Bundesliga: The league is back in action - start of the season ahead of Starnberg

After turbulent times in the winter and some reorganisation, the Bundesliga will once again focus on sport during the long weekend from 17 to 19 April. 36 club teams from the 1. and 2. Bundesliga compete in the season opener on Lake Starnberg. The hosts are the Munich Rowing and Sailing Club (MRSV) and the German Touring Yacht Club (DTYC) together on the MRSV grounds on the Starnberg lakeside promenade.

14th Bundesliga season: same boats, new programme

As in previous years, this 14th Bundesliga season will be sailed on identical J/70 keelboats. The club teams compete for the opening points in the German club sailing tables. At a total of six events this year, the teams will be sailing for the club championship in Germany, for qualification for the Champions League, for promotion or against relegation:

• 17 to 19 April: Lake Starnberg (Munich Rowing and Sailing Club/German Touring Yacht Club)
• 1 to 3 May: Lake Starnberg (Bavarian Yacht Club)
• 10 to 12 July: Kiel Fjord
• 31 July to 2 August: Hamburg Outer Alster (North German Regatta Club, only 1st Bundesliga)
• 18 to 20 September: Berlin Wannsee (Potsdamer Yacht-Club)
• 15 to 17 October: Berlin Wannsee (Association Seglerhaus am Wannsee)

The crew lists of the participating clubs can be found here for the first and second division teams for the Starnberg season opener. In terms of organisation, the reduced team of Deutsche Segel-Bundesliga GmbH will remain responsible for the first division fleet, tracking and press photos this year. Other areas of the pre-event and on-site organisation have been taken over by the German Sailing League e.V. adopted. The report "Die Liga im Umbruch" has shed light on the background.

Bundesliga: many favourites chase the record champions

The "Club vs. Club" league concept remains relevant and has inspired many nations around the world to create the same or similar formats since its premiere. The German model has been adapted in 25 countries and is motivating both large and small clubs to participate in the new season in Germany. The league organisers from the German Sailing League Association are expecting "six to eight title favourites" this year.

First and foremost are the record champions from the Norddeutscher Regatta Verein. The Alster sailors have held the championship trophy for 2013 win eight times and kick as defending champion on. NRV Club Manager Klaus Lahme said: "We have a broad team that is looking forward to the Bundesliga. We are sailing with four helmsmen this year and will rotate a lot, as we did last year. Tobi Schadewaldt will be back again. Malte Winkel will be steering an event. Malte Passlack and now for the start Mats Schönebeck are in action with alternating crews."

Joersfelder Segel-Club, who were beaten on equal points in last year's thrilling battle for the championship, and the 2024 champions from Mühlenberger Segel-Club are also on the list of co-favourites, as are Bayerischer Yacht-Club, Bodensee Yacht Club Überlingen, Segel- und Motorboot-Club Überlingen and Münchner Yacht-Club.

League anticipation stronger than the wind forecasts

The Bochholter Yacht-Club, the Württembergischer Yacht-Club, the Segler-Vereinigung Wuppertal and the Entdecker und Seefahrer Fördervereinigung are the newcomers to the first division field from 2025. As relegated teams from last season and new second division teams, the traditional Seglerhaus am Wannsee club and the well-known Seglervereinigung 1903 Berlin are particularly keen to regain promotion as quickly as possible. It cannot be ruled out that one or the other newly formed club team could cause a surprise in both the 1st and 2nd Bundesliga.

However, the wind forecasts for the season opener in Starnberg left a lot to be desired: on the day before the first starting signal, they were well below the level of anticipation of the league sailors. Initially, there were barely a handful of knots of wind in sight for Friday and Saturday. For Sunday there was a little more hope of pressure on Lake Starnberg, where after three days of league sailing the last starting shot can be fired on 19 April by 3.30 pm. In total, a series of inland races are on the programme this year.

Organisers and sailing teams are ready for the start of the season. At Lake Starnberg, there are two second league clubs that want to be good hosts together. "The start of the Sailing Bundesliga here in Starnberg is a special moment for us - especially thanks to the close cooperation between the MRSV and the DTYC. This shows what is possible when commitment, team spirit and a shared vision come together. The solidarity between the two clubs in the 2nd Sailing Bundesliga makes the start of the season something special," said Bernd Hassenjürgen, MRSV Board Member for Sailing.

Live streaming on two out of three Bundesliga days

The season opener will also be the first time that the newly organised interaction between the Deutsche Segel-Liga e.V. team, which is taking on more responsibility in terms of organisation and implementation, and the downsized DSBL GmbH team will be put to the test. The hosts have organised live streaming via YouTube for the season opener on Saturday (10 am to 12 noon, 2 pm to 4 pm) and Sunday (10 am to 12 noon). here on the MRSV channel announced.