84th Warnemünde Week: Full programme for the sailors, Denmark's best shone

The 84th Warnemünde Week since its premiere in 1926 came to an end on Sunday with the final of the International German Sailing Championship. The first half of the "Wonnewoche" was characterised by almost Caribbean sailing conditions. In the second half of the nine-day series, the 900 or so active sailors from 22 countries in 15 boat classes had to contend with gale-force winds and cancellations. Too much pressure in the air and high waves of up to two metres prevented the dinghy classes from racing on three days. Only the sea sailors were able to complete all races of their International German Championship.

This year's sailing highlights included the H-Boat World Championship and the 505 Euro Cup. Both series were won by exceptional Danish sailors: in the H-boat, favourite Claus Høj Jensen won his ninth world championship gold with Fredrik Dahl Hansen and Rasmus Jørgen Andresen. Sailing talent runs in the family: father Poul Richard Høj Jensen was Olympic champion in the Soling in 1976 and 1980. The best German H-boat crew was Thomas Klausen from the Berlin Yacht Club with Jani and Franzi Funk in third place. The 505 Euro Cup was dominated by Jørgen and Jacob Bojsen-Møller. They led the field of 39 planing dinghies right from the start. Lutz Stengel/Frank Feller (Rostocker Yachtclub) and Stefan Köchlin/Andreas Achterberg (Segelverein Schluchsee/Bayerischer Yacht-Club) sailed to second and third place. World champion and Kieler Woche record winner Wolfgang Hunger was unable to start with Holger Jess as planned. A corona illness had already stopped the team in the run-up. At the upcoming World Championship in Cork, however, the experienced champion duo wants to get going again if possible. With only three races in total on one day, the participants in the Ilca Euro Cup were only granted a short programme. As expected, Nik Aaron Willim from the German Sailing Team came out on top in the field of 55 Ilca 7 helmsmen. Team mate Pia Kuhlmann sailed to second place in the Ilca 6 behind the Danish winner Anna Munch.

Clemens Thamm's Hiddensee "Blue Bird" won the long-distance classic Rund Bornholm. Jürgen Klinghardt's Italia 9.98 "Patent 4" from the Lübeck Yacht Club won the German Sailing Championship, which was weakly populated with just twelve boats, ahead of Knut Freudenberg's First 36.7 "Halbtrocken" from Flensburg and Kai Haupthoff's X-332 Sport "Varuna X Press". Just a dozen boats turned up at the IDM start line. Nevertheless, the teams enjoyed the series, as the Warnemünde sailing area has a lot to offer. "Warnemünde has once again proved to be one of the top venues in Europe for all types of boat classes," said Head of Sport Peter Ramcke, summarising the event. Ramcke continued: "All in all, it was an exciting and successful Warnemünde Week with satisfied sailors - and that's what counts for me in the end."

Click here for all results of the Warnemünde Week 2022 (please click!).