2012 Olympics: Nothing is lost yet ...

The pictures repeat themselves. Just like Robert Stanjek and Frithjof Kleen on the first day of the Olympic regatta, Tobias Schadewaldt and Hannes Baumann also led a race for a while on the second day. ARD and ZDF broadcast thrilling scenes in their live stream. However, like Stanjek/Kleen, Schadewaldt/Baumann also fell behind at the end and were unable to bring their impressive opening performance to the finish.

Schadewaldt/Baumann with stage fright

A knotted sheet caused by a careless mistake and the resulting blocked gennaker, which the 49er pushed over after passing the gate, ruined the dream of winning the race. After an agonisingly long process of rectifying the mishap, during which the high-performance dinghy wriggled like a fish in a net, a good result was still achieved in fifth place.

If it hadn't been for the annoying early start in the first race, it could have been a great day for the team. The bowsprit of the German 49er named "Kraftwerk" had already moved 20 or 30 centimetres over the line at the starting signal. At first, Schadewaldt/Baumann hoped that it was not them who were too early, but only the Americans positioned next to them. But when the early start flag was still flying after the US team returned, the Germans knew: It was for us too. Late, far too late, the team from the NRV Olympic Team and the Yacht Club Berlin-Grünau turned round, rushed back to the line and then followed the field without hope.

With 17th place in the first race of the 20 49ers, the start had gone badly wrong. Combined with the subsequent fifth place, however, this still resulted in eleventh place in the intermediate classification and the positive realisation that there is much more in it than the 27-year-old helmsman and his 29-year-old coxswain were able to achieve on the first day. "We made two costly mistakes today," admitted helmsman Schadewaldt, admitting a certain degree of initial nervousness. "We wanted to start the series aggressively. But not like this."

DSV Vice President Torsten Haverland, who is visiting the athletes in Weymouth this week, offered some consolation: "Winners are not crowned at the beginning, but at the end. The regatta is still long. I would describe the start as solid and in the green zone. Some of the other favourites have lost a lot more ground today."

Grotelüschen wants more

Laser ace Simon Grotelüschen was not satisfied with himself, who started his Olympic première in a subdued manner in thirteenth place overall with finishes of 14th and 12th. "It wasn't a good day," said the 25-year-old from Lübeck Yacht Club, "but nothing is lost yet." His Austrian rival Andreas Geritzer, who finished twelfth overall, also struggled with his sixth and 20th places. "I probably sailed a bit too conservatively," said Geritzer, "I was able to limit the damage, but you have to understand that the wind comes in from the sides. If you're in the centre, you can't catch it."

After finishing eighth in race three, Robert Stanjek and Frithjof Kleen saw a potential podium place slip through their hands once again in the late afternoon. The Berliners were in third place for a long time before they were caught by a group shortly before the finish and slipped back to seventh place.

Laser Radial helmswoman Franziska Goltz, on the other hand, is still looking for her form. At the start of her Olympic premiere, the Schwerin native is in 24th place after two races, although her result would have been much better if she hadn't received a yellow flag from the jury. The penalty caused her to drop from tenth to 23rd place in the first race and she never recovered.

Sailing idol Ainslie wobbles

In England, however, all eyes are anxiously focussed on the ailing sailing star Ben Ainslie. The sailing idol is wobbling, his "Mission Gold" seems to be in danger. A Dane sailing a Finn dinghy has set out to put "Big Ben" in his place and defend the Olympic record of compatriot Paul Elvstrøm, which Ben Ainslie would love to break with his possible fourth gold medal. Jonas Hogh-Christensen not only won the first two races ahead of Ben Ainslie, but also extended his lead on the second day with second and seventh places, while Ainslie struggled with his sixth and twelfth places and even fell behind Frenchman Jonathan Lobert in third place. The day's result came close to an insult to majesty, but Ainslie himself was responsible for it. The Scandinavian has now built up an eleven-point lead - a big cushion in the battle against the most successful Olympic sailor of the last decade. Ben Ainslie must now bring the fighting qualities that have made him so famous and so successful to the field if he wants to keep his chance of becoming the most successful Olympic sailor of all time on his home turf.

A bet and its long-term consequences

Irish star boat helmsman Peter O'Leary, who is alleged to have made some small bets on the results of the Olympic regatta at the Olympic Games four years ago, has concerns of a completely different kind. IOC spokeswoman Emmanuelle Moreau confirmed to the news agency dpa that "the Ethics Commission is investigating the allegations that have recently come to light". The Irishman allegedly placed two bets on an Olympic victory for British sailor Iain Percy and won 3,900 euros with a stake of 300 euros.

In such a case, an athlete can defend themselves before the Disciplinary Commission of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). In the most drastic case, he could be excluded from the Olympics. However, there are at least two facts in Peter O'Leary's favour: He did not even qualify for the medal final of the top ten teams at the 2008 Olympic Games as an Olympic rookie and was therefore unable to influence the outcome of the decisive race. Furthermore - as the Irish Sailing Association and many international sailing friends of the likeable Irishman argue - the relevant regulations were only changed a year ago and were not yet valid in their current form in 2008. Yacht online will follow the case and report on the IOC decision.

The RS:X surfers will also start the Olympic regatta on Tuesday. Moana Delle from Kiel and Toni Wilhelm from Dogern will be competing for Germany.