Hessischer Rundfunk Spotlights Rowing at the Steinmühle
Regarding the report from the Hessenschau broadcast on September 14, 2026:
(c) hr Television
An event that makes us proud: Hessischer Rundfunk had announced a visit to our para-rowers. The goal: “To experience para-sports firsthand and report on them,” explains editor Sarah-Lisa Angress, who is looking forward to meeting our para-rowers.
The blue car with the white “hrfernsehen” lettering is driving from the Steinmühlen Campus toward the boathouse. That’s where Lennart Koch and Freya Dorndorf train. Lennart, 19, lost his sight completely just two years ago.
A turning point.
But Lennart has come to terms with his fate. The young man channels his disability into pure energy.
Orientation and Safety
Six times a week, he meets with Freya Dorndorf for training. She can see, is highly focused, and has a strong sense of direction. She does what he cannot.
In just half a year, the ninth-grader has learned everything needed to provide guidance and reassurance.
The proverbial “blind trust” must have originated right here.
Clear Commands
Together with high-performance coach Martin Strohmenger, the camera crew climbs into the electric dinghy. They film up close, capturing what really matters: timely instructions and clear commands, leaving no room for interpretation. Everyone knows exactly what to expect. Lennart leads the way.
The route goes up the Lahn River from the Steinmühle boathouse and back down again. Hessischer Rundfunk is filming a well-coordinated team where every stroke is perfect. The footage captures the clarity of the commands and gives a glimpse into what Lennart and Freya’s daily rowing routine might be like.
Infrastructure and Partnerships
Performance coach Martin Strohmenger, known simply as “Stromi,” looks back today on a pleasant afternoon. The film featuring Lennart, the 2024 German champion in ergometer rowing, and Freya, the level-headed student from Steinmühle, authentically shows how both of them give their all for the sport. But it also highlights the importance of facilities like those at Steinmühle, which are suited for para-sports, as well as the success of partnerships—such as the one with the German Institute for the Blind (blista) in Marburg—when they are brought to life.
The Steinmühle, as the state training center for para-rowing of the Hessian Association for Sports for People with Disabilities and Rehabilitation (HBRS), enjoys special recognition among rowers and throughout the sports world. It therefore warmly invites rowers with physical disabilities to get in touch.
By the way: You can—but don’t have to—become the German Ergo Champion right away.
(Angela Heinemann)
