Mr Nitschmann, why do you like starting in Poland?
The Poles simply organise appealing regattas. Above all, they have a great talent for organisation - something that is unparalleled at local amateur regattas. Whether it's acquiring sponsors or planning the shore programme, the Polish organisers are always committed. I wouldn't want to deny that to the organisers of the German regattas either. However, the Poles manage to organise great catering and raffles, for example, thanks to the more extensive sponsoring than is the case with the German races.
Which regatta did you particularly enjoy there?
The cup for the Pomeranian Griffin. I managed to win it the very first time I took part last year (laughs).
Were the conditions that good?
Not at all! After the start in Swinemünde, we sailed past Cape Arkona in really strong winds and choppy seas. When I was about to go to sleep in the middle of the night, my co-sailor told me that something was wrong. And he was right: the terminal of the port backstay had just landed on the deck. So I had to go up the mast in the dead of night. But it still had an amplitude of a few metres from the rest of the sea. When I was back down again after about three quarters of an hour, I had had enough. The next night there was really thick fog and visibility was limited to less than 50 metres. That really gets your pulse racing, especially when you cross the exit of the traffic separation scheme.
That must have slowed you down quite a bit?
Well, at least we still came first according to the calculated time! In total, we were travelling non-stop for around 70 hours. It was definitely worth it, and we had everything from calm to strong winds. I think it's a beautiful route, the participants experience a lot, see a lot and have incredible experiences with the elements. At the same time, almost three days is a manageable time, not too strenuous and not too boring - I really like both the route and the time we sailors spend on it.
What exactly does the route look like and which waypoints have to be passed?
It goes from Swinemünde to Swinemünde. That makes the logistics easy. On the way, the participants of the Pomeranian Gryphon pass Cape Arkona at the northern tip of the island of Rügen, then head northwards to the Falsterbo peninsula, which lies at the south-western tip of Sweden. Then on to the pea island of Christiansø to the north-east of Bornholm and finally eastwards past Bornholm back to Swinemünde.
What kind of boat are you travelling with and how often do you take part in regattas?
I sail about ten to twelve offshore regattas a year. Preferably single-handed or in pairs. And mostly on my Avance 36 from 1979, which is moored in Ueckermünde. I really like the classic lines of the Peter Norlin design. I also sail about ten to twelve smaller Thursday regattas in Berlin.
