The scene at Kiel Week on 27 June in Schilksee, with no wind, was rather gloomy: floppy sails, boats waiting, sailors in the shade. The breeze was not strong enough for regular races. At 2.12 pm, Chief Race Officer Fabian Bach cancelled the entire day’s programme.
Kiel Week without wind: Why the sea breeze failed to materialise
Meteorologist Sebastian Wache from Kieler Wetterwelt was the centre of attention on the penultimate day of the regatta. The record-breaking heat, with temperatures of around 35 degrees, had also reached Schilksee, but had failed to trigger the hoped-for thermal sea breeze. This was partly due to clouds from an initial weather system covering the land, and also because the differences in air pressure remained too small.
He saw no prospect of a steady sailing wind for Saturday. It was therefore clear early on that it would be virtually impossible to go ahead with the regular regatta programme.
The silver ribbon is shortened over long distances
The only race still underway was the Silver Ribbon. The long-distance race for seagoing yachts had already set sail on Friday evening from Strander Bay and was originally scheduled to cover 135 nautical miles, circumnavigating the Danish island of Langeland on the port side. According to Chief Race Director Eckart Reinke, the fleet initially sailed into the Great Belt in good conditions, with speeds of up to 15 knots.
No sooner had they passed the northern tip, however, than the situation changed. The breeze gradually died down, whilst at the same time the current, which had previously been helping them, began to work against the yachts. At the tip, the fleet bunched up again, with several boats coming to a near standstill. Some crews even dropped anchor to prevent themselves from drifting backwards.
As a result, the race organisers shortened the course and moved the finish line to a waypoint off the island of Avernakø. By early Saturday afternoon, there was still no sign of any competitors there. Uli Münker, from the race team, reported: “There’s absolutely no wind here.” The time limit was due to end at 9 pm; the prize-giving ceremony had already been postponed until Sunday morning.
Even the windjammer parade can only set sail with the help of engines
The calm didn’t just affect the regattas. There was also a lack of wind in the sails during the traditional windjammer parade on the Kiel Fjord. Although the lead vessel, the ‘Thor Heyerdahl’, set sail like most of the other participants, it had to rely on its engines to make its way past the Friedrichsort lighthouse and out onto the outer fjord.
For the many spectators on shore, however, the parade remained a highlight. In sporting terms, however, the penultimate day of racing at Kiel Week was a day on which no decisions were made on the courses.
Lars Bolle
Chief Editor Digital
