Record winner Wolfgang Hunger narrowly missed out on his 22nd title at the 122nd Kieler Woche. After ten races, the 505 helmsman from Strande and his coxswain Julien Kleiner were four points short of victory, which was secured by the Brits Andy Smith and Tim Needham in the fast planing dinghy. The three-time Olympian and 470 World Champion from 1990 and 1991 is therefore still waiting for his next Kieler Woche victory, but remains world class and once again impressed with great skill in predominantly strong winds.
At the end of the first international half of Kiel Week, Head of Organisation Dirk Ramhorst drew a positive half-time balance: "We are very satisfied with this first half, we have sailed the maximum in almost all classes." Eight German teams sailed to victory in 14 international boat classes. These included Gwendal Lamay and Luke Willim from Kiel in the 29er, Kilian König and Johannes Brack (Waldeck) in the Flying Dutchman, Helge and Christian Sach from Zarnekau with their Formula 18 projectile, Ingo Delius (Bielefeld) and Kai Tittjung in the Hobie 16, Tobias Feuerherdt with his crew Jan-Marc Ulrich, Lukas Feuerherdt, Tobias Peters and Justus Fritz Kellner in the J 24, Frithjof Schwerdt from Kiel in the Musto performance skiff and the Flensburg Albin Express crew skippered by Jan Brink.
The hour of the "Pink Ladies"
At the same time, the sea sailors fought thrilling duels in the battle for the International Sea Sailing Championship. In the field of large ORC 1 yachts, the "Pink Ladies" on "Tutima" with skipper Kirsten Harmstorf from Hamburg fought their way to third place in the intermediate classification with two daily victories, even relegating the favoured Dutch long-distance winner "Tonnere de Breskens" to fourth place for the time being. The "Sportsfreund" crew led by owner Axel Seehafer before the final paid tribute to the strong performance of the women. Seehafer said: "The girls sailed brilliantly." Between the leaders "Sportsfreund" and "Tutima", Dennis Gehrlein's "Silva Neo" will also be in contention for the podium places on the final Wednesday.
In ORC II, Peter Beck Mikkelsen's "BM Yachting" is in masterly form. With a first and a second place, the team is on course for the title. His neighbour Torsten Bastiansen and his "Sydbank" have also overtaken the long-distance winners led by Hamburg skipper Max Gurgel on the "X-Day"." However, the yachts are still close together before the final sprint.
The situation in the smallest class, ORC III/IV, is completely different: Dutchman Jascha Bach has made everything clear with his fourth race win one day before the end of the championship and can no longer be beaten. In the thrilling duel for silver, Knut Freundeberg (Bad Laer) and his crew on "Halbtrocken" are just ahead of Jürgen Klinghardt's "Patent3". While the IDM of the sea sailors celebrates its final on Wednesday, the Olympic sailors take over from the international boat classes.
"Boa variety" for Rio
But before their first mission on the water, the medal hunters first met at the Olympic Centre in Kiel-Schilksee on Tuesday for the official farewell in the Audi Sailing Arena. Here, the cheerful Audi Sailing Team Germany was warmly welcomed and sent off on their upcoming medal mission with many expectations and David Bowie's hit "Heroes". DSV President Andreas Lochbrunner said: "You have sacrificed a lot of time and fought hard for your dream of Rio to now represent the German colours." Lochbrunner is hoping for two medals for the DSV fleet and said with a wink: "If there are more, we won't be angry with you." Paralympics coach Bernd Zirkelbach was even bolder in his predictions, predicting two Olympic and two Paralympic medals for Rio.
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
