Maritime Heritage Tour: 11th Hajkutter Regatta from Nysted to Rostock - 7th of August 2019

On August 7^th, 2019, the Hajkutter Regatta sailed under special winds: It was part of the promotion campaign for Maritime Heritage Tours, linked to the EU Project “Baltic Pass”.

Maritime Heritage Tours combine sailing on traditional sailing vessels with the visit of maritime heritage sites on shore during one- or multi-day trips. Soon, you can read more about it on this page.

The Hajkutter Regatta is a Maritime Heritage Tour, as guests can visit the historic harbour of Nysted (Denmark) who was founded in the 13^th century. They sail then on board of historic sailing vessels, the Hajkutter. The oldest ones are about hundred years old! In Rostock (Germany) the guests visit the Hanse Sail, one of the world’s largest event of traditional vessels. About 70 traditional vessels can be visited and sailed on. Beyond that, the 800 years old Hanseatic and University City of Rostock offers the Shipbuilding and Seafaring Museum, Germany’s largest floating museum: “The whole world of seafaring and shipbuilding can be experienced aboard this traditional ship.”

In the early morning hours of August 7^th, 2019, the journey to the 11^th Hajkutter Regatta started in Rostock. The German sailing guests had a shuttle to the Scandlines ferry and got picked up in Gedser for Nysted where at 9.30 the Hajkutters left the harbour for the starting line.

After the start at the windmills south of Lolland, a nasty headwind prevailed. Although it declined later, it didn’t get more pleasant: Heavy rain displaced the wind. After having overcome this, the wind became totally calm. Race director Rainer Arlt: “We then didn’t have the conditions to pursue the regatta, so we had to end it short.”

However, a ranking could be carried out after a mathematical determination of the potentially covered distance in the longest sailed time (two hours). This leads to the following results: GROENNE ERNA (1), PHOENIX (2), HANNE MARIE (3), BODIL (4), NORDWIND (5), HANSINE (6), EBBA AAEN (7), ELIDA (8), ALEXA (9) and DANA (10).

The lucky winners of the 2019 Hajkutter Regatta, the crew of the GROENNE ERNA, receive their prize from the mayor of Guldborgsund Municipality, John Brædder. Photo: Susanne Gidzinski/Hanse Sail

The crew of the ALEXA also received a fairness prize for helping out when the DANA could not manage the way to the starting line due to an overheated motor: Fair Play at the Hajkutter Regatta!

Many thanks to the sponsor Scandlines Deutschland GmbH, as well as Guldborgsund and Lolland municipalities and the Hanseatic City of Rostock. They made it possible to pay a Hajkutter-Tax of 28,50 Euro per meter to each of the ten participating Hajkutter!

Thanks to all Hajkutter crews who made this sailing tour to an unforgettable experience for the sailing guests!

2nd Place Hajkutter Regatta — The 2nd place goes to the crew of the Hajkutter PHOENIX, handed over by Helle Levisen, chairman of the Hajkutter Festival. Photo: Susanne Gidzinski/Hanse Sail

3rd place Hajkutter Regatta — The 2nd place goes to the crew of the Hajkutter PHOENIX, handed over by Helle Levisen, chairman of the Hajkutter Festival. Photo: Susanne Gidzinski/Hanse Sail

Let’s hope for better regatta conditions for the Jubilee Sail, when at the beginning of the 30th Hanse Sail the racy kutters make their way again from Nysted to Rostock!

Looking forward seeing you all again next year for the 12^th Hajkutter Festival & Regatta in Nysted and the 30^th anniversary Hanse Sail in Rostock.