Roland Gaebler

Roland Gäbler (born 9 October 1964 in Bremen) is a German sailor and member in the Norddeutscher Regatta Verein as well as in the Kieler Yacht-Club. He competed in five Olympic Games.

Roland Gäbler grew up in Bremen, where he started sailing on the river Weser. His talent for sailing was advanced by his parents, who bought him an old Laser. At the age of 14 he competed in his first regatta, one year later he won his first sailing competition. During his career in the Laser dinghy, Roland Gäbler won two European Championships and 14 international Championships.

With 23 years Roland Gäbler switched the racing class to catamaran and sailed a Tornado, together with his Laser training partner Hans-Jürgen Pfohe. Both competed in the Kiel Week and qualified straightaway for the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, however they won no medal. During the rough regatta Roland Gäbler suffered a fracture of his hand.

Job reasons forced Hans-Jürgen Pfohe to quit sailing in 1989. Frank Parlow became Roland Gäblers new partner. The team won four European Tornado Championships and the World Championship in 1996 for the first time. Also the cooperation with Frank Parlow was fruitful: they qualified for the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona (11. place) and the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta (7. place).

In 1997 René Schwall became crew and team partner of Roland Gäbler. They won two further World Championships and three European Championships as well as a bronze medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. In 2001 Roland Gäbler became German head coach of the Deutscher Segler-Verband for the Tornado and 49er class.

In 1995 and 1997 Roland Gäbler was awarded the title German Sailor of the Year as well as two times the award Silbernes Lorbeerblatt.

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