The official poster for Kiel Week 2014 does not come from the north. The two designers Thomas and Martin Proschauko from Bad Aibling in Bavaria created the cheerful, colourful and very lively motif, which traditionalists would probably describe as somewhat garish. The jury's reasoning for selecting the pink, red, yellow and blue creation with the jagged wave crests stated that the basic motif of the moving sea had "never before been captured in such a spectacular and boisterous way". And further: "For Kiel Week 2014, a whole mountain range of colourful waves is piling up in front of us, casting a spell over us and literally moving with us." If that's not a good omen for the 120th Kiel Week...
The Schleswig-Holstein state capital of Kiel has been preparing intensively for weeks for around three million visitors who will storm the Wimbledon of sailing in the last full week of June. The Kiel-Schilksee Olympic Centre has also dressed up for around 4500 sailors from 50 nations with around 1800 boats and is once again offering live entertainment this year in the "Audi and SPA Sailing Arena" in the heart of the harbour.
In sporting terms, the international queen of regattas is divided into three main areas: Ten Olympic and two Paralympic disciplines will kick things off from 21 to 25 June. This will be followed by 15 international boat classes sailing for the coveted Kiel Week titles from 26 to 29 June. At the same time, the sea sailors will not only be competing for "KiWo" successes throughout the week, but also for the titles in three classes at the International German Sailing Championship, which is organised by the German Sailing Association (Deutscher Segler-Verband 8DSV) in line with the World Championship at the beginning of August.
For Germany's Sailor of the Year, Kieler Woche 2014 is both a compulsory and freestyle programme. When Philipp Buhl takes the sheets for the first time on Saturday, only a victory can be the goal for the world championship bronze medallist in the Laser. The field in the most popular Olympic single-handed class is not strong because the European Championship, where Buhl only finished fifteenth last week, was too close to Kiel Week. "I'm really fired up for Kiel Week after the disappointing European Championship result," said the 24-year-old sports soldier from Sonthofen, Buhl, who is aiming for his third Kiel Week win in a row and thus a hat-trick, "I wasn't happy with my results so far this season. Winning before Kiel is a must. And I'm really looking forward to the regatta because it's by far the best event on the international circuit in terms of media and organisation."
This is also confirmed by Tina Lutz and Susann Beucke, who are fighting for their second Kiel Week title in a row in a very strong international field. The Bavarian-North German crew is one of five German 49er FX women's teams with their sights set on competing at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. In the current Isaf world rankings, Lutz/Beucke are in 12th place ahead of their Berlin team-mates Victoria Jurczok and Anika Lorenz. Foresailor Susann Beucke said at the Kieler Woche press conference at the host Kieler Yacht-Club: "For us, Kieler Woche is a welcome home match on the way to the next two highlights of the season: the test matches in Rio and the World Championship in Santander. The media highlight is clearly Kiel, because Kiel Week is on a completely different level to all the other regattas!" Tina Lutz describes the added bonus: "Of course, it's especially fun to win on your home turf."
Despite all the good news, such as the start of both German silver medal crews from the Paralympics - Heiko Kröger in the Sonar and Jens Kroker, Robert Prem and Siegmund Mainka in the Sonar - the Kiel Week organisers also have a few downer news to deal with. The Olympic disciplines R:X for men and women had to be cancelled due to a lack of entries. The number of participants is also low in other classes such as the traditional 470 for men and women. "There are conflicts here with other major regattas that are too close to Kiel Week," explains Head of Organisation Peter Ramcke, "we are in dialogue with the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) about this."
The largest regatta yacht in the field of 324 registered sea-going yachts (86 in addition to the IDM starters) is the 21 metre long trimaran "Musandam-Oman-Sail". Brave: Kiel's new Lord Mayor Ulf Kämpfer has signed on to the racing goat with a maximum speed of up to 46 knots for 24 June. The international crew of the record chasers around skipper Damian Foxhall also includes the two-time circumnavigator, America's Cup participant and YACHT skipper trainer Tim Kröger from Hamburg and the Bremen ocean sailor Anna-Maria Renken. Both are already on board and part of the crew that will transfer the three-deck projectile from Brittany to Kiel, where it is expected to moor in front of the Kiel Yacht Club on Thursday. "We're looking forward to this MOD 70 from Oman," said Eckart von der Mosel, the head of the Kiel Yacht Club, "it is reminiscent of the MOD spectacle that Kiel experienced in autumn 2012 and should be a real eye-catcher."
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
