With three fast races in almost all Olympic classes, the "Welcome Race" and the middle distance "Kiel-Eckernförde", the world's largest sailing regatta opened on Saturday in what were initially good, but later somewhat calmer wind conditions. Only a downpour in the late afternoon spoilt the fans' enjoyment for a short time.
The outstanding German starters in the fields of the Olympic disciplines, which, as is so often the case in Olympic years, were conspicuously weak with a total of only 300 registered boats, were once again the laser sailors Philipp Buhl from Sonthofen and Olympic hopeful Simon Grotelüschen from Lübeck. The two German stars in the Olympic part of Kiel Week opened the last World Cup final in their home waters for the time being with first and fifth place.
"I also expected this performance from myself," said Philipp Buhl in the evening with a twinkle in his eye. The sports soldier has obviously recovered magnificently from his defeat to Grotelüschen in the national Olympic qualifier and was in a winning mood right from the start of the five-day series. In addition to his use as a sparring partner for Grotelüschen, "from which we both benefit enormously", Buhl has long since set himself a new ambitious goal: "I want to do what the Australian Ton Slingsby has been doing for years and dominate the Laser field." In Kiel, he achieved this almost flawlessly at the start, finishing 1-2-1.
In the absence of most of the well-known international Olympic teams in almost all Olympic disciplines, the Kiel 49er sailors Tobias Schadewaldt and Hannes Baumann made a false start. The Olympic team was only in 21st place out of 34 starters on the first evening. Kiel's junior sailors Justus Schmidt and Max Boehme did better. As the best German team, the young KYC crew was in second place after three races, finishing 2-5-5.
In the tiny field of just twelve 470 women's teams, Tina Lutz and Susann Beucke have taken the lead after three races. The Olympic starters Kathrin Kadelbach/Friederike Belcher from Berlin and Hamburg are not at the start. In the men's 470, the brothers Julian and Philipp Authrieth from Bavaria are in second place, just ahead of the Olympic starters Ferdinand Gerz and Patrick Follmann from the German Touring Yacht Club (3rd).
The starting signal for the "Welcome Race" of the sea-going yachts was fired on Saturday morning by Bundesliga coach Mirko Slomka, who had previously sailed aboard the "Tutima" for the first time on a large regatta yacht with a crew of 15 women under the command of Kirsten Harmstorf from Hamburg.
In response to the most frequently asked question about the chances of the German national football team at the European Championship, Slomka, who is travelling to Gdansk on Sunday, said: "Germany will make it to the final. France and Russia are in good form and Spain are always among the favourites."
The third group match of the German national football team will also be shown in the Kieler Woche marquee in Kiel-Schilksee on Sunday evening. The organisers are expecting a full house at the public viewing in the Olympic Centre, but are not allowed to admit more than just under 1200 fans.
The "goldiest" boat of the day was Jochen Schümann's "All4One". He and his guests counted up a total of twelve Olympic gold medals. Among the stars on board were ski racer Hilde Gerg and bobsleigh ace André Lange. "All4One" navigator and circumnavigator Boris Herrmann reported: "Our guests integrated well and travelled well. We are super happy, it was a great day of sailing." Commenting on his own involvement in the team, Herrmann said: "I'm grateful to Jochen for the opportunity! The role is very different to what I'm used to, but also very exciting. This is now my main project until September." Boris Herrmann has postponed his aspired participation in the Vendee Globe by four years, "but it is still an unqualified goal". "As yet," says Herrmann, "I don't know how I'm going to fill the next four years. There will be another Barcelona World Race... I'm in the process of setting myself new goals and I'm taking it all in my stride." The results of the ocean race were not yet available in the evening.
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Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
