Sailing Center

The stage for sailing in Hall 15

Welcome to the Sailing Center Stage – your meeting point for sailing inspiration at boot Düsseldorf 2026!

Look forward to exciting talks, exclusive insights, and authentic stories from the world of sailing.

Here are just a few highlights you shouldn’t miss:

Erik Kosegarten-Heil, skipper of the Germany SailGP Team, reveals what it takes to break into the league of international top athletes. He talks about career paths, mental strength, and the challenges of high-performance sailing – including insider insights into the SailGP event in Sassnitz.
Rosalin Kuiper takes you behind the scenes of The Ocean Race Europe. She shares stories of intense preparation, a dramatic crash, and her impressive comeback. An interview full of emotion and passion for offshore sailing.
Olympic sailing up close: Anna Markfort, Simon Diesch, and Theresa Steinlein, together with Dom Tidey, Head Coach of the German Sailing Team, talk about the road to the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. How do athletes balance elite sport, studies, and careers? Discover what teamwork and mental strength truly mean.
Lennart Burke and Melwin Fink take you live on their Globe40 round-the-world race. A talk about team spirit, technology, and the determination to make the impossible possible.
Technology enthusiasts will get their money’s worth with Martin Fischer. The physicist and yacht designer explains the secrets of foiling and provides exclusive insights into his work for the America’s Cup.
The Magenta Project shows how mentoring opens up new opportunities for women in sailing and brings some of the sport’s most well-known female sailors to the stage.
Cornelius Eich reports on the latest adventures of Team Malizia and the Explorer research project, which connects sailing with science.
And for everyone dreaming of the ultimate adventure: Sir Robin Knox-Johnston looks back on 30 years of the Clipper Race and explains how anyone can sail around the world.

Find here the full schedule of boot Düsseldorf: daily program

Excerpt from the list of speakers

Marion Koch & Norbert Sedlacek

Sustainable yacht building on a record journey

Norbert Sedlacek has been fighting for sailing firsts for 30 years now and for over 15 years Norbert Sedlacek and Marion Koch, winner of the Ocean Tribute Award 2023, have been developing sustainable materials and technology for future-oriented yacht building with their shipyard Innovation Yachts.

Their award-winning yacht designs are almost always associated with incredible record-breaking projects in offshore sailing, such as Project ICELIMIT, the Vendée Globe participations in 2004 and 2008, Project Proof of Principle, ANT ARCTIC LAB or Expedition Zero.

Since 2023, Norbert and Marion have also been an integral part of the EU's official efforts to make nautical technology cleaner and more sustainable, without greenwashing, as part of the EU Eco-Boats and TEcoNaut projects.

Nicolas Manthos

From nutshell to ocean racer and around the world

From 2021 to 2023, Nicolas Manthos sailed single-handed across the Atlantic on a 5.5 metre boat - an adventure that not only gave him incredible experiences, but also valuable insights into solo sailing in confined spaces. Now his next big goal is on the horizon: he will be sailing single-handed around the world in a regatta on a Class40. In his presentation, he will provide exciting insights into the transition from a 50-year-old long keeler to a high-tech regatta yacht and talk about his first experiences at regattas as well as the challenges he has to overcome on this new path.

Elena & Ben

Sailboat instead of flat

Who doesn't know them? They inspire us with videos about life on a boat: Elena and Ben live self-sufficiently on their 38-foot catamaran OHANA. They want to sail to their dream destination of Hawaii using wind power - taking as many detours as possible to discover the beauty of the world. Since 2019, they have sold everything and dedicated themselves to their adventure. They generate electricity with solar energy and obtain drinking water from seawater. On their channels ‘elenaundben’, they share stories about sustainability, environmental protection and boat life - an invitation to pursue dreams and rethink them.

Franziska Mäge

PUIG Women America´s Cup 2024

The PUIG Women's America's Cup was organised for the first time at the 2024 America's Cup. Germany took part with its own team and Franziska Mäge reports on the impressive experiences she had on the AC 40 in Barcelona.

RED BANDIT Team

RED BANDIT wins the Rolex Middle Sea Race

The Red Bandit team gives an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at their impressive victory in the Rolex Middle Sea Race 2024. The crew talk about the challenges on the water, strategic decisions and unforgettable moments that led to success in one of the world's most demanding regattas. The interview sheds light on the team dynamics and key moments that made all the difference. An exciting journey through the highs and lows of the race that shows what it takes to be at the top of the international sailing world.

Martin Fischer

Designer of America's Cup Team INNEOS BRITTANIA

Physicist and yacht designer, Martin Fischer, will be on stage to give us interesting insights into the design of the British team INEOS Britannia, with whom he works as Chief Designer. Having worked on the 37th America's Cup, he will talk about the current design strategies and take an in-depth look at the challenges and innovations that have guided the team on the road to the 37th America's Cup in Barcelona in 2024.