Warnemünde Week: After long nights - ten crews master Rund-Bornholm marathon
YACHT-Redaktion
· 12.07.2024
26 crews started in the Round Bornholm. Ten made it through the most famous long-distance race of the Warnemünde Week: Otto Timm's VO60 yacht "Ospa" was the first yacht to reach the finish line after just 1 day, 15 hours, 53 minutes and 6 minutes. Wladyslaw Chmielewski proved to have the longest stamina on his Dehler 33 Classic "Bindi". The Pole travelled solo for 3 days, 22 hours, 16 minutes and 50 seconds. In the meantime, he had weathered the risk of thunderstorms in the harbour of Rönne on Bornholm before finally reaching Warnemünde after long periods of calm.
Doldrums decimate the Rund-Bornholm fleet
The trophies for the winners based on calculated time were awarded on Friday evening to the teams of the Brenta 55 "Ember Sea" of Jochen Bunk (Rostock) in the Yardstick classification and the Farr 30 "Maiko" of John Victorin (Rostock) in the ORC classification. Prior to this, the communication devices of race organiser Laura Kühlewind and her team from Warnemünde Week had been running hot for almost four days. After the fleet of 26 crews was sent on the course towards Bornholm at the beginning of the week on Monday, it quickly became clear that it would be a much longer than average race. Already on the first night, an extensive doldrums had spread over the regatta fleet between Warnemünde and Bornholm. Even after that, progress was slow.
The yachts of the type VO60, "Ospa" and "Illbruck", but also the "Ember Sea" were able to take advantage of the light Warnemünde Week breeze to return to Warnemünde at dawn on the second day of the race. But for many others, the classic turned into a long Baltic Sea marathon. Too long for the majority. The first of them docked back in Warnemünde harbour just a few hours after the start - knowing that their work commitments would throw a spanner in the works of their Round Bornholm plans. Others were running out of time because the charter contracts for the boat were expiring.
The race committee watches over the field
The race committee received many messages from crews who sailed into the harbour early. The race was watched with concern by those who were determined to finish the traditional race. Thunderstorms threatened over the Baltic Sea on Wednesday and Thursday, which meant that not only the sailors were kept in touch, but also the weather service with an additional look at the weather map and the AIS tracker with the positions of the yachts.
The race came to an end when the "Bindi" crossed the finish line. While the tenacious soloist needed some sleep, other crews were already well rested. The "Ember Sea" had arrived around two days earlier. Jens Burmeister reported that the experiences had already been well processed: "After docking, the boat was cleared up briefly, then we had a beer and reviewed the race."
According to Burmeister, the first night on the "Ember Sea" was also exhausting and nerve-wracking. "Nothing worked for one or two hours. We were standing still or just drifting. Otherwise, it was always a case of keeping an eye out for the wind and somehow keeping the boat going." The crew shimmied from gust to gust, keeping up with the larger yachts for a long time.
Part 3 of the Seebahn-Kombi follows on Saturday
Only a few miles separated the "Illbruck" and the "Ember Sea" as far as Bornholm. On the way back to Warnemünde, however, the former ocean racers were able to show off their size and speed away. However, this was no longer enough for the fastest yachts to take a calculated lead. The victory among the seven boats in the yardstick classification went to the "Ember Sea", even though things got tight again towards the end with a lull off Warnemünde.
However, the tension of the round-Bornholm lull was also offset by moments of happiness: "It never really got dark at night. And the sunrise on the first morning was great. Something like that makes up for the exhausting moments and motivates you to keep sailing." With this first place in Rund Bornholm and the victory in the Mecklenburgische Bäderregatta, the "Ember Sea" is a hot contender for the Wiro-XXL Cup, the combined ranking of the three sea course regattas. The final event is the Gedser Race, which starts at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
John Victorin's "Maiko" crew is doing well in the ORC classification for the Warnemünde Week Cup. She finished in second place at the Bäderregatta and was the clear winner of the double-rated Rund Bornholm long-distance race.
