"Magical moment!" OTTO WULFF sailing duo Burke/Fink celebrates arrival party in Hamburg's Sandtorhafen harbor
The beat and the basses were humming in the Hafencity when Lennart and Melwin docked with their boat. To the cheers and applause of family, friends and fans, the OTTO WULFF sailing duo moored in Sandtorhafen harbor and raised their fists to the blue, cloudless Hamburg sky.
The weather was perfect for the final chapter of their sailing trip around the world, which, with all its ups and downs, left no one cold. "It's so nice to be back in Hamburg. The arrival here was a magical moment. I'm so happy that so many people have come, even my grandma in a wheelchair is here," said a visibly moved Lennart.
"It wouldn't have been possible without OTTO WULFF"
Almost exactly a year ago, the Globe40 campaign received the final decisive boost when OTTO WULFF agreed to be the main sponsor and made the adventure of the two young offshore sailors possible in the first place.
"OTTO WULFF played a key role in this project, without OTTO Wulff it would not have been possible. We are incredibly grateful for that," said Lennart. "They were really great people to work with."
Run-in parade was "simply mega"
The OTTO WULFF "sailing team" welcomed their two heroes with a lovingly designed stand and warm words in Sandtorhafen. Lennart and Melwin had previously sailed up the Elbe in their Class 40 racing yacht, accompanied by numerous escort boats. The parade reached its climax when the bridge at Kaiserkai was opened and the "Next Generation Boating - Around the World" covered the last few meters against the picturesque backdrop of the Elbphilharmonie concert hall. "That was just mega, it was everything we had dreamed of," said Melwin.
Nils Wendler: "We are immensely proud of you"
Nils Wendler, Managing Director of OTTO WULFF Bauunternehmung, warmly welcomed the two sailors and their guests. "We are immensely proud of you and very, very happy that you are back here safe and sound. That was always the most important thing for us. Lennart and Melwin have proven that it's worth fighting for your dreams, not giving up after setbacks and always keeping going. This is also what we at OTTO WULFF stand for with our committed employees. We are looking for people who want to take responsibility and make decisions, even difficult ones."
26,000 nautical miles of matured rum as a gift for OTTO WULFF
As a thank you to the entire OTTO WULFF family, Lennart and Melwin presented Nils Wendler with a special bottle of rum that the two of them had on board throughout their journey - a 26,000 nautical mile aged rum for OTTO WULFF. "He should share it, of course," said Lennart with a laugh.
City of Hamburg honors OTTO WULFF sailing duo
The City of Hamburg didn't miss out on the event either. Antonia Vellguth, honorary board member of the Hamburg Sports Youth, had words of appreciation for the performance of the OTTO WULFF sailing duo: "It is incredible what you have achieved and an inspiration for young people. You had a vision and you fought for it. It is simply fantastic that you are taking the sport of Hamburg to the world's oceans and representing it so worthily.
We are grateful for the way you represent Hamburg sport."
With cool drinks, a fish sandwich or two and the cool beats of the DJ boat, the guests enjoyed an arrival party that could not have been more fitting. "It was a great end for all of us," said Lennart.
Nils Wendler closed the circle: "My thanks go above all to the company, to everyone who helped and cheered us on. We also received a lot of encouragement from outside. It was a really great experience for us," said the Managing Director of OTTO WULFF Bauunternehmung.
A text by Matthias Heidrich
