PROJECT

You will get to know everything about the Zero Emissions Project here.
How it all started and what we want to achieve with out projects.

Michael Walther and Thomas Reinke were sitting on board of the Trimaran “Playing for Success” in 2008 and founded the Zero Emissions Project. From the get-go it was our goal to engage spectators, the media, and companies with spectacular water sports projects for different environmental topics. Back then we knew already that conservation will have to be cool and interesting to finally reach more people. Protection of the climate must become mainstream, even if this sounds superficial. This is the only way to reach an audience that has not spent their time thinking about climate change, litter pollution, acidification of our oceans or resource savings as of yet.

By now we are so used to receiving all our information through the internet at home. But which news stories are actually reaching us? Thanks to Social Media and Blogs we live in a bubble that makes use believe that by now the whole world has interest in our topic. We don’t get together with more but actually fewer different-minded people. We “like” our favorite topics and the algorithms will show us more similar information.

Because of that it has become even more important to cross borders with our projects to reach even more people. We can only preserve our planet for the coming generations working together as a team!

Because of that it has become even more important to cross borders with our projects to reach even more people. We can only preserve our planet for the coming generations working together as a team!

2020

From Basel through Germany to Kiel on the SUP. Michael Walther started his journey alone without support in August 2020 along the Rhein, multiple channels, the Weser, the Elbe and the Northsea-Baltic Sea channel towards Kiel. Cross Germany is the name of his mission and after exactly 3 weeks he reaches his hometown Kiel.

2019

Circling Schleswig-Holstein without emissions! That was the goal in 2019 and we reached this goal together with Mario Rodwald. Taking turns, we paddled and surfed along the coast of the most northern German state. From Kiel, to Travemünde and Lübeck, through the Elbe-Lübeck channel, the Elbe river, along the North Sea coast and then along the Baltic sea coast from Flensburg home. One of us on the water and the other one accompanying in the electro car. As a backup on the water we also had a torqeedo electro motor boat available.

In only 8 days we put 700km behind us circling Schleswig-Holstein without emissions.

2018

The Zero Emissions Project already exists for 10 years. In our anniversary year we depart for a special journey. After 1 ½ years of planning we travel to Aasiaat on the Disco Bay in May 2018. From there the journey leads us to Ilulissat on the SUP in search of the ice and man-made climate change. We get in close contact with a lot of locals and collect a lot of fascinating experiences and information.

From this journey the short film THE GREAT ROUTE from Max Stolarow is being created, which won national and international prizes in the past years.

2015

Hydrofoils are the hot topic in water sports and also for us of course. Wind energy can hardly be used more efficiently. The foiling A-Cat enriched our projects from 2015 to 2018, challenging ferries to races and getting young people excited about the power of the wind.

2013

Starting in 2013: Adding to the different sailing projects, a new water sport had joined. Sailing is very demanding at times and because of that it happens more and more often that Michael Walther chooses to travel along the coast of Schleswig-Holstein with his Stand-up paddle board. It doesn’t come as a surprise when this mode of transport starts being used for extreme projects as well.

In 2015 Michael Walther paddles from Kiel to Äerö, Denmark, across the open Baltic sea – at night and non-stop. Every paddled kilometer of the 50 fulfilled collects donations for the Paulchen Esperanza foundation with which we have been cooperating since 2013.

In 2016, the 9h to Denmark are not a big enough challenge anymore. So Michael goes non-stop from Kiel to Flensburg in 24h covering 120km – Donations went to Paulchen again of course!

2017 crosses Michael Schleswig-Holstein with his SUP. 98km through the Kiel channel.

2009

Starting in 2009: Besides the Trimaran “Playing for Success” different F18 class F18 catamarans are being used. The three time German championship winner in the Hobie Tiger class Michael Walther competed 4 times in the hardest Formula 18 Regatta in the world, the Archipelago Raid. 2009 under the slogan “W4 – powered by Zero Emissions”. That year the American owner of the agency W4 wanted to fulfill his dream to participate in the Regatta. Unfortunately, he was not able to do so due to a severe illness and Michael Walther ended up competing with a different crew. Further regattas followed in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

2008

One year goes by sailing regattas and further sailing projects until the same crew leaves the harbor in Kiel in December for the "ZERO EMISSIONS - BALTIC CHALLENGE". In the name of the provincial capital and the support of the city’s mayor Kathy Kietzer as the patron the Trimaran leaves Kiel to pass the “Zero Emissions” message on to all Baltic Sea bordering countries.

The journey leads from Kiel to Danzig, to Klaipeda, Riga, Tallinn, St. Petersburg, Helsinki, Stockholm and ends after 2000 sea miles in darkness and temperatures below zero right before Christmas on Öland. The Swedish island turns into the final destination of the project after wind and weather force the crew to land there.

We switched one of the sailors of the crew for a sailor from each country in each place. This way we were able to spark more identification and enthusiasm in each corresponding country.

2007

The roots of the Zero Emissions Project were laid already in 2007. Thomas Reinke and Michael Walther reach an agreement with the sailing legend Pete Goss to take over the Seacart 30 “Playing for Success”. The Englishman had used this carbon-offshore Trimaran in previous years for a kids and youth program and handed over a perfectly equipped yacht in 2007. Thomas Reinke, Michael Walther and Thomas Walther transfer the Trimaran in December 2007 already via sea route from Plymouth to Kiel. 35 knots of wind and 2 degree air temperature are the first real challenges for the crew and the material. Right before Christmas the team reached their new home port.

IMPRESSIONS FROM PAST PROJECTS

We want to raise enthusiasm for nature with our projects. Here are a few impressions from our Zero Emissions Projects up to today.