128th Kiel Week: With thunder, lightning & hail through day three: favourites win on the racecourse, detention for the dinghies

Lightning, thunder and hail dominated the third regatta day of the 128th Kiel Week for a long time. Most of the sailors therefore stayed in the harbour at the behest of the race committee and watched the rapidly changing weather spectacle from ashore. Initially, only the large keelboats took to the starting line in front of the black walls of cloud with sometimes spectacular lightning on the horizon. For them, the Kiel Cup was the start of a three-day series with the first two races. The races of the international classes, on the other hand, had to be largely cancelled. Only the 29er crews in the Euro Cup, the fast Waszp sailors and the Ilca-6 helmsmen were kept on standby until the evening. It should be worth it ...

Kieler Woche weather expert Meeno Schrader described the weather scenario on Monday as follows: "The cumulus clouds pile up in minutes. Above water, they then cause big turns or even completely absorb the prevailing gradient wind." On the other hand, gusts of force seven to eight were to be expected. Too much for the small boats, decided Kieler Woche sports director Dirk Ramhorst: "The chance of regular races during the day was too small. The risk of suddenly having to recover many small dinghies in the blink of an eye was simply too high."

The Kiel Cup on the sea course started with favourite victories. Jens Kuphal's "Intermezzo" crew from Berlin proved both in the short up-and-down race and in the "Round the cans" around fixed sea marks that the modifications to the boat are paying off. After the double victory, the "Intermezzo" team took the lead in the large yachts ahead of Aalregatta winner "Xenia" by Ralf Lässig from Wulsdorf. In the smaller yachts, Knut Freudenberg's "Halbtrocken" from Flensburg took first and second place, ahead of Jochen Kunze's "Sophus" (Langballigau). Eckart Reinke, the overall manager of the Seebahn and also out on the course that day, said: "The weather was absolutely crazy. We had a calm. We had storms that made the spinnakers fly. We had hail. We had hot sunshine. And torrential rain. Not to mention the thunderstorm. In terms of weather, it was like a whole year in one day."

For three international classes, the long wait on this day was worth it after all. The 29ers took part in three final races in the Euro Cup from early evening, while Ilca 6 and Waszp were on the water until well after 8 pm. The favourites set the highlights in the late light of day. The New Zealanders George Lee Rush and Sebastian Menzies confidently defended their lead in the 29ers. Last year's Kieler Woche winner Ole Schweckendiek remained the best performer in the Ilca 6. The fastest Waszp-Foiler is still Paul Farien (Kiel).

Günther" remains the clear leader among the 29ers. The charter boat from boat dealer Holger Jess from Eckernförde obviously brings luck to the New Zealanders. They were unable to continue their unblemished winning streak from the preliminary round. However, a third place and two further victories allowed them to easily defend their lead ahead of Carl Krause/Max Georgi (Rostock) and the Sach brothers. Anton and Johann Sach, the defending Kiel Week champions, continued to work their way forward in the Euro Cup for talented skiff sailors. Fourth and second place in the first two finals took them to third place in the overall standings.

For the Waszp, the late mission became a ride on a narrow blade from which anyone could quickly slip. The underwater wings only lift the "Wasps" and their pilots constantly out of the water when there is sufficient speed. However, this was not always guaranteed in the fluctuating winds. And so victory came down to the ability to stay on the foils for as long as possible. Paul Farien from Kiel has mastered this perfectly. Last year's European runner-up followed this up with wins three and four in races four and five and is clearly leading the field of 16 Waszp ahead of the final day

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