The prediction for the “Helgoland Eight” was crisp, but the reality was a little rougher. At the last Nordseewoche race near the island, the wind was already 25 knots at the start. In the course of the race, this resulted in peaks of up to 35 knots. The regatta fleet – if not busy in preparation for the long distance Pantaenius Around Skagen – preferred to weather these demanding conditions in the harbor and on land. The whole fleet? No, a single boat with an unflinching crew started the “Helgoland Eight”! And that wasn’t one of the bold racers from the ORCi divisions, but an old 10-ton steel boat that was so committed in the Family Cruiser rating of the North Sea Week: Skipper Gerd-Walter Siefert and his fellow sailor ginger Meyer have on their Wadden cruiser “Moorsteert”. The crew from the Nordstrander water sports club did not let the pressure in the air, the impressive swell or even the lack of competition stop them from getting their “good ship” over the course.
North Sea Week
North Sea Week
Starting shots were noticed on Whit Monday and before Helgoland many: for the “Helgoland Eight”, for the return regattas and for the final of the long-distance classic Pantaenius Rund Skagen
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“They are our heroes today,” said overall race manager Albert Schweizer, smiling and impressed by the hardened North Friesland crew, “as the race management team, we could not do more in these conditions than line up and offer. One of 37 crews registered for this race accepted our offer , came, saw and conquered.” The two sailors were the topic of conversation on Helgoland for the day. They themselves felt that their courageous ride was more of a “beautiful tour”. Skipper Gerd-Walter Siefert from the Nordstrand water sports club said: “It was stormy, but we coped well. We said before we started that we would do it now. I trusted the boat.” Gerd-Walter Siefert gained the experience for the calm in the storm on four transatlantic trips, among other things. Born and at home on the youngest North Frisian Hallig Nordstrandischmoor, Siefert is very familiar with the natural elements. “You live there with the weather,” he explains simply. With his crewmate Ginger Meyer, Siefert completed the loop around the island in 3 hours and 28 minutes. “It’s a strong time with the ship,” said Albert Schweizer, showing genuine respect for the two-handed crew.
The course of the “Helgoländer Eight” led the “Moorsteert” men north and turned south again from the Kardinaltonne Nathurn-N. “We only realized shortly before the start that we were the only starters. Of course we would have liked to have sailed with more ships, because there was a lack of competition among ourselves, but we still had a lot of fun!” said Siefert after the race in the harbour. Only on the cruise did it get a bit rough with waves estimated to be up to three meters high near the island, “but the ship can handle it without any problems!” 20 nautical miles. “There was a bit of a wave going against us, so we had to do three big backstrokes, otherwise you get stuck there,” reported Siefert. With their commitment, Gerd-Walter Siefert and ginger Meyer were not only the winners of the race, but also the winners of the hearts of sailors that day. It goes without saying that this duo headed home on Whit Monday afternoon.
Pantaenius/Hinnerk Bodendieck
Pantaenius/Hinnerk Bodendieck
The dynamic poster for the Pantaenius Rund Skagen race. The illustration is by Hinnerk Bodendieck
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By then the conditions had calmed down again, so that the long-awaited first of three starting shots for the long-distance classic Pantaenius Rund Skagen could take place punctually at 4.30 p.m. in the afternoon. Well-armed with weather information from weather maestro Meeno Schrader, 42 crews crossed the starting line in front of the pier at Heligoland’s south port. They had passed all security checks beforehand. The goal of the race is at the end of the approximately 510 nautical mile long test Kiel-Schilksee. The offshore challenge concludes the 87th North Sea Week in its 100th year. At 4.30 p.m. the first gun for the Pantaenius Rund Skagen Race sounded across the water off Heligoland. In three starting groups, the yachts took to the course in a moderate eight-knot wind. One of the most challenging long-distance regattas in Europe lies ahead of the sailors. “The start went well, there were no early starters. Everything is great and everything was safe. Now it’s up to the participants to make something of it,” said race director Albert Schweizer about the successful start.
North Sea Week
North Sea Week
The well-known and optically always interesting safety check before the start of the Pantaenius Rund Skagen race
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North Sea Week
North Sea Week
The man who knows the weather: Meeno Schrader at the briefing for the Pantaenius Rund Skagen race
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The course leads from Heligoland across the North Sea to the northern tip of Denmark. It then passes Skagen before the yachts turn south and enter the Baltic Sea through the Kattegat. The goal is to drive through Schilksee before Kiel. It is precisely the enormous differences between these areas that make up the myth and fascination of this offshore test. The Volvo Open 70 “Trifork” came to Heligoland with the intention of breaking the current course record. Under the name “Ericsson 4” she won the Volvo Ocean Race in 2008/2009, now she is the fastest participating ship in the Pantaenius Round Skagen race. The declared goal of her international team is to Klaus Murmann’s maxi “Uca” set a record of 43 hours and 46 minutes in 2000.
Nikolas Woeckner / Nordseewoche
Nikolas Woeckner / Nordseewoche
Set their sights on a new Pantaenius Rund Skagen record: the crew of the “L4/Trifork” with skipper Jens Dolmer
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The first noteworthy and documented speed record for monohulls around Skagen was set in 1973 by the “Diana III” with owner Henry Thomas (Bremen) and helmsman Harald Baum (Pantaenius) with 55 hours and 1 minute. Meeno Schrader predicted that the low pressure area, which had caused stormy winds on Helgoland in the morning, would again provide sailors with strong to stormy winds of up to 40 knots during the night and on June 7th. With the later reaching of the Baltic Sea, however, the weather forecast draws a contrasting picture: weak winds to calm will probably have to be struggled there, which could also make the record hunt of the “Trifork” more difficult. The majority of the yachts are expected in Kiel between Thursday and Friday night, the “Trifork” possibly already on Wednesday. Incidentally, the Rund Skagen Regatta was first sailed in 1932. The first start after the Second World War took place in 1950 in Bremerhaven. Since 1953, flights to Kiel have started again from Heligoland.
For live tracking for the Pantaenius Rund Skagen race click here (please click!)
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Nikolas Woeckner / Nordseewoche
Nikolas Woeckner / Nordseewoche
The pros and record hunters started the Pantaenius Rund Skagen race on the “L4/Trifork” as moderately as the winds. “They left quickly after the start,” reported Albert Schweizer
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CN / North Sea Week
CN / North Sea Week
A well-deserved reward for the team from the Nordseewoche regatta community and all the dedicated helpers: the blue and white cake was served on the island on Whit Monday evening. Bye, Heligoland, you were in a really good mood in this anniversary year
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