Kiel Week - 130th Kiel Week: Rainy finale after sailing summer festival
The weather during the 130th Kiel Week was a good reflection of the nine-day event with 285 races for around 3000 participants. The Sailing Summer Festival on the Förde ended on Sunday with rain. "We were able to sail with sun and wind for eight out of nine days during the new Kiel Week weather," said Sports Chief Dirk Ramhorst.
Simultaneously, the qualitative and quantitative leak was particularly noticeable in the Olympic classes. Five weeks before the start of the Olympic Regatta in Marseille, most top sailors had opted out of competing. Only five out of ten Olympic disciplines were contested in Kiel. Few Olympic starters raced in the Ilca 7, where 2020 World Champion and Olympic hopeful Philipp Buhl (Sonthofen) lost to his training partner Jean-Baptiste Bernaz from France.
A total of 234 boats were in the Olympic classes at the start. The number was significantly lower compared to the Spanish classic Princesa Sofía with 834 boats and boards. The reasons are diverse: The Spanish had the still ongoing Olympic qualifications on their side. On the other hand, everything was decided by the summer date of the Kiel Week. The qualified sailors were training in Marseille instead. The Kiel Week date lies too close to the Olympic peak in Olympic years. The hoped-for magnet effect through the World Cup status was also lost, as the struggling World Sailing Federation failed to implement the World Cup series.
This is expected to change in 2025. Ramhorst said: "The departures and personnel restructuring at the World Sailing Federation have caused a good series for the sport to run dry. We are working on making ourselves attractive in the future as part of a partnership with other organizers of European classics for Olympic and modern classes." Discussions about this are scheduled for September with World Sailing.
Ramhorst, who has worked for the Kiel Week for 20 years and celebrated his 10-year anniversary as sports leader, remains on board for the comeback. "The Kiel Week remains a leading factor in world sailing sport. Personally, I consider it a fountain of youth," he said.
- Kiel Week, Results
Despite the rain on the final day of the Sailing Summer Festival, the 130th Kiel Week featured 285 races for approximately 3000 participants, resulting in a good reflection of the nine-day event. The weather allowed for sun and wind to prevail for eight out of the nine days.
In contrast to the successful Kiel Week, the qualitative and quantitative leak was particularly noticeable in the Olympic classes five weeks before the start of the Olympic Regatta in Marseille. The summer date of the Kiel Week and the ongoing Olympic qualifications in Spain, along with the World Sailing Federation's struggles, contributed to fewer top sailors competing in Kiel.
As per Ramhorst, the departures and personnel restructuring at the World Sailing Federation have temporarily impacted the sport's growth, resulting in a drought for a good series. The Kiel Week is working on becoming more attractive in the future, planning discussions with World Sailing in September as part of a collaboration with other organizers of European classics for Olympic and modern classes.
Ramhorst, with 20 years of experience at the Kiel Week and celebrating his 10-year anniversary as sports leader, remains committed to the comeback. He views the Kiel Week as a leading factor in world sailing sport, considering his role as a rejuvenating influence.
In the Ilca 7 class, Olympic hopeful Philipp Buhl from Sonthofen lost to his training partner Jeambaptiste Bernaz from France. This unfavorable result highlights the impact of the Kiel Week's challenges and the importance of overcoming them for a successful future in world sailing.
