The Ocean Race Europe takes place at sea, but it's not just the teams that have hundreds of people working on land to ensure a successful sailing race. The team at Kiel-Marketing, the starting harbour in August 2025, has also been in the midst of preparations for months. Greta-Sophie Strauß is responsible for the project management of the land events at The Ocean Race Europe and is also the team's project manager. Anjoscha Voigtsberger is responsible for the entire water logistics, water organisation, safety concepts and approval procedures, for example for the restricted area in the Kiel Fjord.

Do you remember which boat was the first?

Greta: Sure, that was 11th Hour Racing ...

... who also won the Ocean Race in the end ...

Greta: ... exactly. A week later I was in The Hague with Eva [Eva Zeiske, press spokeswoman for Kiel Marketing] and was able to present Team 11th Hour with the Kiel Trophy because they were the first boat to round the buoy in the Kiel Fjord. There was a trophy for the stage winner in each harbour.

Anjoscha, where were you during the fly-by?

Anjoscha: I was virtually on every boat. Together with Tom Ehlert [Racecourse Manager at The Ocean Race] and a driver who drove us to every boat. We had a restricted area across the entire buoyed fairway up to the rounding mark. We picked up each boat outside, then went down with each boat and escorted it around the buoy and then up a bit. That was wild.

Anjoscha, how was it on the water?

Anjoscha: As far as the water is concerned, I can say quite clearly: euphoric. People travelled right up to the edge of the exclusion zone and there were hundreds of boats at anchor. So, quite crazy, everyone was standing on deck, cheering, whooping and rejoicing. It was a euphoric atmosphere out there. It was fantastic. But that's what we did it for: for people to stand there and cheer and be really, really happy. Even the people on land – and us too. Knowing that we've really worked our arses off for months to achieve this. Exactly for people to have this feeling. That's exactly what we wanted to achieve.

Greta: That was actually the great thing, it was simply overwhelming. Even during the planning phase, many sailing fans were euphoric that the Ocean Race was coming to Kiel for the fly-by. But this enthusiasm is by no means shared by everyone in Kiel. We heard from some, well, it's nice that you're organising an event, but what's going to happen? Five boats come, they sail around a buoy in the Kiel Fjord and then they sail out again, that's what you're putting all this effort into? And then suddenly not only the sailors come, but also all the people of Kiel and get carried away. And now the whole city is in Ocean Race fever and is really looking forward to the Ocean Race Europe next August, because they have simply realised what an atmosphere it is and how impressive it is.

Even in the days before the actual fly-by, around 90,000 people were in the Ocean Life Park on the Kiellinie. During Kiel Week [The Kiel Week is one of the world's largest sailing events], the sailing is far out in Schilksee, here it's right in the centre of the city. And then there's the whole issue of marine conservation, which is closely linked to the race.

Greta: That's what makes Kiel.Sailing.City so special. We want to bring hands-on sailing to the city and we've managed to do that again with this event. Kiel is a marine conservation city and that's why we've been celebrating Marine Conservation City Day regularly in June for a few years now. We organise this in the Kiel marketing team together with Ocean Summit, an education and networking platform of the Heinrich Böll Foundation Schleswig-Holstein and BUND. They also launched the Marine Conservation Day. At the fly-by, we had a colourful programme that was very different to Kiel Week. Many NGOs, associations, initiatives and companies from Kiel and Schleswig-Holstein that are involved in marine conservation presented themselves. There were hands-on activities, information and fun activities for young and old. The variety of topics brought the Oceanlife Park to life, which really appealed to people. And it once again made it very clear that sailing and marine conservation go hand in hand. That also inspired people.

In addition to the large ferries and cruise ships, other large ships also sail from Holtenau, where the Kiel Canal, the world's busiest artificial waterway, ends.

Anjoscha: We have to work out our concepts and present them to the authorities very clearly so that they trust us again and say, yes, we can do it this way. It was a big challenge last year to find a way to convince everyone involved that we could allow boats as big and fast as the IMOCAs to sail through. You have to realise what it's like when an IMOCA comes flying in at over 20 or 30 knots. It goes through everything there like a tunnel. If someone with a small boat comes in front of a foil, it cuts through it like a hot wire through butter. So the challenge for me again this year is to find a solution with the authorities so that we all have a safe and great time on the water, can see a lot, but also so that everything can run safely in the background.

Will it be possible to experience IMOCAS and the teams up close again at the moorings? That's always a big draw for visitors to the Ocean Race in all host cities, of course.

Anjoscha: Yes, that will be the case. Next year, the boats will also be close enough to touch, both at the docking, where you can see the boats when they are in the pits, and at the in-port races. We are planning so-called speed races, where the boats sail a straight course from start to finish. And we are planning this directly in front of the Ocean Life Park. In other words, so that the boats are really, really close from land. If the wind is good, you can see the faces of the sailing crews on the boats as they race past. That really is our unique selling point in Kiel, you won't find that anywhere else.

You're right: in the other host cities there are harbour facilities with various piers, but no opportunity to organise an in-port race in the harbour basins. In Kiel, everything is close to the sea, whereas here the large ships are moored between the houses. Is there anything you can learn from the other harbours for organising this event?

Anjoscha: I think you can always learn from each other. The Ocean Race team, all the host cities and everyone involved are a team here and everyone is always learning from each other. I also believe that it is above all the many different experienced people who talk to each other and don't have any airs and graces. That's the biggest point for me: there are very experienced and well-known people, but they don't have any airs and graces. You can simply learn from each other, everyone is willing to share their experience. And that's really fun.

Anjoscha: Not to be too good for anything. I remember a situation where I came out of a meeting wearing a white shirt and after half an hour this white shirt was completely soiled because we had to do something quickly together, carry something somewhere. I think another important character trait is that you have to be able to integrate yourself into a team, that you have to find your place without taking yourself too seriously. Just do it, even if it's perhaps not your core competence. I think our team works so well because everyone looks out for each other. We all get on well in normal business too.

In a professional context, there is a lot of talk these days about flat hierarchies and working at eye level. In sailing, there is a skipper. There's no question that someone has to be in the limelight, but when a storm is brewing, someone has to make the decisive announcement.

Anjoscha: We have different positions here, everyone is responsible for their own area. Uwe [Wanger] is Managing Director, Jonathan [Hartmann] is Area Manager, others have other tasks, Greta is responsible for everything on land, I'm responsible for everything on the water. We have room to manoeuvre, talk to each other and listen to each other. That's just the way it is on a ship. In certain weather conditions, I can have a different opinion to the captain. But if the weather turns bad, the captain gives me an order and it's carried out. Full stop. In the end, the person who is responsible for everyone on board is also the one who must and may make a clear announcement in the final instance.

Greta: The metaphor of the ship fits quite well. In stormy times, the captain sets the direction. And when things are calm, it's also time to hand over the helm and try something out...

...or go for a swim. Did you both sail a lot yourselves?

Anjoscha: I've sailed quite a lot, tall ships. I also used to have a dinghy, but I have to say that my hobbyhorse, my core competence and my passion has always been making sure that others can sail well. Regatta management, race management, technical and organisational work. I had much more fun doing that than sailing myself.

Greta: I grew up on the water, my father went to sea. I have a close connection to the sea. And I enjoy water sports, but I'm more of a good co-sailor. When friends or acquaintances have a boat and go on a trip, I can come along.

An affinity with the sea naturally fits in with the race and its connection to marine conservation. Have you ever experienced a magical moment at, in or on the sea that you will never forget?

Greta: Not only on, but also in the sea. I go swimming in the fjord a lot, especially in the morning. Those are always special moments. When you've overcome yourself, even in spring, autumn or winter. Getting undressed and going into the water to swim a few lengths, sometimes just to hold out for a few moments. Or SUPing when the water is really smooth, or other times when you're battling the waves. I wouldn't say it's a specific moment, it's the sum of the moments. The sea always looks different, always feels different.

Anjoscha: Moments that have somehow stuck in my heart are, for example, the first time I jumped into the glow of the sea in Norway. Or sailing in a boat in really heavy seas with waves of over six metres. The fact that the sea is so kaleidoscopic. One moment, it's as smooth as glass and looks as if no water could make it turbid. The next moment it is rough and merciless. It shows us every time anew that we humans are simply so much smaller than nature. I think the sea is fundamentally good. It shows you where your place is from time to time, but it's basically good.

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