Jochen Schümann

Six-time Olympian Jochen Schümann was one of the greatest German sailors ever, winning three Olympic gold medals (1976, 1988, 1996) and one silver (2000). Between 1976 and 2000, he missed only the 1984 Los Angeles Games due to the boycott of the Eastern Bloc countries. Schümann became the first East German gold medal winner at the Kingston sailing events in Flying Dutchman.

In 1974 and 1975 he won Youth European titles. Jochen Schümann partnered Thomas Flach and Bernd Jäkel since 1985. The crew then won four consecutive national titles from 1987-90. The crew also earned the European titles in 1986, 1988, 1993 and 1994, won the silver medals in 1985, 1987 and 1990, also bronze in 1989 and 1991. At World Championships they won gold in 1992, silver in 1991, and bronze in 1986 and 1996.

Schümann later studied sports at the DHfK Leipzig and graduated in 1983. He was then employed by the East German Sailing Federation until re-unification. Thereafter he worked with the company of Danish sailor Paul Elvstrøm. From 1993-96 Schümann was sporting director at Daimler-Benz, and finally a consultant to the German Sailing Federation. He was awarded the Silver Bay Leaf, Germany’s highest sports award. He was also awarded the Bavarian Sports Prize in 2003 and the Golden Sports Pyramid in 2014 by the Stiftung Deutsche Sporthilfe.

In 1996, Schümann was the first German sailor to be named World Sailor of the Year. In 2014, he was inducted into the German Sports Hall of Fame. In 2003 and 2007 he participated in the America’s Cup with the Swiss Alinghi team and won the competition as sports director of the team. He then moved to the German United Internet Team and one year later to the ALL4ONE Challenge.