WENDEKURS in association with the Nuremberg Yacht Club15–17 May 2026 at Großer Brombachsee

A little shy and unsure in the morning, but after just their first sail, our participants came ashore with beaming faces. Together, they explored the boat, handled the ropes and steered. And they quickly bonded as a crew. When the wind was blowing, everyone on board had a job to do; when it was calm, they sang, played games or rested. Back on land, the young guests tucked into the healthy and hearty lunch during the break – thanks to the kitchen crew at the YCN!

From 15–17 May, six boats from the Nuremberg Yacht Club and the Turning Point Foundation sailed across Lake Großer Brombach. On board: young people with disabilities, their parents, carers or siblings. Dedicated club members had been planning these three days of sailing for months together with the crew from the Turning Point Foundation. The long-term professional organisation paid off: within a structured and safe framework, each participant could be catered for on a very individual basis. The strength of the on-site crew also gave reassurance to concerned parents and carers. And whilst the young people were out on the water, a parents’ café was held. Here, the accompanying adults learnt all about further inclusive sailing programmes offered by the YCN and had the opportunity to ask questions.

For Vice-President and coach Rolf Thoma and his dedicated team, it is important that the club enables people with disabilities to take part in active sailing. He was delighted with the launch event. “We had an extremely intense and emotional weekend at Lake Brombach – in the most positive sense. We received incredibly positive feedback, not only from the participants and parents but also from the entire YCN team.” Now, this enthusiasm is to be carried over into the regular WENDETRAINING sessions.

The YCN team wants to work with participants, parents and organisations to identify which training formats are particularly well-suited to inclusive sailing training. To this end, training sessions will take place in Nuremberg on the Dutzendteich and further sessions at Lake Brombach. Further information: https://www.ycn.de/schnupperangebote/wendetraining

Many thanks also to the team at Special Olympics Bavaria, who, alongside the Turning Point Foundation, supported the YCN with the organisation.