European Championship 49erFX, 49er, Nacra17: European Championship medals within sight

The German 49erFX crews are going for medals at the European Championship of the three fastest Olympic classes off Kiel. Tina Lutz (Chiemsee-Yacht-Club) and Susann Beucke (Hannoverscher Yacht-Club) are in second place after the first day of the main round in the gold fleet, just one point behind the Danish leaders Jena Mai Hansen/Katja Salskov-Iversen. Berlin Olympic ninth-placed Vicky Jurczok and Anika Lorenz from the Seglerhaus am Wannsee club moved up to third place with a brilliant win on Wednesday afternoon, two days before the medal final.

Despite world-class performances in the past and Jurczok/Lorenz's participation in the Olympics and their bronze medal at last year's World Championships, both women's teams have never won a medal at the European Championships. Now they are within reach. "Our goal was to finish in the top five," says Susann Beucke, "now we're on a roll and are very happy with how things have gone so far. But we don't want to think too much about medals either." Vicky Jurczok said after her victory on the day: "A medal would be great! But so far our runs don't feel so good. We always start at the back and then catch up again over the course of the day. It was the same today. But if it feels good for us too, then our opponents will have to dress warmly." Stronger winds and thunderstorms are forecast for the final day around midday. There should also be plenty of wind for the three short medal finals on Friday. "We've already practised that before Palma," said Vicky Jurczok with a smile. The Berlin team won the classic Trofeo Princesa Sofía in the bay off Mallorca in April.

Jakob Meggendorfer and Andreas Spranger from the Simssee Sailing and Rowing Club surprised the 49er sailors. The Bavarians, aged just 21 and 20, catapulted themselves into the middle of the world elite at the start of the main round with a fifth place win on the day and are only 4.5 points behind silver. The Australians David Gilmour/Joel Turner are in the lead at the open European championships.

The hopes of Kiel's local heroes Justus Schmidt and Max Boehme for a European Championship medal had already been dashed after qualifying. The 2015 European champions lost a protest late on Tuesday evening and missed out on a place in the gold medal fleet in 21st place overall. "That was a painful day on which we simply sailed badly after so many good and consistent races," said helmsman Schmidt. "We have to swallow this pill now. Learning is at the top of the list for the remaining races in the Silver Fleet. Our highlight of the year is the World Championship in Portugal in four weeks' time."

In the mixed catamaran Nacra17, the newly formed Kiel crew Paul Kohlhoff/Alicia Stuhlemmer defended their top ten position with ninth place after nine races. The Italians Ruggero Tita and Caterina Banti are in the lead in the fast full-foilers, ahead of the Spanish Tornado Olympic champion Fernando Echávarri Erasun with Tamara Pacheco van Rijnsoever. The European Championships end on 4 August with the medal races.