After more than five hours of waiting, the race finally got underway at 3.30pm. "We tried everything, sent the athletes out twice and hoped that the wind would materialise. And in the end, we and, above all, the sailors were rewarded," said Head of Organisation Jobst Richter. A total of 28 races were sailed by the 16 international classes on Saturday.
Joachim Hellmich showed off his skills in the Bénéteau 25 class. The former star boat sailor and chairman of the Heinz Nixdorf Club took three wins in four races at the start and also defended his lead on Saturday, finishing level on points with Kai Mares (Kiel) from the "immac" team.
Two crews are aiming to snatch the title of the sailor with the most Kiel Week victories from Gerd Eiermann (Duisburg), who has won Kiel Week 15 times: Wolfgang Hunger/Holger Jess (Kiel/Wittensee/14 Kiel Week titles to date) in the 505 and the Danish brothers Jörgen and Jakob Bojsen-Moeller in the Flying Dutchman, who have secured the Kiel Week title twelve times to date. With five race wins under their belts, the Danes are on course for their 13th Kiel Week victory, although they did suffer a false start in the fifth race.
In 2005 Claas Lehmann/Martin Schäler (Hamburg) and in 2006 the Danes Jan Saugmann/Morten Ramsbaek prevented Wolfgang Hunger from drawing level with Gerd Eiermann, but this year the tie is within reach. With four first places and one eighth place, Hunger/Jess are in a commanding lead.
In Formula 18, the reigning world champions Helge and Christian Sach (Zarnekau) emphasised that they want to secure at least one title here in Kiel. After their second place in the Tornado in the Olympic half, they are safely leading the Formula 18 standings with five daily victories and a second place.
In the Dragon, the Bavarian Werner Fritz was ahead under the Ukrainian national flag. However, Fritz/Pugachev/Auracher and Müller/Hösch/Scheibmair (Hamburg) were beaten by the Danes Bendix/Granbech/Christensen in the jump-off for the coveted Felka Prize (the biggest silver trophy at Kieler Woche).
