400 Islands Race Preview : From Kiel via Læsø, past Copenhagen and Bornholm
by Kieler Yacht Club 20 Oct 2025 13:51 UTC
13 June 2026
400 Islands Race © Kieler Yacht Club
The name '400 Islands Race' alone suggests challenging ocean sailing. In fact, the race starts in Kiel, circles (almost) all of the Danish Baltic Sea islands and returns to Kiel.
With the start and finish in front of the historic KYC clubhouse in Kiel-Düsternbrook, sailing enthusiasts in Kiel will once again be able to experience yacht sailing 'up close' in June 2026.
The course leads north through the Little Belt, up to Læsø, then southeast through the Sound, past Copenhagen and Malmö, then around Bornholm and Christiansø and back to Kiel. Depending on weather conditions, it is also possible to sail anti-clockwise. The race is open to yachts of approximately 10 to 20 metres in length, sailing with a full crew.
Starting line in Kiel-Düsternbrook: Where the ORC World Championship kicked off in 2023, the new offshore regatta is now starting: the 400 Islands Race. Photo: Sascha Klahn
The start is on Saturday, 13 June 2026. Four days later, the first yachts should return to Kiel; slower ones may take six days. In any case, the return is guaranteed in time for the start of Kieler Woche on 20 June 2026. The date also fits in perfectly with the long-distance regatta calendar: Rund Skagen (Helgoland-Kiel) starts at the end of May and the Swedish Gotland Rund sets sail at the end of June.
'The KYC is thus completing its range of offshore regattas. This has been a long-standing wish that is now finally being realised,' says KYC Chairman Dr Hauke Berndt happily. And he adds proudly: 'Our dedicated team is thus setting a new milestone in offshore regattas.'
The people behind the scenes are Sven Christensen and Ecki von der Mosel. Christensen is himself a successful regatta sailor and managing director of the club's own sponsorship agency, Point of Sailing Marketing GmbH. Von der Mosel is known in the scene as the inventor of the successful BlueRibbonCup and numerous other offshore regattas. Both are guarantors that the new event will be well received in the yachting scene.
'A format like this in the southern part of the Baltic Sea is long overdue,' adds von der Mosel dryly. He does not want to get carried away with predictions about registration numbers. 'We will open the registration portal soon and then we will quickly see the response,' he adds optimistically.