![Jesperbanksoenkemeierchris](/media/rp1lnbd3/jesperbanksoenkemeierchris.jpg?width=680&height=241&quality=80&rnd=133652412166200000)
Sönke Meier-Sawatzki from Germany seems to be the kind of person who loves progress and constant development and improvement. Today he is at what he calls 30% of the potential with his X-50 and his crew – determined to do better and better, ending up beating the competitors.
Sönke did not start racing until his mid 30´ies, where he bought his first boat, a sporty X-382. After that he was one of the first owners of the new and impressive one design boat, X-35. “This was a very difficult but incredibly interesting racing environment. My X-35 is today rebuilt as a cruising boat, but I am still keen on sailing her, usually single- handed in the Baltics.”
“Starting at a relatively late age racing, I have had to hurry up learning how to perform the best, since my competitors do not exactly get worse,” Sönke explains. “Though I started sailing as a young boy, it was completely different from racing. “With my father we fought ourselves all across the North and Baltic Sea in a pure cruising boat, not very fast and athletic. And already at that time I decided that I one day would own a boat perfect for regattas.”
As soon as Sönke was able to swim his father took him out<sailing. Being grateful to the fact that his father introduced him to sailing he has nevertheless had to use quite some energy and good arguments in persuading him that a sportier boat, than he was raised with, will do better. “My father preferred the more robust and safe boats, but I finally think I have his approval today.”
![Fullphoto Soenkemeierandcrew SGJ](/media/k50lg4bb/fullphoto_soenkemeierandcrew_sgj.jpg?rmode=min&width=400&quality=80&rnd=133652413297070000)
Getting the hang of racing
Back in the X-35 days Sönke was among others introduced to Jesper Bank, who at that time did some training sessions for a group of X-35 sailors in the Baltics. “I was the last to join the group, but learned a lot from these training sessions. One day I told Jesper, that I wanted to improve but needed help. I thought to myself that an OL medallist and America’s Cup sailor would of course be beyond my reach. But I was wrong. Jesper agreed to support me and also introduced me to among others Chris Keene Boye, who still assists me on the X-50 with a certain understanding of me as helmsman. In fact we just have to look at each other to understand a message.” Chris Keene Boye is a sail designer with Elvstrøm Sails.
Today Sönke is primarily racing his X-50 in the Mediterranean Sea, having his X-50 located in Palma de Mallorca. “The local races are simply great, especially the Copa del Rey. Not to mention the great sailing conditions. Regatta sailing means a lot to me. You get to concentrate on one thing with likeminded people all with the same target. It´s fun, thrill and pure enjoyment to me.”
![Chris Morten Soenke Jesper](/media/0zdnvp42/chris_morten_soenke_jesper.jpg?rmode=min&width=400&quality=80&rnd=133652413294600000)
Systematic processing of To Do’s
It becomes quite clear not only once, but many times during the interview with Sönke that progress and development is a natural part of his mindset. “I like to go systematically over the to-do list of weaknesses to improve. I enjoy every single and small progress with a crew that share the same professional approach and willingness to constantly develop. To some extent there are a lot of similarities to my company, though on the boat we are not 270 people but 12 that need to coordinate”. Though Sönke says he is at 30% of the potential with his X-50 his sailing career already counts great achievements. The first highlight back in the mid 90´ies as the overall winner of Kieler Woche, and since then 4th at the World Championships in Bardalona along with a number of great achievements with both his X-35 and the X-50, Copa del Rey being one of the highlights.
“I´ve learned a lot from Elvstrøm Sails and I am not finished yet. We want to achieve more success with the elderly X-50 in the Mediterranean Sea – and I am quite certain we will”. Buying a newer and even racier boat is not an option. “I have a certain bond to Niramo, X-50 who has delivered many good hours and great moments not only on the racing course, but also as a family boat,” Sönke concludes.