Press conference of the country, July 11th 2006

16th Hanse Sail Rostock: GORCH FOCK is flagship

Five cogs belong to the first guests of this year’s Hanse Sail.
To the pleasure of the viewers LISA von LÜBECK, UBENA von BREMEN, ROLAND von BREMEN, the KIELER HANSEKOGGE and the just finished WISSEMARA will pass the port entrance of Rostock already on the evening before the Hanse Sail begins (August 9th). Here the replicas of medieval merchant ships meet a quartet of modern cruise liners. In order to say goodbye to the impressive “swimming hotels”, among them the 238 m long AMSTERDAM, a port party and fireworks will take place at the passenger quay in Warnemünde in the evening. The cogs will already meet in Wismar the day before (August 8th) to jointly head for Rostock.

275 traditional and museum ships
will be expected at the 16th Hanse Sail from August 10th to August 13th in Rostock. The sail training ship of the German Navy, GORCH FOCK, will lead the big and colourful field of brigs, barks, sloops and schooners as flag ship. In this way the Hanse Sail emphasises again her importance as one of the greatest meetings of traditional sailing vessels worldwide. The Dutch bark ARTEMIS (60 m), the German three-masted gaff schooner GROSSHERZOGIN ELISABETH (64 m) and the Polish brig FRYDERYK CHOPIN (55,50 m) belong to the big ones in this summer. As always the regattas of traditional sailing vessels are on the “Sail-agenda” on Saturday. The junk KUBLAIS KAHN II and a boat made of reed are hold for exotics at the Hanse Sail 2006.

Sailing with ships is required in Rostock.
Sailing vessels invite for day and evening sailing trips on all four days of the Hanse Sail. On Thursday (August 10th) and on Sunday (August 13th) the variety is still wide and also on Friday and Saturday not all seats are taken. In the framework of the 10th Baltic Sail that leads to the Hanse Sail Rostock on August 6th after her sojourn in Karlskrona (S) and pushes along on August 13th to the Danish Helsingør, also sailing trips over several days are on offer.

Open Ship of the German Navy
On occasion of the 50th anniversary the Navy also takes the frigate MECKLENBURG-VORPOMMERN (139 m) to Rostock in addition to the sail training ship GORCH FOCK. In the city harbour you can visit the speedboat S 78 OZELOT. From Thursday to Sunday the Navy base Hohe Düne invites to the open days, where you can experience different types of navy boats and performances of the fire brigade of the base. Divers of the Navy and sea rescue cruisers will come into operation, as well.

Unprecedented:
The pop ensemble „Die Prinzen“ and the Norddeutsche Philharmonie Rostock will jointly perform. The concert in the framework of the Mecklenburg-West-Pommerania Festival is a highlight of the Hanse Sail (August 11th) and the harbour symphony in the city harbour on the evening of the opening day (August 10th) as well. Six church bells from Rostock, sirens of ships, as well as trombones and 21 percussionists will arrange for a breathtaking sound finally.

From a medieval spectacle to the Kite surf Trophy
The Hanse Sail Rostock also offers a variety of attractions for the visitors, who stay ashore, among them the fireworks on Saturday (August 12th). In front of the coast in Warnemünde some rating runs of the German championships for the SEAT Kite surf Trophy are hold. The “Segelstadion” in the city harbour will present exciting runs and stunts of the water jumpers from Rostock. The colourful entertainment pier with the international market in the city harbour, a stage at the light house, shanty choirs, medieval spectacles and historic cannons will be due. This and many more events belong among several maritime exhibition projects to the four-day program of the Sail.

Labyrinth, climbing house, baking tent and corsair
are the big surprise for the kids. The 2000 square kilometre Nivea kid’s village offers many adventures for little Sail’s guests that also provides for a good cause. With the help of the proceeds of the donations new SOS children’s villages should be founded worldwide. Children get to know games from other countries by murmuring with stones and beans or doing pearly handcrafts.

Water planes enliven the sky on the occasion of the 6th meeting of the Seaplane Meeting.
Machines from Norway, Sweden, England, Austria, the Netherlands and Germany are on target for the Hanse Sail Rostock. In total eleven water planes are expected. Already from Thursday on passengers may experience the celebration of the beautiful ships from above by taking part in sightseeing flights or they may visit demonstrations of the modeller.

No Hanse Sail without the active support of sponsors
The Hanseatic Brewery of Rostock, Coca Cola and the Ostseesparkasse Rostock with the Ostdeutscher Sparkassenverband are the main sponsors of the 16th Hanse Sail. Thirty further companies - from car dealership to shopping centre – contribute to the success of the big maritime celebration.