Olympic experience for Warnemünde: Pınar Coşkuner Genç sets new standards as overall race director
Pınar Coşkuner Genç became the first woman to take over the overall race management (Principal Race Officer, PRO) of the Warnemünder WocheThe Turkish woman knows the Olympic stage like few others. In 2024, she became the first woman to head the sailing competition at the Paris Olympics.
About ten years ago, she already worked as a jury member in Warnemünde. What's it like for her to return to Warnemünde now? She says it was really great in Warnemünde back then. A beautiful little town, a lively festival on land, and a top-class sailing area made for a very good combination for an event like the... Warnemünder WocheEven back then, she noticed that the locals loved sailing. "Sailing is truly a part of life in Warnemünde!" she enthuses. A lot has changed in the town since her first assignment there.
The sports school that opened last year on the central pier has significantly improved the infrastructure for hosting a major sailing event. "I've been involved in the last four Olympic Games, and we've never had a building with these facilities at our disposal," enthuses Coşkuner Genç. She particularly highlights the large conference room, which is used for the Warnemünder Woche It serves as the operations center – in short: the operations center. From here, officials have an excellent view directly onto the water and the individual lanes. A huge screen provides them with real-time data. "This is exactly the kind of infrastructure we need: readily accessible lanes on the water and contact points on land!" she summarizes.
At the age of five, Coşkuner Genç gained her first sailing experience in Turkey with her parents. Starting with dinghies like the Cadet, she found her way to the 470 class as a crew member and even aimed for an Olympic campaign for the 1996 Games. Due to budget problems, her Olympic dream was shattered. But Coşkuner Genç would find another path to the Olympic Games: as an indispensable part of the structure so vital for the athletes – the race management.
When she started a family with her husband, she left the 470 class, but still wanted to have an active role and started anew as a race director.
In 2012, she directed the Paralympic Sonar class races in London, and in Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo, she was responsible for "her" 470 class. In 2024, she assumed overall responsibility for the sailing portion of the regatta in Paris and Marseille, respectively. "As the first woman, I was naturally under scrutiny, but I didn't get the position because I'm a woman, but because I possessed the necessary qualifications," she explains. Pınar Coşkuner Genç is one of only seven people worldwide to hold licenses as an International Race Officer (IRO), International Umpire (IU), and International Judge (IJ). In her work as a race director, she sees her primary responsibility as being towards the sailors.
“Whether at the Olympic Games or here in Warnemünde: We organize the races for the athletes, not for ourselves. They put a lot of work into a campaign – up to four years in an Olympic cycle. We must always offer them the best possible races,” explains Coşkuner Genç. The flow of information between all involved – on land and on the water – is crucial. Only in this way can the demand for good races be met.
Pinar's approach is bearing fruit in Warnemünde. Over the past few days, the sailors have offered much praise for the work of the race management. That races were able to start under the challenging strong wind conditions is no small feat. The sailors were happy to be able to hold their competitions on the water – after all, that's why they traveled there. "The safety of the participants is always the top priority in making these decisions," she says.
With her election last April as the first female president in EUROSAF's history, Pinar is also bringing something to Warnemünde that will be important for the future of Warnemünder Woche A close international network is essential. Her language skills are another advantage – in addition to Turkish, she speaks fluent English, Italian, and German. A regatta week with an international field of competitors requires precisely these kinds of qualifications.
"The Warnemünder Woche “It’s very well-known regionally, and German sailors also appreciate the event. But it’s not known internationally,” she says, looking to the future. To change that, more marketing and further investment in the Warnemünde location are needed.
After three days Warnemünder Woche She personally hopes for some sunshine and warmth for the remaining days. "I know the Baltic Sea isn't easy. Anything can happen here. And that's precisely what makes the area so appealing!" Privately, Pinar still sails regularly in the Mediterranean – including regattas. Sailing has always been her great sporting passion.
Oh, and Pinar: Can Warnemünde host the Olympics? "I think Warnemünde can host the Olympics!"
