\u2014as a partner, sponsor, or supporter of a single boat in your sailing area\u2014please feel free to contact us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kieler Woche Inklusiv 2026 \u2013 the film:<\/strong> https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=dMwTxLi-QVA<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kieler Woche Inklusiv 2025 \u2013 the film:<\/strong> https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=mUvBSA0mkls<\/p>\n\n\n\n The \u201cSailing for Wheelchair Users\u201d project is funded by the German Postcode Lottery\u2014and thus by its participants. It is carried out by Wir sind Wir Inclusion in Sailing e.V. in collaboration with Inklusives Segeln f\u00fcr Alle e.V. At the German Postcode Lottery, at least 30 percent of all ticket proceeds benefit nonprofit organizations and projects throughout Germany. We are very pleased to be part of this community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Supported by participants in the Postcode Lottery<\/em> \u2014 <\/p>\n\n\n\n #PowerOfPostcodes<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Wir sind Wir Inclusion in Sailing e.V.<\/strong> was founded in November 2022 to establish sailing as a tool for social inclusion\u2014without distinguishing between para-sailing and regular sailing. Our projects include the Helga Cup, the Heinz Kettler Germany Cup\u2014the world\u2019s first inclusive regatta series\u2014the BAT Sailing Team\u2014inclusion in action on the regatta course\u2014as well as inclusive offerings at Kiel Week and SailGP in Sassnitz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Inclusive Sailing for All e.V.<\/strong> developed and built the \u201cHenk de Mol\u201d and operates it year-round on Lake Baldeney in Essen. The club, led by Stephan Krings, has been taking people in wheelchairs out on the water for years and is our partner for regatta support cruises for wheelchair users in Kiel and Sassnitz\u2014in Sassnitz, it is also one of the organizing clubs for the inclusive regatta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Contact<\/strong> Sven J\u00fcrgensen, Chairperson We Are We Inclusion in Sailing e.V. sven.juergensen@wir-sind-wir.org \u00b7 +49 171 683 5555 www.wir-sind-wir.org<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stephan Krings Inklusives Segeln f\u00fcr Alle e.V. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Sailing for Wheelchair Users \u00b7 Kiel Week and SailGP Sassnitz 2026 From the Spectator Stands to the Water Until now, wheelchair users have almost always experienced the world\u2019s major sailing events from land: from the edge of the pier, from the second row, with binoculars. The regatta itself\u2014the wind, the water, the boats just a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3156,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3157","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-unkategorisiert"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wir-sind-wir.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3157","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wir-sind-wir.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wir-sind-wir.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wir-sind-wir.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wir-sind-wir.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3157"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.wir-sind-wir.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3157\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3244,"href":"https:\/\/www.wir-sind-wir.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3157\/revisions\/3244"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wir-sind-wir.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3156"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wir-sind-wir.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3157"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wir-sind-wir.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3157"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wir-sind-wir.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3157"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.wir-sind-wir.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/PL_Foerderlogo_rot-1-1024x337.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nDirectly onto the boat in a wheelchair<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.wir-sind-wir.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Gross-DSC05453-1024x682.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.wir-sind-wir.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Gross-DSC05406-1024x682.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.wir-sind-wir.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image00013-1024x857.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.wir-sind-wir.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/55360587810_436d18adaa_k-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\nMoments That Last<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Supported by a large team of volunteers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
In August: SailGP off Sassnitz<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Looking Ahead: One Boat Alone Isn\u2019t Enough<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
So that the \u201cHenk de Mol\u201d doesn\u2019t remain a one-of-a-kind vessel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Watch<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
About the Funding<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
About the Organizations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
From the spectator stands to the water<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
The German Postcode Lottery is supporting our regatta-accompanying trips for wheelchair users\u2014in Kiel and in Sassnitz<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Directly on board in a wheelchair<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Moments That Last<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Supported by a large team of volunteers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
In August: SailGP off Sassnitz<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Looking Ahead: One Boat Alone Isn\u2019t Enough<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
So that the \u201cHenk de Mol\u201d doesn\u2019t remain a one-of-a-kind vessel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Watch<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
About the Funding<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
About the Organizations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n