Two pairs of young German brothers are fighting for a good top ten place in the 29er Euro Cup: Anton and Johann Sach were the best German team in ninth place on Saturday evening after a short rollercoaster ride through the field, finishing 30th, 2nd and 19th. Their father Christian Sach and their uncle Helge Sach were once among the best catamaran sailors of their generation. Just five positions behind them, Per Christoffer and Carl Frederik Schwall in 14th place in the Kieler Woche's largest international field of 168 skiffs are the second-best German 29er crew vying to climb up the rankings.
The descendants of the golden catamaran generation: two pairs of brothers in the 29er
Her father René Schwall and her uncle and Bundesliga founder Oliver Schwall were also once part of the golden German catamaran generation of the national sailing team. Together with his helmsman Roland Gäbler, René Schwall won Olympic bronze in Sydney in 2000 and World Championship gold in the same year. Oliver and René Schwall had already won World Championship silver together in 1992 in the Tornado, the fastest Olympic class at the time, and even gold a year later. Now it is once again young Sachs and Schwalls who are successful in the same class and are looking forward to the final day with excitement. In the lead in the 29ers are the Irishmen Clementine and Nathan van Steenberge.
In Ilca 6, the attempt at a third race of the day was cancelled. Paul Ulrich (Zwischenahn) remains in first place despite two mediocre races (33, 11). However, his points cushion over Hidde Schraffordt (Netherlands) and Stefanie Norton (Hong Kong) on the last day of Kieler Woche is no longer a cushion to rest on. Austria's Anton Messeritsch also had to find out just how much it can go up and down on the outer fjord in the Ilca 6. He started the day with a win and explained: "The start was crucial. I was lucky to be able to tack early and then have the freedom to decide and sail my style." However, he no longer had this freedom in the second race of the day. There he found himself in the middle of the field in 23rd place and was held back in his upward trend to 21st place overall.
Status unclear: 40 J/70 crews asked to attend jury hearing
The J/70 frontrunners around Malte Winkel from Kiel also had a mixed result. A third place was followed by an early start disqualification. The Kiel team can still cross this mishap off the list and therefore remain at the top of the International German Championship rankings ahead of Stefan Seger's Swiss team.
However, the results of the J/70 were still subject to change in the evening. Due to the unresolved status of dozens of sailors - amateur or professional - 40 crews have to explain themselves to the jury. The hearing should take place on Saturday evening. It will also be interesting to find out why the problem only came to light on the eve of the final day and not when the entries were received.
Will the lead hold on the final day?
The Hamburg team led by Stefan Karsunke had to vacate the top spot in the J/24 class with three midfield finishes and will now go into the final day in pursuit of Manfred König (Hamburg). In the other classes that did not sail on Saturday, the German leaders remained in the lead: Tania Tammling is top in the Europe, Levian Büscher from Düsseldorf in the Ilca 4 and the world champions Kay-Uwe Lüdtke/Kai Schäfers (Berlin/Hanover) in the Flying Dutchman.
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
