Finishing second last is rarely fun. However, in this case it was not a disaster. At very short notice, the young SVB Team Germany accepted an invitation to take part in the high-calibre GC32 Championship in Oman on their own account. With little money and even less training, the team took up the challenge last week. The main objective: learn, learn and learn again. After all, the team led by skipper Paul Kohlhoff from the Kieler Yacht-Club is taking part in the Red Bull Youth America's Cup this summer and is using every opportunity to compete with the best in the business.
The catamaran regatta was won by Oman Air, one of the favourite home teams, with none other than match race world champion Phil Robertson from New Zealand at the helm. America's Cup winner Ernesto Bertarelli sailed into second place with his highly experienced Swiss team Alinghi, ahead of the SAP Extreme Sailing Team, for whom Adam Minoprio, another match race world champion, sailed this season. It was clear before the first starting signal that the young German sailors would not be able to compete against such strong competition. However, the fact that they often came close to or even beat the young Brits, who have been training intensively for a year, was one of many small indications of the potential of the Germans, who have not yet been able to train much together.
Decision day: How the high-calibre regatta week in Oman came to a close and what the top people had to say at the end
In the final sprint, SVB Team Germany even reduced the gap to the top in Oman significantly, finishing the series in fifth place and tenth overall. "We wanted to learn. And that's what we did," says tactician Max Kohlhoff, who sails Finn Dinghy in the Olympics. Helmsman and brother Paul has no regrets about the costly trip, nor does his crew, which also included third brother Johann, Moritz Burmester and Phillip Kasüske in Oman. "It was exactly the right decision," says Kohlhoff, "even if it tore a hole in the crew's coffers. We made huge progress every day. On the last day, we were almost there in terms of speed, very fast and had reduced the deficits to a minimum. Two races had to be cancelled when we were in second and third place respectively. We were no longer hiding, but started the races with more confidence. We made confident decisions and think that we are definitely competitive compared to the other youth teams."
The SVB Team Germany is now taking this experience into the season, into training and, above all, into the Red Bull Youth America's Cup off Bermuda in June. Despite new partners, the team is still operating on a tight budget, is looking for additional sponsors and is preparing for the big tasks ahead. "For Bermuda," says Paul Kohlhoff, "the cards will be reshuffled. It's all about the boats. This means that the teams will be on an equal footing in terms of equipment." Six catamarans come from the America's Cup World Series, while two others have been specially converted for the Red Bull Youth America's Cup. Eight AC-45 projectiles will be available to compete in two groups of eight teams each for a place in the final for the best eight youth teams with sailors up to the age of 25. The qualifying round for "Pool A" will take place on 12 and 13 June off Bermuda, the qualifying round for "Pool B" on 15 and 16 June. The final will take place on 20 and 21 June in the America's Cup area.
"We want to qualify for the final. The big goal is to reach the top four," says Paul Kohlhoff, who is under no illusions at the same time. "Many youth teams can train more intensively due to larger budgets. Some, like Team BDA from Bermuda, have been there for a long time and go sailing regularly. That is an advantage. But in the end, the basic ability of the sailors will also count. Looking at the draw for the two groups, I don't see any major disadvantages or particular advantages for us at the moment." In Pool A, SVB Team Germany will face the Swedish team Artemis Youth Racing, Team France Jeune, Kaijin Team Japan, Youth Vikings Denmark and the strong Swiss team Tilt. In Pool B, Bermudas Cup Juniors, the NZL Sailing Team, the British Land Rover BAR Academy, the Spanish Impulse Team, the American Team Next Generation USA and the Austrian Candidate Sailing Team will be battling it out for points and a place in the final.
Here for the overall result of the GC32 Championship in Oman.
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
