In an irregular series, we introduce you to Hamburg’s rowing clubs.

This time: the Touring Rowing Club “The Vikings” e.V.

When it comes to rowing in Hamburg, many first think of the Alster and the adjacent canals north of the Elbe. However, south of the Elbe, on Veddel, you can also enjoy excellent rowing, revealing a unique and popular rowing area with many special features. The regional rowing association AAC/NRB includes 21 clubs. The Vikings are a special touring rowing club, the only one of its kind in Hamburg. But read for yourself:

“Before I signed the membership form, I participated in four after-work outings – and each took us to a different area: First, we were in Spreehafen with its houseboats, then in Speicherstadt with its historic warehouses, finally in Hansahafen, where a car transporter the size of a residential building was being loaded, and eventually in Reiherstieg with its shipyards. I don’t know such a diverse area, even though I come from Berlin and not from a small town with a reservoir on its doorstep!” – I still recall the words of a new member from a few years ago.

Our rowing area – that’s where we truly excel. Even on our after-work rounds, spanning six to twenty kilometers, highlights like the Elbphilharmonie, Norderwerft, and Köhlbrandbrücke beckon. On Saturdays, we embark on shorter outings; on Sundays, we undertake full-day tours, either rowing downstream on the Elbe to Blankenese or Hanskalbsand, Wilhelmsburg (Europe’s largest developed river island), or upstream to Hoopte / Zollenspieker or Geesthacht. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, we head to the Vierlande (Doove- and Gose-Elbe), the Bille, or the Alster.

Those who want to truly challenge themselves can do so at long-distance regattas such as the Wesermarathon, the Ostemarathon, the Elbinselmarathon, and the Härtetest (Schleswig – Eckernförde), to name our most significant ones.

We organize about half a dozen multi-day touring trips each year: The Elbe, Danube, Moselle, Weser, Lahn, Ilmenau, Neetze, Schlei, Schwinge, Stör, Trave, the Plön Lakes, Baltic Sea, North Sea, Lake Constance, and the Kiel Canal are just some of the waters we have already rowed.

With just over 60 rowers, we are a small club with an affordable membership fee. In addition to gig boats tailored for our challenging waters, we also have two seaworthy Maas singles.

Our promotional video provides a first impression.

During the season, we have five sessions a week (Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays). In winter, we continue rowing and additionally offer winter hiking tours on Saturdays, often to destinations we have already visited by water or plan to visit.

You can find more pictures here.

More information is available on our homepage and on Facebook.

Ulrich Rothe, Rowing Officer ulrich@wordlex.de