Warnemünde: New state sports school - best conditions in Europe?
The opening of the new facility was celebrated on 22 May at the invitation of the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern State Sports Association. It comprises a sports hall, a boat hall with workshop and flats for athletes, which are also rented out to tourists. The sports school is intended to strengthen sailing and the region's Olympic ambitions. The state sports school will be open to the public on 12 June from 14:00 to 18:00 on an open day. This was preceded by a comprehensive Renovation and expansion of the marinawhich has been offering more berths on the coveted central pier opposite the Alter Strom since summer 2023.
Lighthouse project with delays
The construction of the sports school is considered a flagship project of the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state sports association. Completion was delayed due to late building components and problems with the façade. The total costs of 27 million euros were financed by subsidies from the EU as well as the federal and state governments. According to the state sports association, the new centre is intended to promote sport in the state and serve as a meeting point for national and international athletes. In particular, the new sailing centre in the redesigned Warnemünde marina could play a key role in a planned Olympic bid for Rostock.
Extended possibilities at the Warnemünde site
The new sports school offers significantly more capacity than the old building. A total of 50 rooms and flats are now available. In addition to the sports hall, the facility also has a gym, a sauna and its own boat hall with an integrated workshop. The state sports association emphasises that this expansion should make Warnemünde more attractive, especially for ambitious sailors. The improved infrastructure enables optimal training conditions and the organisation of high-calibre competitions.
Political support for Olympic ambitions
The opening ceremony was attended by high-ranking representatives from politics and sport. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's Minister President Manuela Schwesig took the opportunity to emphasise the region's Olympic ambitions. She emphasised: "We are impressed by the new sports school. It is ideally suited for the organisation of Olympic sailing competitions." Schwesig had already promoted Warnemünde as a potential venue for the Olympic Games in Paris last year.
Structural challenges mastered
Andreas Bluhm, President of the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern State Sports Association, gave an insight into the complexity of the construction project. He explained that it took 1,105 days from the laying of the foundation stone to the opening. The foundations required 112 concrete piles to be driven and a one metre thick base plate to be poured. The result is a four-storey building which, in addition to the sports facilities, also offers 120 beds for athletes or conference guests - with a direct view of the marina on the central pier.
First-class infrastructure for sailing
Peter Ramcke, Sports Director of the Warnemünde Weekemphasises the quality of the new facility in conjunction with the neighbouring Hohe Düne harbour. He describes the infrastructure as "the best in the whole of Germany" for sailing. Ramcke even goes so far as to say that hardly any other location in Europe can compete with it - with the exception of Hyères in the south of France. This assessment emphasises Warnemünde's potential as an international sailing location.
