Tokyo 2020 is the goal. The new Olympic mixed discipline Nacra 17 has now been modernised once again after its premiere in Rio de Janeiro. In three years' time, the medals will be "flown" on catamarans off Enoshima with all the hulls and foils they can muster. "Up to around 26 knots seems possible," says Jan Hauke Erichsen, who tested his new converted boat for the first time off Flensburg with foresailor Ann Kristin Wedemeyer after the ceremonial christening under the name "Sophie" on the Flensburg Fjord on Monday.
"First impressions are good," says Erichsen at the start of his second Olympic campaign, "the boat is exciting to sail and fun." The duo from Flensburger Segel-Club are currently preparing for the European Championship for the three fastest Olympic disciplines: 49er, 49erFX and Nacra 17, which begins on 27 July with the opening ceremony in Schilksee and the first races on 30 July. "The European Championship is just right for us," says Erichsen, "we can measure ourselves against the best early on and, unlike the last Olympic campaign, which we entered two years behind, we are involved right from the start."
This is how it's done when the Nacra 17 is not "only" sailing with C-foils - as was the case at the Olympic Games - but is fully foiled. This is now the Olympic future of the mixed catamaran discipline
At the same time, Youth America's Cup helmsman Paul Kohlhoff and his new foresailor Luisa Krüger, 23, from the Hamburg Sailing Club are training in Kiel for the European title fights. Kohlhoff had parted company with his former foresailor Carolina Werner after the Olympic Games in Rio. Werner, who together with Kohlhoff and a series of outstanding results in 2015 and 2016 earned her the nickname "German Wonderkids", also wants to continue sailing at the Olympics, but will only return at a later date. The new coach of the emerging Nacra 17 group in the German Sailing Team is Marcus Lynch from Southampton, who has already worked for the successful British Royal Yachting Association (RYA) and Oman Sail.
The spectacular Nacra 17 final in Rio, in which the Argentinians Santi Lange and Ceci Carranza-Saroli prevailed despite two penalties. A year ago, sailing in Brazil was still on C-foils
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
