Sports and Maritime Events
With the Baltic Sea on its doorstep and a vast, flat countryside, Greifswald and its surroundings offer the perfect conditions for sports enthusiasts.
Being active in the university and Hanseatic Town
In addition to wonderful routes for walking, jogging and cycling – after all, the bike is the number one means of transport in Greifswald – water sports enthusiasts in particular will find plenty to enjoy here. The location on the Danish Wiek offers ideal conditions in summer for sailing, surfing, swimming, canoeing and diving.
The municipal swimming pool, various sports and leisure centres, and numerous gyms and dance studios are all at your disposal to satisfy your urge to get active in winter. If you’re studying or working at the University, you’ll also find a wide range of options offered by University Sport, which includes not only classic offers such as basketball, fitness, pilates and bouldering, but also many unusual courses.
Citylauf and the Dragon Boat Race
Every year in early May, more than 1,000 running enthusiasts gather for the ten-kilometre Greifswald Citylauf [de]. Before that, there is a running competition for schools, followed by a relay race in which around 100 teams from companies, institutions and mixed relay teams now take part.
The Dragon Boat Festival [de] is another established event in Greifswald’s sporting calendar, with more than 30 teams competing for victory on the Ryck. You don’t have to take part to have fun, spectators will enjoy this event just as much as the athletes.
Fishing Festival Gaffelrigg
Another highlight during the height of summer is the three-day Fishing Festival Gaffelrigg, the region’s largest maritime folk festival. What exactly does that have to do with sports? Sailing teams from all over Germany compete against each other in the ZK10 cutter regatta on the Danish Wiek. Another tradition on this day is the Ryckhangeln (Ryck rope traverse), in which participants have to cross the Ryck on a synthetic rope – a challenge that requires a fair bit of skill and strength.
Stadtradeln (City Cycling challenge)
The University of Greifswald has taken part in the Stadtradeln [de] event every year since 2010, joining forces with other local communities to compete in a cycling challenge. Over a three-week period, all members of the university community can sign up to the “Uni Greifswald” team and jointly collect the kilometres they have cycled. Each local community has different teams, and the one with the most kilometres cycled per person wins. Together, we are sending a clear message in support of climate action and a sustainable university.
Boddenschwimmen
Are you drawn not only onto the water, but also into it? Then Boddenschwimmen [de] is the event for you. Every year, on the second Saturday of July, you can take on the 2.6-kilometre crossing of the Danish Wiek from Ludwigsburg to Greifswald Eldena.