Kiel.Sailing.City
Sailing metropolis and marine conservation city
Kiel is not only the state capital of Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel.Sailing.City is also the sailing capital of the world. The Kiel Week and many other sailing events are proof of this, but especially the Ocean Race with the fly-by in the Kiel Fjord in June 2023, which was watched by 120,000 enthusiastic people, and now as the starting port of the Ocean Race Europe 2025.
As a marine conservation city, Kiel has a particularly important role to play, because the Ocean Race is more than just a high-performance sport, it is also a credible ambassador for marine conservation activities worldwide. Boris Herrmann's slogan is therefore perfectly suited to the race - and to Kiel: A race we must win. We in Kiel will make a valuable contribution to this.
Start port Kiel
The Ocean Race Europe 2025
Following the tremendous success of The Ocean Race Fly-By 2023 with over 120,000 spectators and a media reach of millions, Kiel.Sailing.City will be the starting port for The Ocean Race Europe this year. From 6 to 10 August 2025, The Ocean Race Europe can be experienced up close in Kiel. The entire event area on the Kiellinie stretches from Geomar to Blücherbrücke, where the IMOCAs will be moored.
Visitors can expect a five-day water and land programme with cultural, sporting and marine conservation activities to take part in and experience - free of charge for everyone from Kiel, from the "true north of Schleswig-Holstein", from Germany and from all over the world.
Dr Ulf Kämpfer
Lord Mayor of Kiel
“Let’s start together in Kiel!”
Dr Ulf Kämpfer, Lord Mayor of Kiel
"We all live in a sea full of challenges, but the world is the boat on which we all sail together. We in Kiel live with the sea. We love it, it's part of our identity. The ships dock right between our houses in the city, and sailors have always set sail from here. They sail out. And "going out" is the key: heading for the horizon, reaching foreign countries, meeting people and coming together.
Only together can we overcome the challenges we face. Socially, economically, politically, but also in particular the challenges of climate change and the associated efforts to protect the oceans.
Let's start together in Kiel and celebrate this top event. Let us connect Europe. Let us be united by the sea – by our common stance, by this race. Come on board in Kiel, because: We all sail in the same boat."
(Dr Ulf Kämpfer on the occasion of the international meeting of all host cities at the Ocean Race headquarters in Alicante)
Das Kiel-Marketing-Team im Porträt
“And now the whole city is in Ocean Race fever!”
We at Kiel-Marketing are closely connected to Kiel, the sea and our job. Here we tell you what we like best about our city on the Kiel Fjord.
Greta-Sophie Strauß and Anjoscha Voigtsberger have already gained valuable experience during the Ocean Race Fly-by in June 2023. Now the Ocean Race Europe is coming up - and it's hard to say where the joy is greater: for the two of them or for the many guests we are expecting.
A journey into the world of the oceans
SEALEVEL experience room
The SEALEVEL shows you how beautiful and exciting the sea is, but also the challenges it faces. From the glittering water on the surface to the dark depths - the sea is not only home to many animals and plants, but also a place that fascinates many people. Discover exciting exhibits, interesting scientific information and interactive stations that illustrate how important the ocean is for our lives.
Holstenstraße 2-12, 24103 Kiel