Simon Grotelüschen and Philipp Buhl are the perfect sailing two-man show at Kiel Week. For days now, they have dominated the field of 73 Lasers from 20 nations at the world's biggest regatta at will and have been duelling with each other to the delight of the spectators. They have alternated from race win to race win, were tied for first and second place with nine points on Tuesday evening and start bow to bow as the top favourites in the medal final on Wednesday.
But that's not all: at the official farewell ceremony for the German national team on course for Weymouth on Tuesday evening, the long-serving athlete from Lübeck and the Sonthofen sports soldier also demonstrated their entertaining qualities and skilfully threw the ball to each other. Instead of a journalist, Philipp Buhl took the microphone in the audience and said: "I have a question for Simon: What's your strategy for tomorrow?" Grotelüschen replied cheerfully and with a wink: "Even the best won't be good enough ..." Afterwards, Buhl, who has set his sights high after his narrow defeat against Grotelüschen last year, was asked about his strategy in the battle for the Kieler Woche title: "My strategy is very simple: I want to win Kieler Woche. I want to end my negative streak in medal races. I hope for a hot fight."
Germany's most successful sailor with three Olympic gold medals and two America's Cup victories, Jochen Schümann, also expects this from the national team in the battle for precious metal off Weymouth. The 57-year-old made a bold prediction: "At least two medals are possible. The surprise could be the third." DSV President Rolf Bähr from Berlin wished the twelve male and four female sailors - three were absent at the photo shoot - luck and said: "I see a team that has really grown and for which I hope there will continue to be so much harmony, because harmony makes you strong." The organisers set a good example in terms of harmony: all Olympic starters were welcome in the Audi Lounge at Kieler Woche. The teams supported by BMW were also on stage.
RS:X surfer Moana Delle from Audi Sailing Team Germany, who like almost all members of the sailing team will be competing at the Olympic Games for the first time, said: "It's a dream come true for me. I'm really looking forward to the Games." As the only member of the Olympic sailing team, RS.X surfer Toni Wilhelm will be competing at the Olympic Games for the second time. As he is already training in Weymouth, he was unable to take part in the photo session in Kiel.
Tobias Schadewaldt and Hannes Baumann were also unable to attend. The Olympic starters from Kiel had to sit in with the 49er gold fleet, but were the only class to complete two races and take the lead in the field before the final medal race on Wednesday. The first Olympic part of Kiel Week ends on Wednesday with the medal races in six Olympic disciplines, in which five German victories are possible. On the sea course, the German Inshore Sailing Championship and the Kiel Cup Regatta will also end on Wednesday.
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
