Kieler Woche 2008 - Special "Firework crackers“ in the sailing programme:

Moth Alert, Women’s Match Race, Rendezvous of legendary Twelves, Début of the Farr 40 Class, X-35 European Championship, and International German Offshore Championship

On the traditional “Kiel day” during the boot Düsseldorf the organisers of Kieler Woche 2008 (June 21 to June 29) announced a comprehensive regatta programme which will include several brilliant “firework crackers” in sailing.

Additional “boat class of this year” is the Moth dinghy together with the spectacular Blade-Riders. Other attractions include the Women’s Match Race at the “debitel-stage” in the centre of the city, the first involvement of several Classic Twelves as well as the high-tech Offshore Farr 40 keelboats. Two championships – the X-35 Europeans and the International German Championship of Offshore Sailing complete the wide spectrum of the 126th Kieler Woche.

“Even in 2008 we not only react on demands and decisions of the World Federation ISAF, but act independently and develop new ideas and challenges for the future of Kieler Woche” stated Offshore Race Officer Eckhard von der Mosel, KYC, who was present on the “Kiel day” in Düsseldorf. Other Kiel celebrities representing Kiel and Kieler Woche during the boot Düsseldorf included the Mayor of the City of Kiel, Mrs. Angelika Volquartz, City President Rainer Tschorn und Jobst Richter, Race Director of Kieler Woche. 300 invited guests paid tribute to the Sailing City Kiel, among them the President of DSV, Rolf Bähr, the Mayor of the City of Düsseldorf, Joachim Erwin and Germany’s best known yachtsman Jochen Schümann, who won the America’s Cup twice with the Swiss Alinghi team.

“Kieler Woche will continue being an annual highlight in the race calendar for all competitors world-wide”, announced President Rainer Tschorn and Mayor Angelika Volquartz unisonous and both look forward to host Kieler Woche 2008 in the far north of Germany. The newly built race headquarter in the Schilksee Olympic Centre will experience it’s rehearsal during Kieler Woche and both City representatives stressed the fact “that Kiel owes the new “Regatta House” to it’s Honorary Citizen Dr. Berthold Beitz”. The building will contribute to establish the modern infrastructure for the successful organization of a top sailing event like Kieler Woche. Furthermore, they underlined the fact: “Besides the comprehensive regatta programme Kieler Woche is well known as biggest summer party in Northern Europe, as it attracts more than 3 million visitors each year!”

A change in the Olympic Part of Kieler Woche 2008 (June 25 to June 29) is the inclusion of Women’s Match Racing which will become the Olympic Women’s Keelboat Discipline in 2012 – corresponding to the latest ISAF decision in November 2007.

Thus, Kieler Woche will be the first major regatta event integrating Women’s Match Racing into the programme. Race Director Jobst Richter tries hard to bring the action on the water – in this case Women’s Match Racing – closer to the public ashore, - right along the “debitel stage” along the promenade in the centre of the city of Kiel.

With the Olympic Sailing Competitions in Qingdao/China in August 2008, Kieler Woche adopts latest ISAF decisions instantaneously, - one year ahead of the choice of the other Olympic boat classes (2009). Female crews will race on Streamline-yachts in this Grade II event, and all yachts will be supplied by the Match Race Centre of the Hamburger Segel-Club.

“Only flying may be more exciting” is the motto of the Moth Class in the International Part (June 21 to June 24); riding with a Bladerider over the waves in a good breeze causes a feeling very similar to flying over the water. Even in moderate breeze the hull of this single-hander lifts onto the water und kisses the top of the waves. The sailor flies over the surface of the waves while fin-keel and rudder foil keep in contact with the wet element. Sailing at it’s best!

This spectacular 3,35 m Loa production built single-hander will be represented in the International Part of Kieler Woche, and the Moth Class Association expects more than 30 entries.

For the first time the Farr 40 high-tech one-design Class participates in the Kieler Woche Offshore programme.

“We decided to organize two regatta series, one in the Baltic Sea and another one in the Mediterranean” commented Wolfgang Schaefer (KYC), President of the European Farr 40 fleet. The Farr 40 keelboats will race in Kiel – parallel with the X-35 European Championship – from June 25 to June 29, 2008.

Another highlight of the 126th Kieler Woche will be the re-union of the wooden Twelve Metre “veterans”. On the opening day (June 21) several majestic Twelves will be part of the “Rendezvous of Classical Yachts”, and from June 26 to June 29 the Twelve legends will have their own race series within their Baltic Circuit, - followed by their World Championship in Flensburg beginning of July 2008. (hmb)

Kieler Woche (June 21 to June 29, 2008)
Part I: International Classes: June 21 to June 24.
Part II: Olympic Classes: June 25 to June 29.
Part III: Women Match Race: June 25 to June 29
Part IV: Offshore – divided in 3 sections:
June 21 to June 24 mainly: ORC International and ”IDM under ORC International”.
June 25 to June 29: X-35 Europeans, Farr 40 and OneDesign
June 27 to June 29: Yardstick, ORC, and One-Design-Classes

Premium Partners of Kiel Week 2008 like BMW (presenter), HSH Nordbank, debitel and boot Duesseldorf as well as numerous co-sponsors like b+m Informatik, B+S Card Service, Canon, Fürst Bismarck Quelle, Helly Hansen, Hugo Hamann, International Farbenwerke, Jever, Kielnet, Lankhorst/Hohorst, Nexus, Segler-Zeitung, Tutima contribute successfully to 126th edition of Kiel Week.

Further information: www.kieler-woche.de