Make no mistake: sailing a 49er is not for the faint of heart! Together, the boat, water, wind and sailing partners form a dynamic system that has to be synchronised by the second. A long background story culminated in the summer of 2020, when Jan and Lars formed one such well-oiled unit with the new 49er in which they now skilfully sail the waters of Swiss lakes. But why did it have to be precisely this Olympic sailing class, which is known for its particularly challenging regattas?

The story of the two passionate sailors, Jan and Lars, began in northern Germany. Both were introduced to sailing as young boys by their respective grandfathers, whose enthusiasm for sailing soon rubbed off on the youngsters. It was the feeling of freedom, that sensation of ‘being on the water’ that left a lingering impression. An indelible impression, as it would turn out. The two of them would only meet years later though, in the landlocked country of Switzerland, of all places. On the very first day of their studies at ETH Zurich, Jan and Lars embarked on a friendship that goes beyond swelling sails and the invigorating sea air.

To get in some sailing on a tight student budget, Jan would occasionally go sailing with his uncle on the Costa Brava. Five years ago, thanks to the courses offered by the university sports association ASVZ, the two friends were able to obtain sailing licenses on Lake Zurich to go along with their doctorates. Their potential was recognised immediately and they were on board as trainers by the next go-round. This change in roles stoked their ambition.

A year later, the two had conquered their first voyage on the high seas in Oslo. And that was only the beginning. To boost their competitive performance and test their staying power, the two signed up for the Extreme Sailing Academy in Lisbon. The name says it all: a four-day trip on the tempestuous Atlantic requires more than just the right equipment and a passion for sailing. While one sleeps, the other handles everything up on deck alone. And yet experienced sailors awaken at the minutest change, ready to provide support in an instant – it’s teamwork taken to the extreme.

The experience in Lisbon made one thing clear for the two men: they wanted more. They wanted to compete in regattas. But their prospects were limited in a conventional sailing boat. Their mentor from the sailing license course soon put a new idea in their heads: why not try a 49er? The tricky thing in this class of high-performance boat is that the sails are controlled not using winches and hooks but directly by hand. The helmsman and crew balance the boat with their own body weight, standing on broad wings on the two sides of the narrow body of the boat. It’s this immediate feedback and physicality of the sailing that makes this discipline so challenging. Real sailing, to put it simply.

Jan and Lars promptly missed their first chance to buy a 49er of their own. They had been away at the time of the sale – on a sailing tour, unsurprisingly. When an older model came up for sale a short time later, they jumped at the opportunity.

They tirelessly practised their skills on the unabashedly honest boat, which never failed to punish any misstep – by their own account, the two sailors spent more time in the water than on it in their first year. When the boat capsizes, in the worst case the mast shoots straight down and points to the depths like a finger. It’s all but impossible to right the boat without extra help. It took them almost a year before the two men finally kept their own swimming time to a minimum and began to pick up the desired speed. That learning curve was an important part of their success today.

In 2020, the sailors felt ready for a ‘real’, new 49er. Not a practise boat, but a true racing boat. All they lacked was a partner as enthusiastic as they were about the idea of bringing this statement of skill and agility to Swiss lakes. As of September 2020, Jan and Lars are now the proud owners of a brand-new 49er, and are flying over the waters carried by a large ‘Exploring Together’ sail! We’re equally proud that we are now a part of this story!