According to the organisers, the 2026 Travemünde Week was the most extensive sailing event since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. After ten days of regattas and festivities, the organisers reported impressive figures: 26 competitions, 274 races, 870 boats and 1,600 participants.
As a result, the 137th edition of this long-standing event has once again reached a scale that posed a considerable challenge for the organisers both on land and at sea.
RS Games to be a highlight of Travemünde Week 2026
The sporting focus was on the RS Games. This was the first time the event had been held outside the UK. Twelve RS classes took part, with 619 boats and 945 sailors from 29 nations competing.
For Travemünde, this was more than just a large group of classes. The RS fleets brought young crews, international fields and a visibly lively atmosphere to the Baltic Sea. The RS Feva in particular, as the largest class, fielded a strong line-up. The world championship title in the RS Feva XL was won by the British duo Cassius Day and Harry O’Callaghan from the Royal Victoria Yacht Club on the Isle of Wight.
British teams also dominated in other RS classes. Jan Pickard and Laurie Callaghan secured the European Championship title in the RS 200, whilst John Reekie and Justin Denny won European Championship gold in the RS 400.
274 races and seven winning nations
Despite the rain, there was another full day of sailing on the final day. Nineteen races were scheduled across eight classes before the teams moved on to the cranes, slipways and prize-giving ceremonies in the afternoon.
In total, winners from seven countries took the top step of the podium: Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Australia and Canada. The official detailed results are available via the official results of Travemünde Week available.
Among the German successes was the victory of Jesse and Sven Lindstädt in the Formula 18 class. The father-and-son team from Hamburg prevailed against international competition in the absence of Helge and Christian Sach, the record-holding winners of Travemünde Week.
In the Dragon class, the Hamburg crew led by Benjamin Morgen had already been confirmed as the overall winners of the North German Championship before the final day. In the ORC classification for the medium-distance race, the ‘Patent 4’, skippered by Jürgen Klinghardt from Lübeck, took the win. Although Gerhard Clausen’s ‘Calypso’, measuring around 23 metres in length, was the first yacht to cross the finish line, the ‘Patent 4’ came out on top after the calculated times were applied.
In the RS 21 Euro Cup, the lead changed hands once again on the final day. The favourites, the Italian crew led by Davide Albertini Petroni, with two-time Star-class world champion Diego Negri as tactician, managed to jump into first place.
Festival hits visitor target despite the rain
On land, too, the organisers reported a positive outcome. Despite the occasional rain shower and a wet final Sunday, Travemünde Week reportedly reached its target of 600,000 visitors.
The festival programme included, amongst other things, laser shows at the “Passat” and a performance by Alex Christensen and Friends. According to the organisers, additional programme items were made possible with the support of the Friends of Travemünde Week association.
Outlook: German Youth Championships, Dragon Gold Cup and 29er European Championships
The organisers are already looking well beyond this edition. According to Travemünder Woche, the Joint German Youth Championships are planned for 2027. This event is held only at long intervals by the German Sailing Association and is likely to attract many young crews to Lübeck Bay once again.
The Drachen Gold Cup is also set to take place in 2027 as part of Travemünde Week. The organisers have already announced that the 29er European Championships and the Dart Catamaran World Championships will be held in 2028.
Travemünde Week continues to focus on a mix of top-level sport, youth regattas and a festival. Is this precisely where its strength lies, or is the package becoming too much to organise? Join the discussion in the comments.
Lars Bolle
Chief Editor Digital