Matthias Dietz, in Memoriam
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Photos Gordon Upton, Paula Kopylowicz, Laurens Morel, Martina Orsini & Tristano Vancondio.
Matthias Dietz, 1950-2024
This past weekend an excellent dedicated sailor and better person left us. Matthias Dietz was a hardcore Catsailor by definition, a non stop competitor in the A-Class who attended every single event in Europe. He also lead the local German A-Class Association as President latest years.
I had the chance to meet him back in Bordeaux 2014 Europeans. We talked along George Reutter about the foiling transition. Matthias and George ruled the light floating mode in their Nikitas at the time, they were 3d & 4th after four races in that Euros only behind Ashby & Waterhouse, so imagine it was a great change for them and many others, shaking the status quo seeing the new foiling mode taking over they beloved A-Cats.
Some got angry but Matthias attitude was pretty practical at the time, he told me : “well, I’ll just need to learn how to foil”…
And he did learnt! After a couple of seasons in floating mode including the 2015 Worlds where once again I saw him from the rib at the top of the fleet along George in light wind first races at Punta Ala, Matthias started racing airborne style and never looked back until just last season.
He was 74yrs old, and always showed the local Arg sailors his foiling shots to put him as an example to those with doubts in going for a flight or even going out in a bit of breeze. Matthias was a charger.
Sunday night I published the German Open A-Cat held at Schwerin, and next day we learn that he had passed away.
Preparing this post I went to the archive to look for ‘some’ photos to publish along, and reviewing year after year archive shots I did found plenty of him. Simply put cause he participated in every A-Cat race he could find in the calendar.
All are mourning him as great guy, but he was a great talented sailor too. Matthias left us after winning the last race he entered, he won the first race of the German Open 2024 this weekend. What a way to go in style.
He was always an inspiration for me and every Catsailor. In coming years I hope to have at least a small quota of the guts and drive he displayed on the water.
Matthias Dietz had a good run and left a great legacy to keep pushing the limits for us to stay out of the comfort zone. For him it was easy just to stay in the floating racing fleet, he was a truly master in that realm, but he literally pointed higher. How he was not going to go for it?
Matthias went the elevated higher way and we are certain he is enjoying his rides up there right now.
Sail On Matthias
Below some words by Rainer Bohrer sent by Gordon Upton / IACA
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“We are all stunned and deeply sad that our dear sailing friend was so suddenly torn from our midst.
His great passion was sailing: Started with the pirate, over the 505 then to the Tornado and the last 20 years arrived on the A-Catamaran. He was on regattas throughout Europe from the start to the end of the season and was always at the forefront of the rankings. We were all able to witness how he appreciated the sailing community collegially and very friendly. He lovingly named his boats “construction site”, but they were always in perfect shape… his passion for A-Cat sailing was inspiring!
For the last 15 years he was a member of the board and most recently president of the German A-Class Association. He moved more and more into the centre of our A-CAT family and with his warm Swabian style and with great commitment he kept the Association successfully on it’s course.
In addition to his loveable special features, there are many stories through which he will always remain in our memory; not only as a very successful regatta sailor, but also as a special and happy person. He lived for sailing and he left us a few days after his last race on Lake Schwerin. The fact that he won these and then cheerfully helped the much younger sailors out of the water is a worthy and incredible end to this great sailor career, – only it came too early.
Thank you Matthias!
We will miss you!
