Bulletin 4 - August, 11th 2008

Lord major Roland Methling: Hanse Sail become adulty
„Now the 18th edition of the Hanse Sail Rostock is already over. Our Hanse Sail has become adulty! Being the biggest yearly proceeding meeting of traditional sailing ships world wide the Hanse Sail is not only the most important event for Rostock and our federal State, but has proved to be a reliable partner for the support of traditional shipping in the Baltic area. Crews of 13 nations and a national and international audience of millions accept the hospitality of Rostock’s inhabitants. So the memories remain of unforgettable moments at the sea and the quay, on the stages and along the event mile. I thank all who took part for this success, and I’d like to invite by the name of all assistants and supporters for the 19th Hanse Sail Rostock, set on August 6th to 9th 2009!"

Hanse Sail manager Holger Bellgardt: Successful Sail 2008
“We have had a great festival. In a few hours the 18th Hanse Sail Rostock is going to bring down the flag of 2008. With 230 ships from 13 different nations, cultural events and various markets the Hanse Sail 2008 has been a memorable happening” says the manager of the Hanse Sail Holger Bellgardt. The Hanseatic city of Rostock proved its maritime qualification by arranging one of the world’s biggest meetings of windjammers. Traditional ships attracted most of the visitors. The Hanse Sail contributed once again to the ship’s preservation. During the last four days about one million of visitors got the possibility to experience an encyclopaedia of navigation and the historic shipbuilding. The Hanse Sail showed in an impressive way how to conserve pieces of the maritime history for humankind. “After a turbulent drive the Hanse Sail ship is ready to sea to the 19th Hanse Sail Rostock 2009, which is going to take place from August, 6th to 9th. I thank every partner and supporter for the great contribution and also the inhabitants of Rostock for their hospitality. A special thanks goes to the participating ships. See you again in 2009!

No Hanse Sail without the generous support of the sponsors
A Hanse Sail without sponsors would be simply impossible; it would be much poorer of attractions: no shanties on the stages, no concert in the IGA Park, no competitions at the sailing stadium, no Sail-Fireworks. A wealth of cultural offers is sponsored by the generous support of the companies in and round Rostock. For example the shopping mall „Globus“ makes sure that the star guest of the Saturday Sail-stage Peter Schilling with band presents hits of the 80s. A quiet attraction – the photo exhibition of Finnish under water world at the Baltic Point Warnemuende would be unimaginable without „Eurawasser“. The trip of the „Mircea“-Crew from Rumania to it sister ship „Gorch Fock l“ to Stralsund was proceeded by the help of the bus producer MAN Nutzfahrzeuge, the 2nd Hafensinfonie was possible because of the companies of the Rostocker Hafenwirtschaft. Round about 50 concerns remain steadfastly at Hanse Sail office’s side.

The competition of the GoKart-track became an attraction
The „Hanse GOKart Racing“ from Rostock organized an attraction because of the 18th Sail and tendered a fanciable prize. Those „GOKart-pilot“, who scorch the 250-m-course with minimum time, can sail with the „Gorch Fock“ from Karlskrona to Rostock for one week as a pair. Brave person rounded 15 laps until Saturday, paid 5 € and registered for the challenge if the reached time allowed. Sebastian Jenß, guardian of the racing course, was amazed, that 6 of eleven brave persons cracked the 13-Seconds-Limit. „At first it was a dual of father and son Schuster from Rostock, until Mattes Busch from Schwarzenhof went ahead with 12.400 sec. by the late Saturday evening. What will happen on Sunday, we wait with bated breath because there are still two annual season-tickets of FC Hansa Rostock to give away for the position 2 and 3.“

All participants of the regatta won
All ships which participated in the Hanse Sail regatta 2008 will get an award. The clipper “Stad Amsterdam” is the First Ship Home and wins the highest award in the category of the square rigged traditional sailing ships. Second of this category is the schooner brig “Greif”, which won a duel of a neck-and-neck race against the brigantine “Baltic Beauty”. Because of their smaller sail areas, the “Greif” wins the first award, while the “Baltic Beauty” wins the second award. The winner of the 1-mast ships is the Dutch clipper “Stella Maris”. The awards are model ships in the form of a relief or a silk painting as well as illustrated books of the cultural heritage of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.  

Dajana Schult is the next Miss Hanse Sail 2008
The Hanse Sail ends with the traditional election of the Miss Hanse Sail. At 5.30 p.m. Dajana Schult (25) from Admannshagen received a bouquet at the stage Hanse Sail. Second became Kristina Schirokow (17) from Rostock Third became Jennifer Nehls (21) from Stralsund The new Miss Hanse Sail 2008 is going to realize representative jobs in the occasion of the Hanse Sail. Dajana won in a competition of 16 young women. Three rounds (1st street ware, 2nd swim suits and 3rd evening dress) the women had to pass. Michael Wuscher of the model agency Aventpro which organizes the election said: “There will be no loser. However, only the best three will be mentioned by name.” Every young women at the age of 18 to 25 who live in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania could announce in the competition. The candidature of 50 women proves the attraction of the Hanse Sail.

5000th guest is welcomed
by the innkeeper of „Luna Rossa“ Stefano Pirini
It’s a little sensation: The innkeeper of „Luna Rossa“ Stefano Pirini welcomed the 5000th participant of the action „Gastliche Mecklenburger“ (hospitable Mecklenburg) on Sunday. Ulli Helmuth, a member of the Hanse Sail’s persons in support, counted the guests precisely, Marianne Dietrich, another member of the team, obtained a bouquet and Jürgen Hering from Swedish Gothenburg congratulated the 5000th guest of this traditional event. Since 1993 innkeepers of different inns, restaurants and hotels invite the crews of the Hanse Sail to feast them for free. Stefano Pirini served salmon and tortellini together with an artistic created salad. „A lovely surprise for me“, says the special guest by complimenting the dedicated and lovely care at the Hanse Sail.

Welcome to the boat fair at the capital –
Messe Berlin is a partner of the Hanse Sail
In November 2008 Simone Kolbe from Neuhausen at the Erzgebirge is going to spend a week-end at Berlin. The baker was one of five winners of a Hanse Sail’s quiz game at the stage Warnemuende, which has been initiated by Messe Berlin. In the occasion of the 18th Hanse Sail the long-term partner offered five VIP tickets, each for two persons for a visit of the international renowned fair of water sports and spare time. The other winners came from the Harz, from Magdeburg, Schwerin and Rostock. One of the questions has been: Which ship covered the longest distance to come to the Hanse Sail? For Wolfgang Johansen from Schwerin the answer has been clear: The “Mircea”, which covered a distance of 4000 sea miles to drive from Constanza (Rumania) to Rostock.

Sailing trip of the Meyer-Technik-Unternehmensgruppe
The maritime event of the Hanse Sail attracts millions of visitors. Furthermore the Hanseatic city of Rostock offers by itself an appealing base for national and international enterprises. Thus for the second time the Meyer-Technik-Unternehmensgruppe chartered a common sailing trip for the management, colleagues, exclusive customers and partners of the H. Meyer Brandschutz/ Elektro GmbH Rostock. For the enterprise this trip means a symbol of its development. “Under full sails but faithful to Rostock!”, says the marketing manager Norris Haberland. Five companies at five different locations in Germany and Poland support the international reputation of the enterprise.

The Romanians dominated the football tournament
at the Hanse Sail Cup 2008
The crews of the Romanian „Mircea I“ and „Micrea III“ have to go to penalty until the cup winner of the football playing crews could have had determined. The teams divided fairly in the final of nine participating teams by 1:1. With a 4:3 the „Mircea I“ win through and received the cup by the hands of Eckard Landgraf, who officially represented the Hanse Sail office. The winners also could be pleased about a football with autographs of the FC Hansa Rostock players, delivered by Dietrich Kehl. In the fight of position 3 to teams of the same ship faced again: „Gorch Fock II” beat „Gorch Fock I” 5:0. The team of „Yunyi Balties“ (Russia) got position 5 and in order of „Gniezno II“ (Poland) „Mircea II“, „Gniezno I“ and „Fridjof Nansen“ the results were completed.

Swedish cog „Tvekamp av Elbogen“
travelled over the Baltic Sea for the first time
That much cogs have never been to the Hanse Sail: the replicas of the medieval trading ships come from Bremen, Lübeck, Wismar and Kiel, but the first time from abroad. The Dutch „Kamper Kogge“ and the Swedish „Tvekamp av Elbogen“ visited the Rostockian windjammer meeting for the first time and are excited about the atmosphere at the cay and the popularity of the visitors. „The Hanse Sail-Flair is fantastic“, the captain of the Swedish cog, Jan Stagling, said and Claes Ingemann underlines: „we will do everything to come back“. For the „Tvekamp av Elbogen“ it is the first trip across the Baltic Sea, after the replica of the hanseatic cog from the 14th century was seaworthy 2007. A 28 „men“ crew in an age of 7 to 78, all in historical cloths, are on board of the museum ship from Malmö. The bos’n of the Dutch cog Jan van der Steeg rejoices: „In May 2009 all cogs will come to the mediaeval meeting in Kampen“.

Navy gives positive summary of the Hanse Sail
Once again the 18th Hanse Sail Rostock attracted thousands of visitors. Within three days the Naval Base Hohe Düne welcomed 11.000 guests while the speed boat S75 “Zobel” at the City harbour has been visited as much as the corvette “Braunschweig” at Warnemuende which is the latest ship of the German Navy. However, the absolute highlight was the sailing training ship “Gorch Fock” which welcomed 7.500 guests already on Saturday. By the finale of the Hanse Sail the interest in the ship, which celebrates its 50th birthday in 2008, is not over yet. The white swan, as it is titled affectionately, is going to sail back to Kiel together with 50 representatives of the media. We are looking forward to the 19th Hanse Sail in 2009 which has already been noted in the “Gorch Fock”’s timetable.

At the 19th Hanse Sail 2009 Denmark is the partner country
2009 Denmark takes over the role of Latvia for being the partner country at the 19th Hanse Sail. In 1991, as the Hanse Sail was born, the Danes show one’s colours and belong to those countries which are present at the Sail in Rostock since that time. Obviously the permanent allocation of the Danish consul of Mecklenburg – Western Pomerania contributes to the successful cooperation. At present Arno Pöker, DSR-Manager and Lord Major ret., execute this department as the 4th honorary consul on the trot. So, with a view of the 19th Hanse Sail 2009: Vekommen, kaer danske sejler!

Weather
Monday starts with a bright sky and – as at the days before – heavy clouds are going to rise later, which bring partly low and heavy rain. Temperature will rise from 14 degrees up to 22 degrees with fresh westerly.