Olympic sailing: New Olympic opportunity for Nacra 17 crews

A week ago, Germany's Nacra 17 teams missed out on an Olympic ticket at the World Cup off Hyères. Although Paul Kohlhoff and Carolina Werner, the 2015 World Championship fifth-placers from Kiel, won the national elimination duel against Jan Hauke Erichsen and Lea Spitzmann from Flensburg, they had also previously secured the German national starting place for the Olympic regatta in the new Olympic mixed catamaran class. But one hurdle was too high: neither of the two German teams was able to fulfil stage two of the qualification mode. After three predetermined elimination regattas, the overall ranking lacked a German place among the top ten nations. Here it was only enough for twelfth place. The dream of taking part in the Olympic Games seemed to be over. But now there is a new chance - for both teams.

On the recommendation of the Olympic Sailing Committee (OSA), the Executive Committee of the German Sailing Association has decided to propose to the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) that, in addition to the six teams already qualified for the Games, the young Nacra teams should also be given the chance to deliver a top performance at another competition. The World Cup off Weymouth at the beginning of June is a possibility. Paul Kohlhoff and Carolina Werner would take their three-point lead (16:13) into the German-German elimination duel. However, they would then not only have to win the duel, but also achieve a top ten placing in the World Cup field, which is expected to be full of world champions.

The final decision as to whether there will be this opportunity now lies with the DOSB, which will probably first announce the six sailing teams that have clearly qualified in its first nomination round on 31 May at the suggestion of the German Sailing Association (DSV): Philipp Buhl (Laser), Toni Wilhelm (RS:X Surfing), Erik Heil/Thomas Plößel (49er), Victoria Jurczok/Anika Lorenz (49erFX), Ferdinand Gerz/Oliver Szymanski (470 Men), Annika Bochmann/Marlene Steinherr (470 Women). Further athletes can still be nominated by the DOSB on 25 June and 4 July.