The Ocean Race: Into the future with a German port - Kiel comes on board in a new role

Ocean Race fans will vividly remember the fly-by of the last Ocean Race in Kiel. On 9 June, the Ocean Race fleet completed a spectacular loop in the Kiel Fjord on its course from Aarhus in Denmark to The Hague. A total of around 120,000 fans witnessed the sailing spectacle at the short but intensely celebrated German Ocean Race summit in the inner fjord and along the seven-kilometre coastline. 3,000 boats transformed the "Sailing City" area into an extremely lively water stage for the teams.

Kiel is predestined for something like this" (Boris Herrmann)

"That was a spectacular passage that will remain unforgettable - for all of us on board. Many thanks to everyone who came to Kiel. Kiel showed itself from its best side, a perfectly organised fly-by. The fairway was kept clear, the passage was safe," said "Malizia - Seaexplorer" skipper Boris Herrmann enthusiastically after the goosebump-inducing show in the fjord.

Boris Herrmann linked his conclusion to ideas for Kiel's future role in The Ocean Race in 2023. The 42-year-old said: "I think that Germany presented itself well overall in the 14th The Ocean Race. Kiel too, of course. Big respect to the organisers! Starting with the Lord Mayor, who also personally supports sailing, but also to all the other people in Kiel who are organising this with their experience from other major sailing events such as Kiel Week. Kiel is predestined for something like this."

It is always said that Germany is not really a sailing nation. But that hasn't always been entirely true" (Boris Herrmann)

Boris Herrmann continued: "Overall, Germany was a strong factor in this race. Many fans were and are German. Many accessed the Malizia tracker. We had very strong and great support from Germany. So many people came to Aarhus or The Hague. It is always said that Germany is not really a sailing nation. But that hasn't always been true. You could already see that when the 'Illbruck' won in 2002."

According to Boris Herrmann, this can also be seen in many other areas: "At Kieler Woche, boot in Düsseldorf, the Hanse Group as the largest shipyard and all the other events and commitments where Germany - measured by certain metrics - is very present. With YACHT, we have the largest sailing magazine in Europe. And from our point of view, it has to be said that the German media gave the Ocean Race a great reception - definitely more than in France."

I am in love with Kiel" (Richard Brisius)

The Ocean Race organisers are now paying tribute to these positive factors. A press conference has been announced for 14 February in Germany's northernmost state capital with Kiel's Lord Mayor Dr Ulf Kämpfer, Team Malizia's skipper Boris Herrmann and Ocean Race conductor Richard Brisius. The Swede also enthused about the Ocean Race fly-by in Schleswig-Holstein's water-affine state capital last year: "I'm in love with Kiel."

Exactly what role Kiel will play in the Ocean Race will remain a well-kept secret until Wednesday. What is clear is that Kiel will play a bigger part than that of the short fly-by host in the future. For the time being, the Ocean Race Europe 2025 is likely to be the target for Kiel's entry in the most important round-the-world race for teams on Imocas.

Click here to go to the Ocean Race homepage.

Beautiful memory! Review of the successful Kiel Fly-by 2023: