Rhine details

The address of Ruder Gesellschaft Benrath boathouse is Benrather Schlossufer 35, 40597, Düsseldorf and is about a 20 min walk from Benrath station. The boathouse is substantial and very well appointed and lies about 2/3 of the way down the Marathon course on a big bend in the Rhine

Benrath itself is a well-to-do suburb of Dusseldorf and built around the Schlöss Benrath, a pink baroque palace and hunting ground which lies between the town and the river. Just south of Benrath lies the suburb of Urdenbach, the location of any Erntedankfest celebrations that often occur the same weekend as the marathon and with we frequently get involved.

Getting to Germany
You are entirely responsible for getting yourself to and from Benrath. Most fly London–Düsseldorf but Köln/Bonn is also a flight option as there are good train connections from both. Another option is the Eurostar to Brussels, then ICE train to Köln and a the local S-Bahn to Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof. A road trip with your crew is another very viable option that has been used in the past and one time some of us even cycled there! 

Assuming you want to join us for dinner in the evening, you’ll almost certainly have to take Friday afternoon off work and most of us tend to travel out during the day on Friday and return home on Sunday evening.

Local trains
The fastest train (RRX) from Düsseldorf Flughafen to Benrath takes 15mins via Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof (Hbf). You can also take the S-Bahn but that stops everywhere so will take twice as long. You need a Zone A ticket and a single journey is about 3.60€. 

From Köln/Bonn Flughafen, the journey is about 30 mins and a little less from the Hauptbahnhof if you arrive in Köln by train.

Local Trams (U-Bahn)
The tram for Benrath is the U72 which runs from Düsseldorf Altstadt. The U76 runs from Düsseldorf Hbf to Holthausen where you can pick-up the U72

You are entirely responsible for sourcing and booking your accommodation. The cheapest (i.e. free) option is to stay in the Kinder Keller at Benrath Boathouse. It's basic but secure, warm and dry and with access to the club changing, shower and toilet facilities. This option will require a sleeping bag and possibly a roll mat as sofa space is limited.

Benrath isn't a particularly touristy area but there are Airbnbs and hotels. Many are a fair walk from the boathouse, which is our hub for the weekend. Below are listed a few hotel options, some further out than others:

www.marriott.com/en-us...

schloss-hotel-benrath.de/

www.hotel-zum-neuen-rathaus.de/hotel/ 

www.pigage.de/ 

https://www.stargaze-hotels.de...

https://www.ihg.com/holidayinn...

Cash is king in Germany, much more so than in the UK and many places won't take cards so you will need plenty of folding money. There are ATMs in Benrath, Düsseldorf and the airport. You will require approximately 200€ for the weekend, most of which will go into The Whip.

The Whip is an amazing phenomenon, whereby once you're in it, everything is free for the rest of the event / evening / weekend. It works like this... At the start of the event you hand over most of your cash to the appointed Whipman. Thereafter anything that needs paying for is done so by The Whipman, leaving you to enjoy the event without all that faffing about in your back pocket. The Whipman is usually selected, by peer pressure, before the event starts and the post is often held by somebody who has never attended that particular event before. The theory being that, because of their ignorance, they won't stray too far from the pack. The Whip is most often pressed into service during the Rhine Marathon or on The Waddle. There is only one rule of The Whip: Never leave your Whipman

Generally The Whip will pay for most of the weekend, including race fees, drinks, food and some transportation. We will 'Whip-up' several times over the weekend to avoid having thousands of Euros in a single pile of cash! Obviously anyone not racing or drinking will not be expected to contribute as much

We muster at Benrath boathouse by approximately 18.00 to join Benrath members for a few drinks and dinner. Traditionally this has been a spag bol in their bar. As long as you’re in it, The Whip will pay for our dinner and drinks as well as settling out race fees (110€ per crew in 2025)

The draw for the race is not published until about a week beforehand so final details and arrangement for the Saturday day are also sorted out. Some crews may well have an early start in the morning.

Having had breakfast before departure is advised. They do sell some food and (hot) drinks at the start and there are very limited opportunities to get food on the way. There are a couple of "Pass" bakeries within easy walking distance of the Benrath boathouse as well as a small convenience store. The bakeries are open early but not always the shop.

The Benrath minibus and/or private cars will shuttle us from the boathouse down to the start in Leverkusen which is approx. 30–40 minute drive. You’ll be given a muster time on Friday evening so please don’t be late because it’s a tight schedule and various Benrath members are doing us a huge favour by providing this transport.

Crews should be dressed in their usual rowing/racing kit, with a warm layer or two to wait around in. Leggings and base layers for racing are personal choice and will also depend on the weather. You will need trainers that can get wet as the boats are fitted with adjustable ergo straps rather than shoes. A caps is recommend as you're looking south for most of the race and it will also help keep sweat out of your eyes.

At least one decent dry bag per boat is recommended to carry excess/warm kit (Gillets, splash tops, phones, wallets etc)

You are usually expected to rig your boat on arrival at Leverkusen, the boats and blades having already been taken there during the week. It’s debatable whether you’ll get a jigger on a plane but your cox will have tools

There are toilets and changing rooms at the start and drinking water available as well as a food /coffee stall – the usual Head race set-up.

Pack a bag with some clean clothes, shoes and shower kit/towel. This will be left on the bus and taken to the finish

The race is 43km of almost continuous sculling, with optional break(s). Conditions can vary considerably and will have quite an influence on how long the race takes. Usually it will take between 2hr20 – 2hr45 depending on conditions. 

The stream is a lot stronger than the Tideway so you need to be switched-on as you push-off to clear the pontoon. Any further adjustments will have to wait until you’re clear and ready to spin since you start by paddling up-river before spinning and crossing the start line which is just down-river from the pontoon. Barge wash can be considerable so expect some very lumpy water in parts

You’ll be sculling a Rhine boat with an experienced German cox steering. Short of a serious medical incident, you need to be able to keep going for the whole race.

Take a sports bottle (or two) and perhaps a quick snack. It’s entirely up to the crew how often it stops for breaks but usually only once if you want a decent time.

You’ll very likely get wet due to the wash form the enormous barges and it will be a miracle if you escape without at least one blister – and yes it will hurt. Definitely Type II fun but very rewarding after the event.

A seat pad is highly recommended!

There will be assistance to get your boat off the water and to the trailer. Beers will be summoned for rehydration while you de-rig.

Once the boat is sorted, grab your dry kit from the bus and go for a shower – they’re pretty decent showers although the water does get cooler the later you finish. Wet kit can be put back on the bus for transport back to Benrath

Join the throng outside RG Germania to compare blisters and banter. There will be ample beer, sausages, cake – and endless presentations. You’ll get a finishers medal and if you’ve ordered an official tee shirt, it's collected from here. Once again The Whip will cover all costs at the finish (apart from official tee-shirts).

We generally leave the finish between 17.00 – 18.00hrs depending on what has been arranged for the rest of the evening. Once again, our host will supply transportation back to Benrath.

There are two possibilities for Saturday evening, depending on several factors but booking are generally arranged in advance by our hosts:

The beer tent
The Marathon often coincides with Erntedankfest, the local Harvest Celebrations, which are taken quite seriously. On these occasions we will walk up the river to a restaurant in Urdenbach then go onto ‘The Beer Tent’ . The Beer Tent does what it says on the tin and includes a live band and a lot of Dirndls and Lederhosen. Beer is bought by the barrel and is danced-off (a.k.a Mobbing the Buzzard) to the tunes of Euro pop and German rock, often mixed with a bit of Oompah! From here you can stagger back to bed at whatever time you prefer.

To help you blend in, a blue-check shirt is recommended for the beer tent. A neckerchief is also traditional and Cygnet now have their own, available here.

Altstadt
Some years we will go into Düsseldorf Altstadt for dinner at one of the famous Dusseldorf breweries. The U72 tram is the best option between Benrath and Altstadt (usually alighting at Heinrich Heine Allee).

If we go into the Altstadt, there will be Benrath members with us and we will be chaperoned, usually sticking together as a group, at least to begin with. You are welcome to stay out as long as you like but if you choose to stay in town after our chaperones leave then you must find your own way back to your bed – and a cab will be at your own expense!

The Whip will cover all food and beer costs – up to a point! We will almost certainly have to re-whip on Saturday evening.

And relax. The day is your own but we usually muster at Benrath Boathouse at approx 11.00am and help with any boat handling from Saturday and/or preparations for the Erntedankfest Parade.

A stroll through the Schlosspark (between Benrath town and the boathouse) and/or along the bank of the Rhine is very pleasant and traditional, as is group photo outside the Schloss

Those catching afternoon flights, should leave at around lunchtime. 

The decorated Benrath boat will leave the boathouse for the parade at about 13.00 and be walked down the road to join the main parade in Urdenbach before meandering around the village, becoming increasingly less sober as it goes. You are welcome to join the parade, which is rather surreal and unique experience, although it can start to feel like a bit of a drag by the end!

Note that you should leave plenty of time to get to the airport: German trains are as unreliable as British ones on a Sunday and security at Dusseldorf airport is a notoriously slow process.

Before the weekend
Most arrangements will be made by email. It's always helpful if you can give the organiser some idea of your transport and accommodation plans.

During the weekend
Of course there is a Rhine Marathon WhatsApp group. This is extremely useful for staying in touch while in Germany and is highly recommended. If you want to be in the group please inform the organiser and supply your number before we go .

Other admin
If you’re getting insurance, check the small print because it may not cover you for “competing” in an organised event
A GHIC card is recommended
Ensure that your Passport is valid for at least 6 months after your return date

The weather
The climate in Dusseldorf in early October is, on the whole, quite pleasant; warm and sunny with cold mornings and a gentle breeze. However, that's not guaranteed and when it's grim, it's usually really grim! You should certainly check the forecasts, pack accordingly and pray for a southerly wind.

More on the marathon, including stories, photos and a video of the race can be found here