(Press Release from Kieler Woche)

Kieler Woche Welcomes The Ladies

The newly elected Olympic boat class Elliot 6m celebrates its Match Race debut in Kiel. Once again the sailing world is looking at Germany, especially the female sailors pin their hopes on Kieler Woche (20 - 28 June) which will be the first event within ISAF Sailing World Cup hosting the Women’s Match Race on Elliott 6m. “For more than a month time we did everything possible to get started. Thanks to the support of the German and International Sailing Federation we are now able to finally host the Match Race during Kieler Woche”, said Chairman of the Kieler Woche races Jobst Richter.

Preceding this decision was an organizational marathon: So far no Elliotts are available and many organizers cancel the Match Race due to extremely high costs and preplanning insecurities. So did already Princesa Sofia Regatta in Palma (Spain) and the Semaine Olympique Francaise Hyéres (France) prematurely cancel the Match Race. Delta Lloyd Regatta Medemblik (The Netherlands) as the third European stopover of ISAF Sailing World Cup is keeping a low profile. Only Kieler Woche in June and Weymouth (Great Britain) in September have decided to carry out the Women’s Match Race within ISAF Sailing World Cup.

To cover the costs entry fees have to be adjusted accordingly. 3800 Euro per crew at 12 entries, 2950 Euro at 16 entries and 2100 Euro at 24 entries are calculated. “Olympic sailing sport is breaking the mould. Crews are travelling and only sailing with arranged boats. With that, costs for transportation will cease to apply for participants and will instead be moved one-to-one to the organizers”, according to Richter. With an entry fee of 2500 Dollar Miami (USA) showed how to do it. 12 crews from five different nations (USA, Denmark, Italy, Great Britain and Spain) crossed the starting line. “The system is obviously working. But in order to start with a proper planning we need to be informed on time. That is why the entry deadline has been moved forward to 27 April”, explains Richter. Very encouraging for sufficient entries are the six European crews which were participating in Miami.

At the same time there is only a very narrow time frame in order to realise the race on Elliotts. Although Women’s Match Race on Elliot 6m was given Olympic status by the ISAF the respective boats still have to be built.  From May on the first Elliotts shall arrive in Europe. According to the present planning status two containers with four boats for the Netherlands, two boats for the German Sailing Federation (DSV) and two more for Finland are expected in the harbour of Hamburg.

“Thanks to the support of the ISAF and an extensive mailing we now have the assurance from our colleagues in Finland (Georg Tallberg/Helsinki Match Race Centre), the Netherlands (Hessel Evertse for the Dutch Sailing Federation) and naturally Hamburg that the Elliots will be available for Kieler Woche”, states Richter happily about the European solidarity. “It has to be reckoned with 40 days of seafaring so that it naturally will be tight for Kieler Woche”, is warning Hans Sendes, Sports Director of the German Sailing Federation (DSV). Everything possible will be done for the boats to arrive in Kiel on time. Sails are ordered and designer Greg Elliott together with another boat builder from New Zealand will be present in Kiel in order to handle the set-up.

The Elliots of the DSV shall berth in Kiel in any way. “Here in Kiel-Schilksee at the Olympic Centre we would like to offer to those interested the possibility to practise Match Race”, said Sendes. Elliotts, coach boats as well as coaches and accommodation will be available for training purposes from June/July onwards.

“At the moment we can only wait and hope. The first step now is to have sufficient entries before 27 April. After that the Elliots have to arrive in Europe on time”, said Richter who together with the German Sailing Federation, the International Sailing Federation, designer Greg Elliot and the Match Race sailors is hoping for the premiere of the new Olympic boat class in Kiel.

Women’s Match Race is scheduled to take place during the Olympic Part of Kieler Woche from 20 - 24 June with two optional reserve days on 25 and 26 June depending on the format and number of entries. Friday 19 June can be used for testing the new boats on the water. 

Press contact:
Hermann Hell
hermann.hell@svg-verlag.de