Kieler Woche is taking off on foils, opening up its programme next year to the "flying" construction class of the Moths, the Waszp one-design class and also offering an open foiling competition. Kiters are also invited - on foils and classic ("lowrider"). In its 137th year since its premiere, the world's largest regatta week is once again sailing towards the future. "Our goal has always been to organise all Olympic and attractive classes. Kiting is on the Olympic programme for 2024, and foiling is one of the most spectacular forms of sailing," says Dirk Ramhost, Head of Organisation for Kiel Week.
The foilers are given their own lane for the big show. In addition to the Waszp and Moth with their centre foils, there are hardly any limits for the third group on the track. The organisers are thinking of new planes such as the foiling dinghy, F101 or Skeeta. The foiling dinghy has been on the market since this year, had its premiere in Friedrichshafen and is intended to fill the gap between the Olympic Laser and the flying moths. "The boat is as easy to sail as a Laser or a Europe without having to adjust anything on the foils," explains Thilo Keller, shipbuilding engineer at TU Berlin and successful A-Cat sailor. After just a few months, a double-digit number of the foiling dinghy (3.85 metres long, 1.80 metres wide, 30 kilos) had already been sold.
The foiling Tri F101 is produced in England and cannot capsize. With a width of 2.55 metres, the Tri can be transported on a trailer without having to be dismantled. The Skeeta aircraft is manufactured by Foiling Crafts in Melbourne (Australia). The 43.5-kilogram flounder is a GRP construction with carbon reinforcements. The foils and rig are made of carbon fibre. On the Skeeta (3.35 metres long and 1.35 metres wide), the T-foils are attached to the centreboard and rudder. If they are removed, the Skeeta becomes a "lowrider".
The Waszp offers plenty of one-size-fits-all potential, and designer Andrew McDougall has been working on the "Wasp" since 2010. Bird wings on the T-foils and adjustable outrigger wings (from horizontal for the start to diagonal for maximum fun) are two of the foiler's hallmarks. Hamburg boat dealer Ferdinand Ziegelmayer has added the so-called "people's foiler" to its programme and presented it for the first time this year at boot Düsseldorf.
The pictures from Lake Garda show the foilers in action, which will also be competing at Kiel Week in 2019
The Moths made their first appearance at the Kieler Woche in 2008 and are now making a comeback. The International Moth Class (Motte) is a single-handed sailing boat class with boats measuring 3.35 metres in length and a maximum width of 2.25 metres. Two hydrofoils are mounted under the hull. The only single-handed dinghy design class recognised by the World Sailing Federation is particularly popular with 49er sailors. The Moths reach top speeds of over 35 knots (65 km/h).
How things got down to business on Lake Garda - a foretaste of what Kiel Week 2019 will showcase
After a long break (2008 and 2012), kitesurfing is also experiencing a revival at Kiel Week. In the 2012 Olympic year, Kiel Week offered kiters the opportunity to showcase their skills as part of the Sailing World Cup. Now Kiel Week is including kiters in the programme again with a view to the 2024 Olympic Games. Whether foiling kite or non-foiling twin tip will also depend on the decisions made by the World Sailing Association at the current annual meeting in Sarasota, Florida. The Kite Mix discipline was named as an Olympic discipline for 2024 by the World Sailing Federation in May. However, the disciplines are not expected to be finalised until next weekend. "Of course, we are keen to work together with World Sailing, and we want to give the future Olympic classes the opportunity to present themselves and race at Kiel Week," explains Ramhorst. The kite regattas will be held in the first half of Kiel Week. Due to the proximity to the World Cup, the kites will take off on the Baltic Sea off Kiel from 22 to 24 June. The foilers will start in the second half of Kiel Week.
The English-language instructional video shows how to have fun with the kite foils
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
