100 years of the North Sea Week: The anniversary celebrations are underway: 125 crews take part in the North Sea Week

The opening day of the North Sea Week has arrived. Participants and organisers alike can see how much the sailors have missed their North Sea Week and how much they are looking forward to it. "A total of 125 crews have registered for the anniversary North Sea Week and everyone is really looking forward to the regatta," says North Sea Week organisation manager Marcus Boehlich.

Race director Albert Schweizer was busy with the final planning in the morning and then on his way, first to Cuxhaven and then in the evening with the first race to Helgoland as a companion on board Toni Gerken's "Beast" into the night. "I'm a bit nervous and also delighted that it's finally starting," said Schweizer, "it's been three years since the last North Sea Week. It's a great feeling to have prepared everything with the team so that we can get started and reap the harvest." This is Albert Schweizer's 41st North Sea Week: he has competed in 36 himself as an active sailor and helped organise five as race director. Pleasant conditions are forecast for the first night race to Helgoland, where Schweizer and the North Sea Week team will welcome the Sundowner fleet in the very early hours of the morning: "Seven to 14 knots of wind, outgoing tide. The participants will be able to cruise to Heligoland in a nice and clean way." In addition to many planning documents and other accessories, Schweizer is bringing a speciality to the red rock this year and will be testing for the first time with a Smartmark GPS buoy, as used in the 52 Super Series.

A look at the anniversary programme reveals that the organisers are by no means taking things slowly after a forced break of two years, but are drawing directly from the full. The 87th North Sea Week will be officially opened in Cuxhaven on Friday evening. The Sundowner Regatta and three lobster races on the following Saturday together form the Early Bird Series.

For all other crews, the feeder races from Cuxhaven (Noblex Cup), Bremerhaven, Hallig Hooge and Hooksiel to Helgoland will start on Saturday morning. The fastest yachts in the feeder races are expected to arrive on Helgoland from early Saturday afternoon. High sea feeling de luxe is then on the programme on Sunday, when the participants will sail around Helgoland and Düne. The long waves, the best views of the island and a large regatta field make this race one of the highlights of the North Sea Week. The island's newly donated "Holy Flag" can also be sailed in this race.

Whit Monday begins for the sailors with the Helgoland Eight, a race that takes the teams between the main island and the dune, which is easy to watch from land and provides impressive images. The return races to the mainland harbours of Hooksiel, Bremerhaven and Cuxhaven start at midday. Alternatively, the North Sea Week ends for the participants with the legendary long-distance regatta Pantaenius Rund Skagen, which runs non-stop from Helgoland via the northern tip of Denmark to Kiel. The approximately 510 nautical mile route with the most varied conditions on the course makes Pantaenius Rund Skagen one of the most challenging long-distance regattas in Europe and the crowning finale of the anniversary North Sea Week. Click here for the results as soon as they are available (please click!).