100 years of the North Sea Week: "L4/Trifork" with Dolmer instead of Bekking: Anniversary comeback for "Struntje V"

Everything is ready for the Whitsun festival under sail: The North Sea Week is heading for its anniversary edition, celebrating its 100th year on the first weekend in June. Many a crew will be heading for the red rock that has never been there before. Or not for a very long time. The international record hunters on the VO70 yacht "L4/Trifork" (built in 2008 as "Ericson 4" for the Volvo Ocean Race) have their sights set on the former. Skipper Jens Dolmer and his ten-man crew are competing to beat the 22-year-old record for the long-distance classic Pantaenius Rund Skagen. The record was set at the turn of the millennium by Dr Klaus Murmann's "Uca" with helmsman Walter Meier-Kothe. The time sailed back then was 43 hours and 46 minutes.

"We are record hunters, which is why this record is our declared goal," says skipper Jens Dolmer, "we have never been to Heligoland before and have never taken part in the Pantaenius Rund Skagen, but we are really looking forward to it. Many of us are at home in Scandinavia and it's rare to be able to take on such a challenge in our home climes." Jens Dolmer, who lives near Copenhagen himself, is in charge of the race. The originally announced eight-time Ocean Race record winner Bouwe Bekking will not be able to show up off Heligoland and go record hunting due to his commitment on Mark Bezner's ClubSwan 50 "Olymp" in the Swan Sardinia Challenge. Jens Dolmer has already sailed around the world twice in the Ocean Race and completed several legs in the last edition. The VO70 yacht "L4/Trifork" will start as the top favourite in the 500 nautical mile race Pantaenius around Skagen, which was first held in 1932.

What "Doc Schäfer", Howard Carpendale, a pair of scissors and eggs from the "SeaCloud" have to do with the North Sea Week ...

For nostalgic reasons and to honour the North Sea Week and its big anniversary, Wolfgang Schäfer and his wife Angela Schäfer have reactivated their faithful old family regatta yacht "Struntje V" for the races around the red rock. With this sister ship of the Admiral's Cup yacht "Saudade", her first owner Dr Günter Havemann took part in the North Sea Week for the first time in 1974 and subsequently in internationally renowned regattas around the globe. It is now almost half a century since the "Struntje V" was launched. The 2018 Farr 40 World Champion, Wolfgang Schäfer, sent the following personal message to the North Sea Week, which is linked to many memories:

"After 25 years, the 'Struntje V' is taking part in the North Sea Week again this year. This participation is an expression of respect and recognition for the North Sea Week with its long and unmistakable tradition. With its 25-year-old sails, the ship is a long way from regatta-capable condition, but it is the participation that counts. The first start of a 'Struntje IV' off Helgoland took place in 1968. My wife and I then sailed this regatta off Helgoland for over 30 years without interruption with a 'Struntje'. After that we ventured into the international regatta scene.

Tactically clever request for the daughter's hand in marriage during a storm in the Skagen race in the Jammer Bay

About 52 years ago, the then 'Struntje IV' was found on the Skagen Regatta in the Jammer Bay in extremely fast air. It was firing on all cylinders and the course was extremely bumpy. As a regatta sailor, I quickly recognised the tactical possibilities of this borderline situation and asked the stressed helmsman and owner for the hand of his daughter Angela - of course without any repression and in no way ultimately. In regatta terms, this step proved to be a success. It goes without saying that we celebrated our golden wedding anniversary that year and entered the North Sea Week at short notice.

Even back then, awards ceremonies and speeches were held in Heligoland's North Sea Hall. Howard Carpendale appeared on one of these occasions - ahead of his time, of course, with hair that was far too long. The then head of the shipyard A&R Hermann Schaedla grabbed a large pair of scissors and rushed onto the stage for the necessary haircut to a standing ovation from all the sailors. Howard Carpendale fled backstage and his show was over. The well-known North Sea Weeks feeling came into its own.

In 1974, the then new 'Struntje V', a sister of the 'Rote Sau', appeared on the harbour off Heligoland. She soon earned a commendable reputation as a successful 'Eiergrog' steamer under the management of the new father-in-law Günter Havemann, known to all as the 'Fruchtwasserkapitän'. At some point, a new StarCut was due. The then boss of North Sails Germany, Eckard Wagner, came on board with his boys in Helgoland harbour. It quickly became clear that there would be no percentages if they could drink us dry with eggnog. The eggs, not the rum, were the critical problem. When the last two eggs were probably ready in the galley, the North boys got the upper hand. I disappeared into the foredeck, escaped through the hatch and hurried to the captain of the tall ship 'SeaCloud' in front of us. Sailors from Hamburg like to help each other, so I hurried back to the foredeck with a pallet of eggs and hid them there. Back in the saloon, I told Eckart Wagner and his boys that we would always stow our spare eggs in the forecastle. We won the bet - we were guaranteed a good discount for the StarCut. Of course, the eggs were duly returned to the 'SeaCloud' a little late in 2019. The North Sea Week takes care of its participants.

The North Sea Week is also well known Down Under

The North Sea Week is known for challenging wind, tide and sea conditions. During my rather long involvement with DSV, ORC and ISAF/WS for our offshore fleet, we have sailed all Admiral's Cup competitions off Helgoland. After the introduction of the International German Offshore Championship, this was of course also held as part of the North Sea Week.

After we had decided for all these reasons and on the occasion of the 350th anniversary ( 2 x 75 = 150 years of life + 50 years golden wedding + almost 50 years 'Struntje V' + 100 years North Sea Week = 350 years ) to make an announcement, there was a phone call from Sydney in which a good friend and excellent sailor with the experience of many Sydney Hobart Races asked if he could participate with us in this year's North Sea Week. The flights are booked. We are delighted to realise that the North Sea Week is obviously also well known Down Under. It all fits together very well."