Almost all international regattas had to be cancelled in the coronavirus year - but not Kiel Week. With a postponement from the end of June to the beginning of September, the organisers were one of the very few regatta organisation teams worldwide to dare to hold the event. This required courage and determination, maximum flexibility and thousands of additional working hours - as well as a fundamentally changed concept. The public festival and audience were cancelled; never before had the world's largest sailing series focused so much on the sporting activities. And probably never before have international observers followed them as closely as this time. The concept could be a blueprint for other events.
With around 2,500 participants, the 126th edition was well below the previous year's figure of around 4,000, but there were good reasons for this and it does not detract from the success. Some classes had to be subject to entry restrictions due to the hygiene concept. In addition, some of the other "regular customers" also stayed away, such as around 900 navy cutter sailors. Some because quarantine regulations made participation impossible, others because they could not imagine Kiel Week without a social environment. The vast majority, however, gratefully accepted the invitation.
You can read about how the organisers' hygiene concept worked and who the winners of this Kiel Week were in YACHT 21/2020, available at newsstands from 30 September or to order digitally here.
Lars Bolle
Chief Editor Digital
