Record numbers for Kiel Week

German mega-sailing fest to take place next week

It may be 129 years old and one of the world’s regatta classics, but Kieler Woche, to be held over 18-26 June, keeps churning out new ideas , setting new trends for the future of the sailing sport. And its participants continue to soar to new record levels. This year for example, 1500 crews from 60 nations are set to be racing on the courses across 37 Olympic and international classes. Then add the big boats on their offshore courses, and frame all this within the great summer festival in the city of Kiel – these are the ingredients for an irresistible event which attracts about three million visitors each year.

This year’s media focus will certainly be on the races of the Olympic disciplines, racing from 18-22 June, in which German sailors will set out to win a ticket to the 2012 Olympics on their home waters. For the international sailing stars, the event will be like a dress-hearsal for the European Championships in Finland later on. Kiel will also be the final stage of this season's Sailing World Cup, and after the Kieler Woche races, we will know the overall winners in the ten disciplines of the seven-stage series.

Kieler Woche 2011 will also be a showcase for the fast skiff and catamaran classes. The regatta organisers have been quick in welcoming these modern sailing disciplines at the Kieler Woche. The Outer Fjord will see the exciting races of the Musto Performance skiffs, which were designed in the 1990s by Joachim Harpprecht from Kiel, and the class has rapidly developed since then in the U.K. The 29erXXs will make their Kieler Woche debut – a class with Olympic aspirations for the 2016 Games. And after competing here in 2000, it will be the A-Cats’ return to the Kieler Woche race courses, too.

The Tornado races will even be taking place right in the heart of the festival activities in the city centre. According to a brand new concept, short races are scheduled to happen in wind speeds between one and 30 knots and enfold their drama immediately before the eyes of the audience at the Audi Sailing Arena on the Inner Fjord. ITA president Roland Gäbler has invited ten crews to present an action-filled show on the water in front of a stage on which rock concerts will round off the racing activities.

Seaworthy multihulls will also be part of the Kieler Woche regatta activities. For the first time, they will be at the starting line of the opening race from Kiel to neighbouring Eckernförde. Among them will be two-time Olympic Champion Jesper Bank from Denmark, who will be sailing his brand new Carbon³, a 40-foot trimaran built for record hunting on the North and Baltic Seas.

The Kieler Woche yacht crews will not only be eager to set new records, but also win titles. The ORC rating classes will be determining their national offshore champions off Kiel, the Farr30 crews will fight for the European Championship and the Gold Cup winner will even be the best X-99 worldwide.

Regatta Dates Kieler Woche 2011
18 - 22 June: Olympic Classes / ISAF Sailing World Cup
(470, 49er, 2.4mR open, Women Matchrace/Elliott 6m, Finn-Dinghy, Laser, Laser radial W, Neil Pryde RS:X, Starboat)

23 - 26 June: International Classes
(29er, 290erXX, 420, 505, Contender, Dragon, Europe, Flying Dutchman, Folkeboat, Formula 18, H-Boat, Hobie 16, J 24, Musto Performance Skiff, OK-Dinghy, Platu 25)

18 - 26 June: Offshore
18 - 19 June: Welcome Race from Kiel to Eckernförde and back (ORCi, ORC-Club), Offshore IDM
20 - 22 June: Kiel-Cup Alpha (ORCi), Farr 30 Pre-Europeans, X-99 (German Open)
23 - 24 June: Silbernes Band, long-distance (ORCi, ORC-Club), Offshore IDM
25 June: Senatspreis (ORCi, ORC-Club), Offshore IDM
18 - 22 June: Kiel-Cup Foxtrott (Albin Express, CB 66, J-80 (German Open), Laser SB3, Melges 24 (German Open), Streamline
22 June: Kaiserpokal (final race of all Kiel-Cup groups)
Championships
23 - 26 June: Farr 30 European Championship
23 - 26 June: X-99 Goldcup
18 - 25 June: Offshore IDM (Welcome Race, Silbernes Band and Senatspreis)
20 - 22 June: X-99 German-Open, Kiel-Cup Alpha
20 - 22 June: Farr 30 Pre-Europeans, Kiel-Cup Alpha
18 - 22 June: Melges 24 German Open, Kiel-Cup Foxtrott