Just before the start, there were issues at all four starting points the regatta The wind was blowing out of every nook and cranny; off Fehmarn, the westerly had a slight northerly component to it as well. The group therefore decided not to take part in the race – though this did not stop a few intrepid crews from setting off for Ærø anyway to take part in the regatta’s shore programme.
A varied programme
This was rewarded, as in addition to breakfast at the idyllic spot by the marina Nixe Café-Bar and an ice cream at Æroskøbing-Is During the day, there was live music from saxophonist Jens Tolksdorf on the pier in front of the yachts, and in the evening there was a party with a barbecue and the Berlin folk-rock band The Charcoal Sunset.
A rough night
For the crews taking part in the regatta, the event was the result of hard work. Although the wind had dropped to force four by the time the race started at 9.30 pm, it turned out to be a cold and long affair, particularly for the smaller boats, which took until late morning to cover the roughly 55-nautical-mile course.
Numerous awards
In the end, there were nothing but proud participants – and a few winners. And so Dirk Ammann from the main sponsor Pantaenius will be handing out numerous prizes at the awards ceremony.
Flensburg
Three crews lined up at the start in the Flensburg group, meaning that none of them went away empty-handed at the prize-giving ceremony. First place went to Felix Backmeister with his “Sjöraet”, a Stortumlaren-type spitzgatter designed by Knud H. Reimers and built between 1964 and 1966 by Christoph Rassy and Holger Johannsen/Karl Gustav Larsson.
Schlei
Seven of the nine registered participants took part in the Schlei starting group. The winner was Jo Jessen with his team from the Stapelfeldt Yacht and Boat Yard on the “Hamburg V”. The vessel is regarded as Germany’s first light-displacement yacht and was built in 1950 for the Hamburg Maritime Association completed.
Kiel
In Strander Bay off Kiel, the race even started in two groups. This was because, in addition to the 55-nautical-mile course, there was also a longer course of around 67 nautical miles starting from here for large ocean-going yachts such as the “Germania VI” from the Krupp Foundation, the Zwölfer “Anita”, the “Freya” – formerly “Coat of Arms of Bremen III”, the eighth “Feo”, the 100-tonne seagoing cruiser “Queen” (formerly “Coat of Arms of Hamburg”) or the 1936 ocean-going yawl “Peter von Seestermühe”, who secured victory in their group and overall.
In the Kiel group for smaller boats, four of the eight entered boats and yachts took to the water. The winner was Lars Mücke’s crew on the 45-square-metre national cruiser “Momo”.
More classics in YACHT classic
Are you interested in the world of classic yachts, traditional boatbuilding and the history of sailing? If so, read more about it in our special edition, YACHT classic.
Lasse Johannsen
Deputy Editor in Chief YACHT
