DSL Cup final: NRV completes the treble with a "blatant show of strength"

The sailors from the Norddeutscher Regatta Verein have been on fire this year. Whether with World Championship titles in Olympic disciplines by iQFoiler Sebastian Kördel or Luise Wanser/Philipp Autenrieth in the 470 Mixed or internationally with victory in the Champions League final or nationally with the fifth club championship since the Bundesliga premiere in 2013: NRV crews were unstoppable. That didn't change at the home match in the late autumn DSL Cup final on the autumnally pretty Outer Alster.

NRV success guarantor Tobi Schadewaldt: "We fought a long time for this triple"

With another victory by the Hanseatic team, it is the first time in the tenth anniversary season of the German Sailing League that a club has won all three titles in just one year. In Hamburg the 20 participating teams enjoyed bright sunshine, wind and the best sailing conditions on the first day of the cup final. The fun continued in front of a picturesque city backdrop. On the final day, the races took place directly in front of the NRV jetties, so that spectators and fans had the best view of their favourites.

With a convincing series of eight first, two second and one fourth place in their eleven races, helmsman Leon Passlack, tactician Tobias Schadewaldt, Florian Thoelen and Florian Weser positioned themselves at the front of the field right from the start. However, it remained exciting right up to the last race of the golden season finale in a changed constellation. The Hamburg team had to fight to the end. The triple season success was only secured at the finish of the final race. "It was a tremendous feat of strength to win the triple, we fought for it for a long time," said former Olympian Tobias Schadewaldt. The NRV's best league helmsman, who took on the role of tactician this time, played a huge part in his club's success.

The cup races were of lasting importance, especially for the relegated clubs and new or re-applicants for a place in the 2nd Sailing Bundesliga 2023. The relegated clubs had the chance to make a direct re-entry by achieving good placings. Clubs that are not yet represented in the 2nd league can qualify directly for a starting place in the coming season if they are successful.

Travemünde Week will return to the league fixture list in 2023

The J/70 team from the Entdecker- und Seefahrerfördervereinigung, which had just been relegated after a cooperation with the Bucerius Law School sailing team and was now fighting for immediate promotion with its own team, scored points on the Outer Alster. With only five points less than the victorious NRV, the "explorers" convincingly took second place in the DSL Cup final. This meant that they were immediately promoted again. The Bucerius Law School sailing team also catapulted itself into the 2nd Bundesliga.

The third promoted team after a year of "league abstinence" is the Lübecker Yacht-Club (LYC), which celebrated its comeback with eighth place in the DSL Cup. "We are delighted that the LYC is back in the league and will be organising another match day in Travemünde next year as part of Travemünde Week," announced league manager Oliver Schwall. The team from Segelclub Otterstadt (SCO) will be new to the 2nd league in the coming season, having finished ahead of Segel-Club Salzgitter (SCS) on equal points in the final DSL standings due to better individual placings.

"The German Sailing League has become an indispensable part of German sailing"

The three inclusive teams that took part in the cup races achieved much more than a respectable success. Together with the Bat Sailing Team, in which visually impaired and blind sailors are part of the crew, helmswoman Anna Barth and her team achieved 15th place. Together with the team from the anBoard association, which enables people with cancer to sail, and the crew from the Möhnesee Yacht Club, the "Bats" confidently showed that they know how to utilise the opportunities offered by inclusive sailing on the regatta course.

Oliver Schwall took stock of the season at the DSL Cup final in Hamburg. He sees the league on a good course for the coming year: "Due to the political developments, we had to start the season with very different conditions. But the immense commitment of the participating and organising clubs has made up for everything. The German Sailing League has become an indispensable part of German sailing. All the clubs are working together to maintain and further develop this established format."

Click here for the results of the DSL Cup final.