Jens Kroker has been at the helm of a Sonar since 1999 and has had winning results with new crews. He won the 1999 and 2000 IFDS Sonar World Championships with a crew that started sailing together only three weeks earlier.

 

Sigi Mainka was introduced to disabled sailing in 2006 and has been Kroker’s jib trimmer ever since.

 

“After the Paralympics in Sydney, the disability point system changed and my main trimmer, who had impaired vision, was rated out of disabled sailing. Keeping a main trimmer has been difficult ever since. Most of them have back or shoulder injuries and retire from sailing. Most of my successes have come with late crew changes,” said Kroker as he explained the recent change to his crew list.

 

Christian Bittner, the Sonar team’s coach and a member of the German Disabled Sports Association introduces prospects with the right number of disability points to Kroker and he interviews them for the team.

 

Kroker describes his selection process, “It is not necessary that they have sailing experience. They have to have enthusiasm, motivation, drive and ambition. Physical fitness is important also.”

 

Mainka is the perfect example of enthusiasm and physical fitness. A novice to sailing two years ago, he gets around the bow of the Sonar seemingly effortlessly even though he is missing two legs. Muscles rippling, his upper body strength is more than a match for any jib in windy weather.

 

“Disabled sailing competition has grown significantly in Germany and across the board,” commented Kroker. “There are at least six teams who could win a medal here and funding, financial support and dedication to the sport is rising. There are some Formula I disabled sailing teams and even professional helmsmen here. I’m one of the last helmsmen who is a weekend warrior.”

 

Kroker has to fit international sailing competitions into his six weeks of vacation time. Not only that, every member of his team has to travel a great distance so that they can train together. Kroker has a five-hour drive to meet up with his team mates.

 

Kroker steered his way to a bronze medal position at the 2007 IFDS World Championships and is hoping that his new crew combination is a winning one.

 

 

Kroker, Mainka and Prem went on to win the Gold in the closest series of the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Regattas. They whooped and cheered when they crossed the finish line in the heavy air final race; because they knew that they had won a medal. Kroker admitted that he did not know that he had won the Gold medal until two minutes after he had crossed the finish line, did the math and watched the Norwegians nip out the Australians just before the finish line of the eleventh race. 

 

The final race of the Sonar series was as exciting to watch as the short course, double-point Medal Race of the penultimate series in the 2008 Olympic Sailing Regatta, the Star Medal Race. As in the Star Medal Race, all podium positions changed. Had the race been on Area A near the specially designed sea wall that doubled as a spectator stand and had the crowds who got drenched in the rain during the Star Medal Race been there for the final race of the Sonar series, they would have lost their voices. Take it from me; I was the only one in the world who watched both races. I wish that Morgan Reeser, Olympic Sailing trivia wizard would have been there to enjoy the excitement with me.