Twenty teams registered for this year's traditional race on the Alter Strom, including, for the first time, a Danish team from Hundested, which normally competes on the open sea.
The Ketzin women, who fought their way to third place last year, were participating for the second time. This time, they arrived with the German vice-champion title over 5,000 and 1,000 metres. On the comparatively short 400-metre Warnemünde course, the only women's team made it to the round of 16, where they were defeated by the strong Sesstermüher team.
It was also a special day for the Rostock Oldies. As their name suggests, they not only have the highest average age. The oldest coxswain, Manfred Wiesner, aged 85, is himself a record holder at the Warnemünde Kutterpullen. The experienced rower became GDR champion in the coxless pair in 1967, took part in the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico and won the European championship title in the eight in 1969.
The Müllrose Kutterkameraden I completed the course in 3:05:60 minutes as the fastest team – but only in the qualifying round. In the quarter-finals, however, they were defeated by the Anklam Hanse-Haien.
The first-placed Rustower Recken crossed the finish line in the final in 03:09:25 minutes. The men from SSC Ketzin followed in second place with a time of 03:13:65 minutes.