History
1909 –The birth of the Bodenseewoche
The first officially documented Lake Constance Week takes place in Constance from July 31 to August 5, 1909.
The rowing and motorboat races are under the patronage of the Grand Duke Friedrich II of Baden.
at Friedrichshafen, Lindau, Bregenz and Überlingen
1911 – First Bodensee-Sailing-Week
Sailing regattas and airplane and automobile demonstrations complete the event. The Bodensee Week develops into a major sporting event and social meeting place for the nobility, upper middle classes and industrialists. It tours around Lake Constance, making guest appearances in Austria, Switzerland and Germany.
1952 – "Most important European water sports event"
In the 1950s, the Lake Constance Week even eclipsed the Kiel Week. An article in the largest German sailing magazine from 1952 provides impressive proof of this. Thus, the “Yacht” speaks of the “most important European water sports event”. Participants already travel from the far north and transport their boats across the country by train.
1972 – structural and logistical challenges
Over the decades, the venues change. This and also the size of the event make organization and financing difficult. Every year, other clubs face a Herculean task. In addition, there is an increase in sporting ambitions, which can hardly be reconciled with the uncertain wind conditions on Lake Constance. In 1972, the Lake Constance Week is discontinued.
2009 – New edition of the water sports event
37 years later, Lake Constance Week awakens from its slumber. Thanks to the commitment of Robert Hallmann, the organizing German and Swiss clubs, the city of Constance and numerous helpers, Lake Constance Week is being given a new lease of life. It has lost none of its flair and charisma beyond the lake.
2016 – New ways at the Bodenseewoche
The association Internationale Bodenseewoche e.V. is the official organizer of the water sports event. For the first time, Lake Constance Week will be organized solely by the clubs and their more than 350 volunteers. In addition to the watersports side, the organizing team now also takes care of the landside event planning.