Warnemünde Week 2025: Five days full of regattas and cultural highlights!

Warnemünde Week 2025: Five days full of regattas and cultural highlights!

Warnemünde Week kicked off this year with a spectacular start. At 12 noon, race director Jan Büttner gave the first signal for the 250 nautical mile regatta around Bornholm, which attracted numerous spectators in the Strand Arena Warnemünde. The Hamburg yacht “Pure” led by helmsman Lars Hidde was the first to cross the starting line, followed by the “Illbruck” skippered by Oliver Schmidt-Rybandt. Last year's winners “Ospa” and “Störtebeker” were also able to establish themselves in the top group and showed promising performance. The yachts set off towards the northeast at a speed of around ten knots, while winds are expected to ease in the afternoon and night. The first yachts are expected to reach the finish line off Warnemünde on Tuesday afternoon, it is announced Rostock to.

The Warnemünde Week, which will take place this year from July 5th to 13th, 2025, is already celebrating its 87th edition. The event not only offers thrilling regattas, but also a rich cultural and entertainment program. Mayor Eva-Maria Kröger sees this event not only as an opportunity to present the maritime flair of Rostock-Warnemünde, but also as an opportunity to bring the region into the conversation as an Olympic venue. With the participation of top athletes from all over the world, Warnemünde Week will be a real showcase for sporting excellence, especially with the upcoming OK Europeans and the ILCA European Cup, which will attract over 300 participants yacht reported.

Cultural highlights and attractions

On Sunday, July 6th, the audience could look forward to a varied country program. Music and dance from the 50s and 60s as well as a concert by students from the Rostock University of Music and Theater created a good atmosphere. The NDR 1 Radio MV Party with presenter Ralf Markert also attracted many visitors to the Kurhausgarten. Here the band “Boom Drives Crazy” created an exciting atmosphere, while the open-air dance class “Salsa with Tabéalo” on the lighthouse forecourt animated more than 50 participants. Jessica Benjatschek enriched the WAL Bar with a reading from her book “Freedom, Wind and Courage”, while two further concerts took place in the Kurhausgarten on Tuesday evening: “Die Klangversorger” and “The Jukebox”.

The mayor is excited about the entire event and plans to be there for two days to meet with the volunteers and offer her support. Kröger and the city administration are closely monitoring the Olympic-ready infrastructure off Rostock's coast in order to promote the possibilities for sailing competitions at the Olympic Games. Peter Ramcke, the sports director of Warnemünder Woche, speaks of optimal conditions and has high expectations of the athletes' performances. The use of a cruise ship as an Olympic village to ensure safety during the Games is also being considered Warnemünde Week.

View of the future

Warnemünde Week will continue to develop in the future, especially with a view to Rostock's Olympic bid. Matthias Fromm, the tourism director, emphasizes how important the event is for tourism in the region. Ingeborg Regenthal from the Warnemünde Association emphasizes that traditional events such as the Niege Ümgang and the WIRO sports day are part of the program this year. In addition, the 100th anniversary of Warnemünde Week will be celebrated in 2026, which is another reason to continually redesign and optimize the event.

The attractive mix of first-class sailing and diverse culture shows how lively this traditional event continues to be. The Warnemünde Week remains a magnet for athletes and those interested in culture alike, while the city of Rostock is showing a good hand on the way to becoming an Olympic starting point.