Dates and Teams are Announced for Nord Stream Race 2019

The Nord Stream Race fleet after the start in Kiel - 2018 Nord Stream Race © NSR / Andrey Sheremetev

An idea becomes a tradition: The 8th edition of the Nord Stream Race will take place from 23 June to 5 July 2019. Under the motto "Connecting Baltics through Sport", the race starts in Kiel and travels more than 1,000 nautical miles via Copenhagen, Stockholm and Helsinki to its final destination in St. Petersburg.

On the start line will be the best sailing clubs of five Baltic countries - Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Russia - which have earned the right to compete after winning their national sailing leagues in 2018. The sailors from five countries will visit five beautiful cities over 14 days of racing in a fleet of identical one-design 50 feet racing yachts.

"We are happy to see that Nord Stream Race has become a well-established event in the Baltic Sea," commented the Commodore of the Saint Petersburg Yacht Club, Vladimir Liubomirov. "By connecting five countries with one race and one trophy we are reaching out to local communities, creating a greater connection between these countries than ever before. This is the direction we shall continue to follow. The cooperation with the National Sailing Leagues provides the Nord Stream Race with an integrated approach that spans the whole year and never stops."

Defending champion Lord of the Sail Asia from Russia was unable to qualify again. Instead, the Russians will be represented for the first time by the club Leviathan Sailing Team. Denmark also sends a Nord Stream Race newcomer with Kongelig Dansk Yachtklub.

The five clubs that have qualified are:

• Norddeutscher Regatta Verein, Germany (second-time qualifier)
• Kongelig Dansk Yachtklub, Denmark (first-time qualifier)
• Kungliga Svenska Segelsällskapet, Sweden (second-time qualifier)
• Åländska Segelsällskapet, Finland (second-time qualifier)
• Leviathan Sailing Team, Russia (first-time qualifier)

In 2018, the integration into big sailing events like Kiel Week before the start to Copenhagen and the ÅF Offshore Race in Stockholm brought a new level of attention and respect for this unique offshore race in the Baltic Sea. Hence, both international sailing events will be part of the programme for Nord Stream Race 2019 as well.

Schedule for Nord Stream Race 2019:

• Kiel: June 21 to 23
• Copenhagen: June 24 to 25
• Stockholm: June 28 to 30
• Helsinki: July 1 to 3
• St. Petersburg: July 4 to 5

Since its inception in 2012, the Nord Stream Race has been organised by the Saint Petersburg Yacht Club with the support of Gazprom and Nord Stream AG. The race is 1,000 nautical miles long and runs along the Nord Stream pipeline route.

www.nord-stream-race.com/en

Lord of the Sail – Europe (Team Russia) hit top speeds last night but found manoeuvring tough in Nord Stream Race Leg 2 - photo © Lars Wehrmann / Nord Stream Race