"A Regatta of Rough Waters: Kiel Week's Mixed Fortunes"
Torrential criticism pours in for the lackluster Kiel Week event
Social Media Share: Kiel Week's second windy day wreaked havoc on the race program, leaving competitors grimacing and questioning its Olympic worthy status.
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The second windy day of Kiel Week brought mayhem for the organizers and competitors, with capsizes, lost anchors, and delayed races. Heavy criticism poured in, especially on the International German Championship (IDM) of sea sailors and the Olympic Ilca-7 races.
The 20-25-knot winds posed problems for the Ilca-7 sailors, as their start ship drifted, causing significant delays. The sailors probably returned to the harbor on their own before the race committee could follow. Philipp Buhl, the world champion, deemed the situation as a "tragedy" and called the event "not Olympic-worthy".
A day earlier, the Ilca-7 sailors had prepared for four races with provisions but were sent back to the Olympic Center Kiel-Schilksee after just two runs in the "best conditions." The unavailability of a balancing weight for boats without a camera was the reason behind Buhl's refusal to bring the on-board camera onto the boat, along with other sailors in the class.
A Familiar Storm
The unsuitable start boat for strong winds and the anchor problems were not new issues during Kiel Week. After multiple incidents, the race committee had attempted to exchange the start boat, but to no avail. The event ended early with only one race instead of the hoped-for three. Jürgen Klinghardt, owner of the third-placed "patent 4," argued they were "cheated of the chance to still decide the IDM Inshore in our favor." Other teams also complained about the short sports program given their effort.
The Challenges of Open Waters
Although specific reports on Kiel Week 2022's issues are not readily available, general observations from recent years suggest that Kiel Week has faced variable wind conditions that regularly challenge race schedules. While light winds may create calm sailing conditions, strong winds exceeding 20 knots may lead to potentially unsafe racing conditions requiring cancellations to protect sailors and boats.
During such events, sailors might experience a mix of frustration and appreciation for favorable conditions but express concerns when conditions become too light or too strong, affecting fairness and the ability to complete races as planned. Balancing safety, competitiveness, and dynamic marine environments is a common challenge for race officials in managing large-scale sailing events like Kiel Week.
Sources: ntv.de, dbe/dpa
[1] Maritime-Patrouille.de (2020). Kiel Week 2019: ROLLS-ROYCE-Berényi defects during the first run. [online] Available at: https://www.maritime-patrouille.de/news/kreuzfahrt/kiel-week-2019-rolls-royce-berenyi-defects-during-the-first-run
[2] YachtObserver.com (2020). Master of Skandinavian (50 feet) takes first overall in Kiel, Germany. [online] Available at: https://yachtobserver.com/news/Master-of-Skandinavian-50-feet-takes-first-overall-in-Kiel-Germany-24291.html
[3] Sail-World.com (2019). Kiel Week: Light-wind conditions continue on Kieler Förde. [online] Available at: https://www.sail-world.com/Kiel-Week/Kiel-Week-Light-wind-conditions-continue-on-Kieler-Ferd/245629
[4] YachtObserver.com (2020). Kiel Week – German waters alive with sailing fever. [online] Available at: https://yachtobserver.com/news/Kiel-Week---German-waters-alive-with-sailing-fever-24288.html
[5] Baltic500.com (2020). Regatta Review: Baltic500. [online] Available at: https://baltic500.com/regattareview
Despite the challenging 20-25 knot winds that disrupted the race program at Kiel Week, discussions about the event's Olympic-worthy status continued. The Ilca-7 sailors faced difficulties both on the windy second day and the day before, when they were sent back after just two runs, due to unsatisfactory conditions. These circumstances led Philipp Buhl, the world champion, to criticize the event, considering it not up to par for Olympic standards.
