Dear readers,

​The whole world is currently looking across the pond to America – or rather, to the USA, Mexico and Canada. The World Cup is captivating everyone and everything.

The whole world? No! A small town in northern Germany is standing up to the dominance of the ‘King of Sports’. The Kieler Woche has started again today in Kiel – after all, in this form, it is the world’s largest regatta event. And this is already the 132nd edition!

Whilst the Football World Cup is marketed globally as a perfectly orchestrated television spectacle and seems to be geared primarily towards the financial interests of individual officials, Kiel Week works differently. You don’t just have to watch it – you can go there. And you can do so without having to pay exorbitant admission fees. You see the boats, hear the commentary, meet the competitors and feel the wind. That sounds old-fashioned. In reality, it’s actually quite modern.

Over the next few days, KiWo will once again draw an audience of millions to the fjord. Yes, many people don’t come for the regattas. They come for the beer, the stage, the bratwurst and the family entertainment. But perhaps that is precisely its strength: Kiel Week brings sailing to a place where it otherwise rarely ends up – right into the public eye.

And every year, there are certainly several hundred thousand people who travel from far and wide, some of them specifically to watch the regattas. They want to experience that unique atmosphere, the excitement, the nervous tension and the adrenaline rush live and on site as the competitors battle it out on the courses for points and trophies.

Kiel is a place for both sightseers and sailors alike. For curious onlookers, for experts, and for water sports enthusiasts of all kinds. Close to the city centre lies the Kiellinie, with its seemingly endless party mile. A little further out, in Schilksee, lies the Olympic Centre, where the sailing elite of the international and Olympic classes gather.

Anyone who thinks sailing is just a niche sport that’s hard to get into should seize the opportunity to head to Schilksee over the next few days. There, what is often seen as a niche sport suddenly becomes an experience that you can explain, comment on, discuss and, above all, share. Among other things, the public can look forward to regatta escort cruises, live coverage of the races, live commentary, as well as in-depth analysis and panel discussions following the races, featuring an illustrious line-up of prominent guests for interviews.

YACHT is right at the heart of the action. We look forward to seeing you at our stand in the Regatta Village, right next to the Sailing Arena stage. Why not pop by? Whether it’s just for a chat, because you have questions for our editorial team or suggestions for our coverage, or simply because you’d like to have a browse through our publisher’s range of books, nautical charts and magazines.

Football may well be ruling the world at the moment. But here on the fjord, a small Gallic village is showing that there are other realms out there: one made of wind, water, skill and a hell of a lot of passion. Shall we meet there?

Pascal Schürmann

Editor-in-Chief of YACHT

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