Organisers focus on communication and partnership.
Kieler Woche will maintain its lead over the world's largest events even after the resignation of organisation manager Dieter Rümmeli.
The new organisers Jobst Richter (Head of the Regatta Committee at the KYC), Tom Ross (responsible for the race course) and Sven Christensen (Marketing) are certain of this. They are particularly pleased that the new World President of the International Sailing Federation, the Swede Göran Petersson, is visiting Kiel in his first year in office.
Together with the Secretary General Ave Sundheim from Norway, he wants to get a picture of the 5,000 sailors, 2,000 boats and yachts. Around 300 journalists are also expected to attend the event.
The boats in the Bénéteau 25 class will be taking part in the international Kiel Week (18 to 21 June) for the first time. "We need to promote up-and-coming classes like this," says Richter. Surprisingly, the Mistral board is still listed in the Olympic section, even though it has been removed from the Olympic programme. "There are currently no new Neil pryde XRS Olympic boards," says Richter. However, there are three entries from Belarus for this class. "Where they want to get the board from is completely unclear to me."
Last year, only three Ynglings made it to Kiel before the Olympics, but the organisers already have seven entries. Richter: "We're hoping for twice as many. That would be great."
On 18 May in Hamburg, boot Düsseldorf extended its partner contract with Kieler Woche by five years. In addition to BMW and HSH-Nordbank, the communications professional mobilcom also presented itself for the first time as a new premium partner.
