From Saturday, thousands of sailors are expected to gradually arrive in the northern German "Sailing City" of Kiel to compete for titles and good results in international and Olympic dinghies as well as on large yachts, on windjammers and in special classes. More than 350 individual starts are planned for the 126th edition of Kiel Week. The world's largest regatta series is subject to strict hygiene regulations due to the coronavirus pandemic. The public is not permitted in the Kiel-Schilksee Olympic Centre. In order to implement the concept, which will be put to the test every day over the next nine days, the entire lower complex of the harbour area in Schilksee has been separated from the upper promenade area with its shops and restaurants, following the example of the 1972 Olympic safety concept. The participants are assigned to cordoned-off areas, depending on their class and the period of use. Each small boat has been assigned a precise location on land. "But we don't lock the sailors in, we protect them," explains Kieler Woche organisation manager Dirk Ramhorst.
The sporting conductor of the Kieler Woche regatta orchestra has put in extra shifts with his teams over the past few months to keep "the mother and father of all regattas", as former World Sailing Federation President Paul Hendersen once put it, on course in difficult times. Now Kiel Week is once again set to be a sporting beacon and beacon of hope in the coronavirus pandemic, even though it will have to undergo a daily reassessment until the second weekend and cancellation in the event of an outbreak of infection cannot be ruled out one hundred per cent. The sailing world is therefore looking to the north of Germany with great anticipation: Can Kiel Week herald a successful restart?
It starts on Saturday: For nine days, sailing on the fjord will take centre stage, but will also be the focus of attention. The organisers have done what they could to protect the participants in the best possible way during the coronavirus pandemic. Now it is also up to the active participants to adhere to the rules as best they can inside and outside the Kieler Woche home harbour and to minimise the risk of outbreaks of infection. In this context, the organisers hope that their new motto "#Cohesion", which is also featured on the updated Kieler Woche poster, will be taken to heart.
"Green light. Everything in flow," Dirk Ramhorst told YACHT online on Friday, one day before the start of the 126th Kiel Week. The extraordinary Kiel Week days between delight and risk begin on Saturday (5 September) and end with the final medal races in the Olympic disciplines on 13 September. In between are classics such as the Aalregatta and the Welcome Race, the International German Championship of ORC yachts (5 to 8 September), the IDM Doublehand ORC (10 to 12 September), the Senate Prize, the Silver Ribbon, the races of the international classes in the first half and those of the Olympians in the second half. Private owners and their boats are also invited to take part in the Windjammer Parade on 12 September. "We want to bring as many masts as possible onto the fjord," says Dirk Ramhorst.
Kieler Woche record winner Wolfgang Hunger will be chasing his 23rd title in the 505 with his co-skipper Holger Jess on the first four days of the regatta on his own doorstep. One of the Olympic highlights will be the decision in the battle for the Olympic ticket between Tina Lutz/Susann Beucke (Chiemsee Yacht Club/Norddeutscher Regatta Verein) and Victoria Jurczok/Anika Lorenz (Verein Seglerhaus am Wannsee). Lutz/Beucke lead the duel after two of three elimination regattas with 28 to 16 points. Twelve points is a big lead. Even if the defending Kieler Woche champions Jurczok/Lorenz manage to turn the tide and possibly win again in Strander Bucht, seventh place will still be enough for Lutz/Beucke to secure their ticket to Japan. In the event of a tie on points at the end of Kiel Week, which could only happen if Jurczok/Lorenz sail more successfully in Kiel than the leading Lutz/Beucke, the Berliners would have the better result in the direct comparison, because both crews had previously finished fifth once each at the 2019 and 2020 World Championships.
After the long Corona lull, this Kiel Week has an outstanding Olympic line-up: many Olympic and world champions such as the Nacra 17 virtuosos Santi Lange and Cecilia Carranza Saroli or Dutch Laser Radial high-flyer Marit Bouwmeester want to be part of the restart in Kiel and take stock of their position after the forced break of several months. Laser world champion Philipp Buhl starts the series with the good feeling of being the reigning class king. Olympic 49er bronze medallists Erik Heil and Thomas Plößel are also looking forward to their home match, as are 54 other sailors and 15 coaches from the German Sailing Team. Their motto is what unites all participants in this very special Kiel Week. It was already the slogan of Kiel Week 87 (!) years ago in the tense situation of hyperinflation in 1923: "Sailing, not partying."
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
