125th Kiel Week 2007 - It started off with just 23 boats...

At present one of the most important regatta event world wide, constituent of the ISAF World Ranking List, numerous races for Olympic and International classes, - dinghies, keelboats and offshore yachts, - not only "action pure" on the water, but various happenings and maritime programmes ashore, ... for more than a century Kieler Woche offers a wide and manifold spectrum of sailing at it's best!

125 years of experience
In 2007 Kiel looks back on 125 years of experience in the organisation of regattas and sailing competitions. In 1882 the first races started in the proximity of the still existing "Bellevue Bridge" along the promenade of the inner Kiel fjord, close to the ancient city of Kiel. In those days enthusiastic club members of the Hamburg based NRV (Norddeutscher Regatta Verein) together with some Kiel mariners fired the first starting gun for just 23 participating yachts.

Organised by 4 leading German sailing clubs
It was the German Emperor "Kaiser Wilhelm I", who founded the KYC (originally Kaiserlicher Yacht-Club) in Kiel, and since 1894 the annual race week in Kiel - organised mainly by the Emperor's friends from Hamburg - was officially called Kieler Woche! For more than the past 50 years Kieler Woche - one of the major and comprehensive regatta events world wide - is organised by 4 leading German sailing clubs, - the local "Kieler Yacht-Club", "Norddeutscher Regatta Verein", Hamburg, "Verein Seglerhaus am Wannsee", Berlin and "Hamburger Segel Club", Hamburg. The development of the complex overall race organisation over the past 125 years was unique! In 1882 the only announcement made was: "Start at 10.30 a.m.". The 23 entered yachts did not cross a starting line, but started off their individual mooring!

4.200 competitors each year
Until 1955 - for more than 70 years - the Kieler Woche race courses were set in the area of the inner Kiel Fjord, close to the city. Since 1972 when Kiel hosted the Olympic Sailing Competitions, the higher standards for international race committees and the organisation of top regatta events challenged even the Kieler Woche organisation; since then around 1700 boats and about 4.200 competitors participate each year in the Kieler Woche races, which take place in the last week of June. - Thanks to the present Commodore of KYC, Otto Schlenzka, the Kieler Woche organisation successfully reached the high profile and standards - alleged by ISAF - by organising perfect regattas on and off the water for more than 40 years.

Steadily increasing number of entries
Due to the steadily increasing number of entries in all classes, in 1993 the organisation invented a major change of the time schedule: Dieter Rümmeli, former chairman of the race organisation, split the race week in two parts, - 4 days for the Olympic boat classes and another 4 days for the International classes. - Since 2002 the 2.4 m keel boat starts additionally as Paralympic class within the Olympic classes' race days. Compared with other major Olympic classes regattas in Europe, Kieler Woche so far is the only organisation which included this internationally recognised Paralympic keel boat class.

Up-to-date development
Even in the new Millennium the up-to-date development of the Kieler Woche organisation continues, .... sailing the annual Kieler Woche races in Olympic, international, and national classes, offshore races, - all on 8 different courses, .... for most competitors participation is a "must", and sooner or later Kieler Woche experience leads them to Olympic and/or World Championship standards! Beyond that Kiel offers additional attractions on the water for all the "pilgrims" who visit the city during Kieler Woche: a "defilée" of elegant classic (wooden) yachts on the first weekend, the annual Tallship-Parade as highlight for the second Saturday, and daily "Cutter" races on the inner fjord with crews from the visiting navy/marine boats.

9 days "Mekka" of sailing
Today Kieler Woche - for many years the "Mekka" of sailing during the 9 days of racing -attracts 3 million visitors, 4.200 competitors from more than 50 nations, about 1.700 boats, almost 500 starts in more than 30 classes on 10 different courses! No doubt, an impressive achievement over the past 125 years, - especially when you think about it's start in 1882 as a rather small traditional regatta for a few elegant gentlemen owners, their likewise exclusive yachts and paid hands as crew!

Dates:
125 years Kieler Woche 2007:June 16 to June 24, 2007
Olympic Classes: June 16 to June 20, 2007
International Classes: June 21 to June 24, 2007
Offshore: June 16 to June 24, 2007
X-35 World Championship: June 19 to June 24, 2007

Source: kieler-woche.de

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