Eel regatta

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The eel regatta is one of the oldest sailing regattas in Germany. There is sailing in several classes (2006: 16) on the Kiel Fjord and mostly in the Eckernförde Bay . The eel regatta got its name because traditionally on the first day of the race the crews starting from Kiel are presented with a smoked eel on arrival in Eckernförde ; Meanwhile, a bottle of "Aalklar" has been added to the eel.

history

Yacht meteor

The first sailing competition Kiel – Eckernförde – Kiel took place in 1893 , accompanied by the yacht Meteor of Kaiser Wilhelm II . In 1906 the eel regatta was integrated as the opening regatta in the sailing competitions of the “ Kiel Week ”.

With the exception of a few war and post-war years (1915–1919, 1940–1953), the regatta was part of the “Kieler Woche” as the opening regatta until 2005. In 2006 it was deleted from the Kiel Week program and - as before 1906 - continued as an independent sailing event.

The organization of the eel regatta switched from the Kiel Yacht Club to the Eckernförde sailing club . The eel regatta was also retained as an independent sailing event when the opening regatta of the “Kiel Week” returned to Eckernförde under the name “Welcome Race”.

Until 2005 the eel regatta consisted of the two part regattas Kiel – Eckernförde on the first day of the competition and the return trip Eckernförde – Kiel on the second day. In 2006, the return tour was replaced by two short-distance races on the Eckernförde Bay .

Since 2017 the eel regatta has been the opening event of the "Kiel Week".

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