Kiel Week traditionally marks the start of the three major sailing weeks on the Baltic coast. While Kiel is part of a new international sailing series, the Sailing Grand Slam, for the first time and will also host the German Sailing Championship, Warnemünde and Travemünde also have some highlights to offer.
This is new for Kiel Week...
87th Warnemünde Week
In the calendar, Kiel Week (21 to 29 June) is followed by Warnemünde Week (5 to 13 July 2025). One World Championship and one European Championship, plus five European Cups and four ranking list regattas in national and international classes, as well as the three events on the sea course, ensure a full programme with 14 decisions.
The sailing highlight in the first half of the Warnemünde Week will be delivered by the OK dinghies. They arrive on 4 July to determine their European champion after two days of measurement from 6 to 9 July. The OK dinghies always like to come to Warnemünde Week in large numbers. For example, 120 sailors came to Warnemünde for the 2018 World Championships. This year's European Championship promises similar excitement, and the Berlin race director Jan Prockat (YCBG), who already led the OK dinghies through the 2018 World Championship, will once again be in charge of the eight planned races with his team.
At the same time, the European Cup for 505s will be held from 5 to 7 July, as will the European Cup in three Ilca classes (5 to 8 July). This will be followed by the Zoom 8 World Championship. The junior class had already determined its title winners last year at Warnemünde Week. With 16 races, the Musto skiffs have set themselves a very ambitious regatta schedule (10 to 13 July). The RS Aero 7 and Open skiffs will be sailing at the same time over three days, as will the Finn dinghies (11 to 13 July).
The traditional programme is planned for the regattas on the sea course. The Coastal Race on 5 July will kick things off, before the sea-going yachts are sent on the long-distance round Bornholm on 7 July. The middle distance to Gedser on 12 July will once again conclude the sea regattas.
Warnemünde Sailing Club turns 100 years old
On 25 January 2025, the Warnemünde Sailing Club (WSC), which is primarily responsible for organising the Warnemünde Week, will be 100 years old. The construction of a new clubhouse is taking shape this year. And when the new premises are ready, the anniversary will be celebrated accordingly.
When the WSC was founded on 25 January 1925, sailing was still in its infancy off the coast of Warnemünde. Accordingly, the Warnemünde Sailing Club is one of the oldest sailing clubs in Rostock. However, regatta activities quickly gathered momentum during this phase. From July 1926, the first association races are organised off Warnemünde - with the participation of the still young WSC. The imperial sailing yacht "Meteor" also took part in the regattas. And so these association races are regarded as the foundation stone for Warnemünde Week, which celebrates its 100th birthday the following year.
Germany's first Opti in Warnemünde
In addition to organising regattas, youth training was a particular concern of the club. Right from the club's beginnings, young people were actively represented by the children and youth department (KJA). The KJA was intended to ensure that every young person in Warnemünde had the opportunity to learn to sail. In the 1950s, the first Optimist from Denmark came to Germany via the WSC and triggered a new wave of sailing enthusiasm among children in both parts of Germany.
But for decades it was difficult for the WSC to really live its club. In the early days, there was a sailing centre that the club was able to use. Later, however, the club was forced to use niches and makeshift facilities to fulfil its spatial requirements. The WSC has never really been able to call its own sailing centre its own.
But perhaps it was precisely because of this that a strong sense of togetherness developed in a small, close-knit community on the Mittelmole. It was from this basis that the necessary number of members was recruited in March 1990 to reactivate the WSC from 1925.
Today, with over 200 members - including almost 50 children and young people - the WSC is still a small club, but a very active one thanks to the organisation of the Warnemünde Week and other major regattas.
New clubhouse in Warnemünde
The spatial situation is set to change in the year of the 100th anniversary. Everything has been prepared so that a new and separate clubhouse can be built this year that fulfils the requirements of the WSC. This will include office space for the administration of the club and Warnemünde Week, a somewhat larger club room than the current "Uns Logis" and sanitary facilities that can also be used by guests. Of course, permanent premises are also to be created for the children's and youth department in order to find a solution to the current container situation.
In view of the fact that the building will only take shape over the course of the year, there will be no celebration on the actual birthday. An appropriate celebration will be organised when the building is completed in the course of the year. Until then, there is still a lot to do for the small but very active Warnemünde Sailing Club.
136th Travemünde Week
The final event of the three weeks of sailing is the Travemünde (18 to 27 July). For Jens Kath, Sports Director of the Travemünde Week, the Topcats with their three international championships (Topcat K1, K2/K2X, K3/K3X) are a highlight of the 136th Travemünde Week. "We also have the premiere of the European Short Track Championships for the 49er and 49erFX. An exciting new format in which eight boats sail against each other in elimination races - similar to our Trave Races. We are curious to see whether this format will catch on internationally." There are also five German title fights (Dyas, Varianta, Open Skiff, J22, Seascape 18), ranking list regattas and the races on the lake course. "The start for the long distance will be particularly exciting. We are planning it in the Trave, directly after our grand opening on 18 July," says Kath.
Water sports in Lübeck too
Water sports should also come from Travemünde to Lübeck. Ralf Schulte, Managing Director of the Newport Marina in Lübeckinitiated a new sporting challenge, which he is implementing together with the Travemünde Week organisation. "We will be organising the Seven Towers SUP on 19 July, a SUP race around the old town," reported Ralf Schulte. The race is set to attract both ambitious athletes and amateur athletes on a ten-kilometre course. "We want to offer a compact water sports programme directly in our marina in the old town and are delighted that we are organising this in partnership with the Travemünde Week."
