Kieler Woche: First a gusty start with a break, then sunny fun - 130th Kiel Week opens
Tatjana Pokorny
· 22.06.2024
For the keelboat sailors, the Aalregatta was a tough start to this 130th Kiel Week: during the 27.5 nautical mile opening race from Kiel to Eckernförde, the crews were greeted by powerful westerly gusts under grey skies in the starting area off the Düsternbrook marina on the inner fjord. On the open sea, even before the first dinghy classes were underway and Kiel Week 2024 was officially opened at midday, things really got going with winds of around six to seven Beaufort at the Kiel lighthouse. When the course finally crossed the Eckernförde Bay and led to the finish line, there was also a short, steep wave.
Maxi "Calypso" takes the line honours
There, some teams in the field of almost 200 yachts paid tribute to the rough conditions and some had to give up with breakage. Things went better for the large ORC yachts in the first starting group, which ploughed through the waves at high speed. First and foremost the "Calypso" of Gerhard Clausen (Hamburg). Although the 75-foot maxi was a little reticent at the start at 9.05 am, it quickly overtook the competition and was the first yacht to arrive in Eckernförde at 12.22 pm - closely followed by the 35-foot smaller "X-Day" skippered by Lars Hückstädt from Plön and the "Red" skippered by Paul Posch from Hamburg.
We sometimes opted for smaller sails. That wasn't any slower." Gerhard Clausen
"It was a pleasant race with slightly less competition than in previous years, so we were able to quickly take the lead," summarised Gerhard Clausen. Although the much lighter yachts showed similar speed potential on the courses under gennaker, the Maxi was able to pull away on the downwind course and later also on the upwind course. "We sometimes opted for a smaller sail. That wasn't any slower," reported Gerhard Clausen. Although the "Calypso" was beaten by Berechnet, it was able to claim the title of "First Ship Home", as the multihulls that started later did not get round the course any faster. The "Surprise" with helmswoman Marie Becker was the calculated winner in the large yacht group.
The Aalregatta connects Kiel and Eckernförde
A number of guests had already travelled to the keel line for the ten starts by Ralf Paulsen and his team of race organisers, and political forces from Kiel and Eckernförde were on the starting tower. Eckernförde's mayor, Iris Ploog, sent the teams off in Kiel, only to receive them back in her home town a few hours later, and said: "The Aalregatta has a long tradition and is a beautiful symbol of the bond between the two towns." The fact that the crews were moored in the club harbour of SC Eckernförde (SCE) and not in the city harbour for the Kiel Week kick-off this time was something the Eckernförde head of administration saw with a smile and a tear: "Of course there are people who miss the yachts in the heart of the city. But the SCE has gone to a lot of trouble. It was certainly a great experience for the participants."
It's really cool to be here, because sailing is simply formative for Schleswig-Holstein." Magdalena Finke
The first yachts had already finished the race before the official opening of the sailing competitions. At 1 pm, the official "opening committee" gathered on the stage of the Audi Sailing Arena in Schilksee's Olympic harbour to "blow the whistle" for the nine-day regatta week with loud and long blasts from six horns. Magdalena Finke, State Secretary in Schleswig-Holstein's Ministry of the Interior and responsible for sport, was, in her own words, "delighted as punch". "It's totally cool to be here, because sailing is simply formative for Schleswig-Holstein. As a state, we are spending a lot of money on Schilksee together with the city, because our best athletes also need the best infrastructure."
Kiel's Lord Mayor Ulf Kämpfer has many reasons to celebrate sailing this summer: "I am delighted to be the Lord Mayor of a city that has first-class football, handball and sailing. There are very few cities the size of Kiel that can offer that." Kämpfer did not want to weigh up the sports against each other, but said: "Sailing stands for itself. In Kiel, we only know the times before, during and after Kiel Week."
Unrivalled diversity at Kiel Week
A returning Kiel Week guest is Heiko Kröger. The Paralympics winner from 2000 is also taking part this year in the 2.4mR inclusion class, competing with the world's best in the one-person keelboat. As his series only starts with the second half of Kiel Week on Thursday, the multiple world champion was able to attend the opening ceremony and praised Kiel's good work for his sport: "In Kiel, Paralympic sailing was included in the programme very early on. The conditions are exemplary. And the inclusive participation in sailing is outstanding. This is not possible in other sports."
Sailing is simply the soul of water sports." Wolfram N. Diener
Inclusion is also a major concern for Messe Düsseldorf and the world's largest water sports exhibition, boot. "We have RehaCare in Düsseldorf, the world's largest trade fair with innovations for people with disabilities. And at boot we organise the inclusive Sailing Day together with the DSV," said Wolfram N. Diener, CEO of Messe Düsseldorf. boot has a decades-long partnership with Kieler Woche, which according to Diener is a real affair of the heart: "This is a friendship that has grown over time. It's always nice to be able to announce the Kieler Woche regatta programme at boot in January. Sailing is simply the soul of water sports."
This is presented in unrivalled variety at Kiel Week. After the opening ceremony, the five Olympic disciplines ILCA 6, ILCA 7, 49erFX, 49er and 470er as well as the junior classes 29er and 420er started their regattas. After the eel regatta in the inner fjord, they also provided exciting sailing competitions on the outer fjord and in Strander Bucht. Many eyes were on the Ilca 7 field, which was strongly represented with several medal candidates for Marseille.
World-class trio get fit for the Olympics
Three world-class athletes, 2020 World Champion Philipp Buhl, 2022 World Champion Jean-Baptiste Bernaz and Norway's Olympic bronze medallist Herrman Tomasgaard, will be competing in a training group as companions and rivals in preparation for their Olympic summit assault in Marseille. The trio made a conscious decision in favour of the Kiel Week start. "Kiel Week is a famous regatta and a good final check for us," said Jean-Baptiste Bernaz, who is one of France's hopefuls for the Olympic regatta. "He is a very complete sailor. He showed that in all areas today," said Philipp Buhl about the Frenchman, who catapulted himself to the top of the field with three race wins.
Buhl himself opened the Kiel Week almost as promisingly with third, 15th and 2nd place, even if he found his downwinds "a bit tough". On the other hand, all his drai starts and others went well. Hermann Tomasgaard also remained within striking distance in sixth place after three races. While the current Ilca 7 class leaders - Olympic and world champion Matt Wearn from Australia and Brit Michael Beckett - are skipping Kiel Week and setting their sights on the Olympic area in Marseille, the three hunters have made a conscious decision to start the regatta in the north of Germany.
"You can also train something here that perhaps not everyone should see," said Buhl, who is also looking for "mental refreshment from the hot Marseille" and a final break from training in the Olympic area. "Territory knowledge is nice to have, but at some point you know it too. And we have other priorities," says Buhl.
