The race committee did not want to put the 49er men through the harsh conditions on Friday afternoon, but the 49erFX sailors held two of the three planned final races of their European Championship in strong winds with gale-force gusts. The queens of the Kiel capsize battle were Tina Lutz and Susann Beucke, who won both medal races in dominant fashion and confidently sailed to the first European Championship gold for a German crew in this fastest Olympic boat class for women. The helmswoman from the Chiemsee Yacht Club and her foresailor from the Hanover Yacht Club raced along the final course off Kiel almost as if on rails. Tina Lutz cheerfully summarised the seemingly simple and profitable concept: "If you sail in front, you have more time to straighten up." But Lutz and Beucke didn't need that at all, while their pursuers capsized in succession. This included Victoria Jurczok and Anika Lorenz, who were one of the lightest European Championship crews to capsize in both races after outstanding performances this week, missing out on the silver medal by half a point, but winning bronze and making the German double success perfect.
"Our big advantage was probably that we didn't see what was going on behind us," reported Susann Beucke after the sailing spectacle, during the live commentary of which the reporters' voices were constantly overflowing, "otherwise we would have noticed that the others had hardly set their gennakers at the end. And then we might not have done it either. But everything happened very quickly and didn't feel so dramatic for us. We are delighted with the title!" After the race committee cancelled the third planned medal race for the women, the double success for the German Sailing Team was sealed. The new European champions were celebrated enthusiastically by their fans on the water with flags, cheers and champagne.
The two medals for the German women's teams also speak in favour of the work in the 49erFX group with the new British coach Dave Evans. Beucke reported: "The atmosphere in the entire team is great, which is also thanks to our coach Dave Evans. Working with him is a lot of fun. We all feel energised!" Jule and Lotta Görge from the Kieler Yacht-Club were the third German team to finish the domestic championships in 13th place.
The 49er Men's Open European Championship was won without a final race on Friday by Dylan Fletcher-Scott/Stuart Bithell from Great Britain ahead of David Gilmour/Joel Turner from Australia and James Peters/Finn Sterrit from Great Britain. Jakob Meggendorfer and Andreas Spranger from the Bayerischer Yacht-Club surprised and impressed with seventh place. The young Bavarian duo are among the top German talents in the 49er, who are coached by junior national coach Max Groy. Groy said of helmsman Jakob Meggendorfer, who is only 21 years old, and his 20-year-old cox Andreas Spranger: "The two of them have trained incredibly hard with our group. They are very active 'processors', learn intensively and quickly. We have recently focussed on speed training. Because speed is king." The Italians Ruggero Tita/Caterina Banti won the Nacra 17. Local heroes Paul Kohlhoff and Alicia Stuhlemmer from the Kiel Yacht Club came ninth.
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
