24h Regatta on the Außenalster

24 Hours of Sailing on the Alster

Anyone looking out over the Außenalster on the first weekend of August and seeing white sails glide across the dark water from late evening until early morning is not experiencing an optical illusion. The 24h Regatta organized by the Akademischer Segler-Verein (ASV) Hamburg truly runs around the clock – day and night, without a break. This unusual sporting event has been a firm fixture in Hamburg's summer calendar since 2004.

Format: Distance Over Speed

Unlike classic regattas, which focus on speed over set courses, here it's the total distance that counts: Which boat covers the longest distance sailed in 24 hours? Timing is continuous, and each boat sails its own laps on the Alster waterway. After each lap, half of the crew must be replaced at the regatta base on the university jetty – this keeps the participants physically and mentally alert.

Up to 30 Boats, 200 Sailors

Participants compete with dinghies and small keelboats – not large yachts, which wouldn't fit on the Alster anyway. A maximum of 30 boats are permitted, with around 200 sailors in total spread across shift rotations. The participating clubs are predominantly Hamburg-based (Norddeutscher Regatta-Verein NRV, Hamburger Segel-Club HSC, Segel-Club Rhe), along with Akademische Segler-Vereine from Aachen, Karlsruhe, and other university locations.

Welcome Barbecue and Onboard Catering

The surrounding festivities are organized like a festival: On the Friday evening before the regatta, the ASV invites participants to a welcome barbecue on the lawn at Bobby Reich on the northern Alster bank. Throughout the 24 hours, continuous catering is provided at the regatta base – barbecue, midnight soup, breakfast, and lunch, allowing the rotating crew members to rest. Overnight stays are arranged on the club grounds in tents or in nearby hotels.

What Spectators Can Expect

The regatta is particularly spectacular at dusk and at night: When the navigation lights flicker across the dark Alster water, an almost surreal atmosphere is created in the heart of the city. The best vantage points for spectators are the Langenzugbrücke bridge in the east, the Café Bellevue on the south bank, and the Alsterpark on the west bank. Admission is free.

In the Hamburg-Nord District, in the State of Hamburg

The Außenalster, with its approximately 164 hectares of water surface, is one of the largest inner-city water bodies in Germany and a defining element of Hamburg's cityscape. The waterway is located in the Hamburg-Nord district (districts of Uhlenhorst, Hohenfelde, Rotherbaum, Harvestehude) and is home to numerous sailing and rowing clubs. The 24h Regatta utilizes this infrastructure and brings together sport, lifestyle, and urban observation once a year – a typical Hamburg summer phenomenon in the state of Hamburg.