Successful sailing year 2025: Inclusion on the Alster in focus!

Successful sailing year 2025: Inclusion on the Alster in focus!

A happy end-of-season party at the Uhlenhorst Campus on November 22, 2025 celebrated the successful conclusion of the 2025 sailing season, which had the motto “Inclusive Alster”. Organized by the project partners Hamburger Segel-Club (HSC), Norddeutscher Regatta Verein (NRV), Segel-Verein Altona-Oevelgönne (SVAOe) and the association Wir sind Wir - Inclusion in Sailing, the celebration was an opportunity to look back on the past few months and present the upcoming plans for 2026. As the German press index reports, “Inclusive Alster” is considered one of the world’s most inclusive sailing projects, with a special focus on children and young people with disabilities.

This season, weekly sailing courses were offered for young people living with various disabilities. The course offerings included, among other things, 1:1 care for children and young people, special sailing courses for visually impaired and blind children as well as regular courses for students from the Bugenhagenschule Alsterdorf and the Werner Otto Institute. Holiday courses for the Elfenwiese school were also very popular. An inclusive junior training with optimists and C55 rounded off the diverse offering.

Visions for 2026

Another highlight of the event was the announcement that the program will be further expanded in the coming year. Plans include the “Heinz Kettler Inclusive Youth Sailing Team Germany”, which will offer intensive regatta and sailing training, as well as additional weekly sailing courses for level 2 of the Bugenhagen School. In addition, there is a four-day sailing holiday for the Children's Eye Cancer Foundation and the expansion of the urgently needed 1:1 care, like that yacht notes.

Inclusive sailing has now established itself as an important pillar in the community. More and more clubs and organizers are focusing on shared sailing experiences for people with and without disabilities. Participation in events such as the “Helga Cup”, which will attract 78 international crews in June 2026, including 16 inclusive, shows that inclusion is more than a buzzword. These events promote team spirit, courage and self-confidence among participants.

Important support and partnerships

The “Inclusive Alster” project is supported by a network of foundations and sponsors, including the Heinz Kettler Foundation and the Allianz für die Jugend Nordwest e.V. In addition, the collaboration with the Germany SailGP team will continue to be expanded in order to strengthen the programs. On the occasion of the end of the season, a donation of 10,000 euros was made for the purchase of a special boat, the RS Venture Connect - an important measure to promote inclusion in sailing and another step in the right direction.

Inclusive sailing projects are becoming a trend that shows that sailing can be accessible to everyone. In this way, not only sport but also personal exchange between people of different backgrounds and abilities is strengthened. One thing is certain: sailing on Hamburg's waterfront is for everyone, and the coming years promise even more exciting developments.