Six German Olympic teams have already been nominated. Whether it will be possible to secure a seventh Olympic ticket for German sailing in the new Olympic mixed catamaran class Nacra 17 will be decided this week in the former Olympic area off Weymouth. Starting tomorrow, Paul Kohlhoff/Carolina Werner from Kiel and Jan Hauke Erichsen/Lea Spitzmann from Flensburg will be fighting for their Olympic dream and the chance to be nominated by the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB).
Because both crews failed to fulfil the nomination criteria in the regular three-part elimination, but are also considered to be strong perspective teams, the German Sailing Association (DSV) has agreed with the crews on the upcoming opportunity for an additional proof of performance. The 20-year-old Paul Kohlhoff and his foresailor Carolina Werner (22) from the Kieler Yacht-Club and the 25-year-old Jan Hauke Erichsen and his foresailor Lea Spitzmann (24) from the Flensburger Segel-Club want to take advantage of this. The aim for both crews is to place among the top ten teams in the very strong World Cup off Weymouth and to finish ahead of the national competition. Kohlhoff/Werner will take their three-point lead from the regular elimination into the race.
The younger team of Paul Kohlhoff and Carolina Werner had caused a stir in 2015 with fifth place at the World Championships and fourth place in the pre-Olympic test regatta in the area off Rio de Janeiro and were voted Germany's sailing "Newcomers of the Year". In the elimination, however, their nerves fluttered at the wrong moment. Broken equipment and an illness of their foresailor Carolina Werner also led to weaker results than before. At the same time, Erichsen/Spitzmann got going better. After three elimination races, Kohlhoff/Werner were three points ahead in the thrilling German-German duel. However, both German crews had narrowly failed to meet the nomination requirement of finishing among the top ten nations at the end of the three-race elimination.
Howlett and Stegenwalner on site
Now they have one last chance to fulfil their dream of competing at the Olympics after all and go on the hunt for medals with Audi Sailing Team Germany and a good outside chance. DSV head coach David Howlett and DSV sports director Nadine Stegenwalner will be on site as neutral observers and watchdogs for compliance with the agreed fair competition. Kohlhoff/Werner will be coached in Weymouth by two-time Olympian Marc Pickel, Erichsen/Spitzmann by their coach Jörg Rothert. The World Cup ends on 12 June. If one of the German teams fulfils the conditions agreed with the DSV, the association will propose the team to the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) for nomination. Before the start, Marc Pickel expressed what unites the competitors: "We are happy and grateful that we have this opportunity at all. That's not an everyday occurrence in competitive Olympic sport." Jörg Rothert also said what both crews have in common: "The goal is of course to qualify for Rio."
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
