Albert Batzill

Sailor Albert Batzill and his brother, the non-Olympian Robert, were both substitutes at the 1976 Olympics. Albert partnered with Peter Lang in the Flying Dutchman class at the 1988 Seoul Games (representing West Germany) and the 1992 Barcelona Olympics (now representing re-unified Germany). They finished eighth and fifth respectively. Albert Batzill was a seven-time world champion, in 1972 with his brother Robert in the Shark 24 class, in 1978 and 1981 in the Flying Dutchman, again with Robert, and in 1984 with non-Olympian Klaus Wende. In 1989, he won his fifth world title with Lang, and in 2005 won two titles, in the 6mR and the Melges 24 classes. Batzill added three World Championship silver medals in 1980, 1984 and 1993, and two bronze medals in 1990 and 2007..

At European Championships, Batzill won three more golds (1971, 2006 and 2008), two silvers (1993 and 2001) and five bronze medals (1975, 1988, 1991, 1994 and 2004). He sailed in the Fireball, Shark 24, Flying Dutchman, Soling, 6mR and Melges 24 classes during his career. Domestically, he won numerous titles. In 1982, he was awarded the Silver Bay Leaf, Germany’s highest sports award, and in 2004 was named one of the best 100 sailors in the World.

Albert Batzill married and raised four children. For a brief stint he ran the Rösslerhof organic farm in Schlier (near Ravensburg) in Baden-Württemberg. Later he switched to a small part-time agricultural business.