They had to wait many hours before a mild breeze was ready to get the Kiel Week races going again on Sunday afternoon. The Olympic sailors were only able to start their programme on the second day of the world's largest regatta at around 4.30 pm. But then the race committee and the sailors on the water gave their all and were actually able to complete all the planned races by the evening, apart from the sixth and final 49er race, which had to be cancelled in the fading winds.
For the Kiel 49er sailors Justus Schmidt and Max Böhme, it was nevertheless an almost perfect day with a win on the day and a third place, as they were able to extend their lead at the end of the two qualification days to ten points ahead of the Austrians Benjamin Bildstein and David Hussl. European champions Erik Heil and Thomas Plößel from Berlin moved up to third place.
Tobias Schadewaldt from Oldenburg defended his top position in the Laser. The Olympic bronze medallist in the 49er sailed to another victory on the day and was delighted with his decision to start in Kiel despite the upcoming Laser World Championships in Canada: "That was a good decision. I can still get a good motivational boost here for the World Championships. The regatta management is top, the sailing is great!"
Paul Kohlhoff and Carolina Werner continue to sail away from the field in the new Olympic mixed discipline Nacra 17. The pair from Kiel completed the two-day qualification with five day wins and a second place as a stringer and will start the main round on Monday as top favourites. Paralympics winner Heiko Kröger, on the other hand, lost his lead in the 2.4mR class in the flat conditions and dropped back to second place, four points behind Norway's Bjørnar Erikstad. The races for the Olympic and Paralympic sailors will continue on Monday and end on Wednesday with the medal races.
Golden prelude for silver "Desna"
The wind lottery in the second part of the Welcome Race gave the silver-coloured "Desna" a golden start to the Kiel Week sea races. Sven Wackerhagen's yacht from Kiel sailed to second place in ORC I on the return race from Eckernförde to Kiel, securing overall victory after finishing fifth on the outward leg. The victory was very close, as the rivals on "X-Day" by Nils Gauter from Hamburg and "El Pocko" with Hamburg skipper Thomas Jungblut were beaten on equal points. First and fourth place brought Sven Christensen's "Xen" victory in ORC II. In ORC III/IV, Heiko Päsler's "Static Electric" relegated its rivals to second place.
The "Musandam - Oman Sail" was the only boat to sail the entire 20 nautical mile course from Eckernförde back to Kiel. When the team led by skipper Sidney Gavignet reached the finish line after just under three hours, the fleet had only just completed eleven nautical miles and was finally timed earlier.
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
