There is even more at stake for the top German sailors. Because in the Olympic part of Kiel Week, from 18 to 22 June, Germany's best will be battling it out for participation in the 2012 Olympic sailing competitions in Weymouth in the south of England. "All German crews aiming for the 2012 Olympic Games will start in Kiel," said Nadine Stegenwalner, Sports Director of the German Sailing Association, at the Kieler Woche press conference in Hamburg on Tuesday 17 May.
After the start at the Isaf Sailing World Cup Sail for Gold in Weymouth, Kiel is the second of three stops in the German qualification, which will be decided after the World Championships off Perth (Australia/3 to 18 December). Then it will be clear who will represent Germany at the 2012 Olympic Games. But in addition to so much Olympic spectacle around World Cup victory, Olympic ticket and pre-Olympic participation, there is also the classic Kiel Week with its numerous highlights - and these also have it all: Strong partners, total medialisation, the Isaf Sailing World Cup award ceremony with Isaf President Göran Petersson, the Sailing IDM, the X99 Gold Cup, the Farr 30 European Championship, two German Open events on the racecourse and 17 classes in the international section will frame the Olympic competition.
A highlight for spectators will be the appearance of the Tornado class in the new sailing arena in the centre of the city. "We will present a new sailing arena in the centre of the city and offer exciting speed races for the media and spectators," promises Roland Gäbler, World President of the Tornado Association. "This will be sailing like we've never seen before - customised for spectators and the media. With the new unified Tornado, we guarantee precisely timed starts of between one and 35 knots."
"Of course I'm delighted that Kiel has recognised the signs of the times and decided in favour of the sporty catamaran and skiff classes even before the World Sailing Federation made its decision," said Nadine Stegenwalner in Hamburg. The classes are not only spectacular, fast and interesting for the media and spectators, but also particularly appealing for the athletes. At the beginning of May, the world federation decided to include a catamaran and a skiff for women at the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil and banned the keelboats Star and Elliott (women's match race) from the Olympic programme.
Lasse Johannsen
Deputy Editor in Chief YACHT
