Olympic sailing: The English qualifying thriller has begun

The final German qualification thriller in the battle for a possible seventh Olympic ticket for Audi Sailing Team Germany has begun. Following yesterday's cancellation of the World Cup regatta in the English Olympic area off Weymouth, the action got underway for the first time on Thursday. The Nacra 17 crews had to complete the biggest programme with four races. In this field, the two German crews will duel for just one Olympic starting place in the new Olympic mixed catamaran class.

Paul Kohlhoff and Carolina Werner from Kiel opened the first of only four remaining regatta days with nerves of steel and are in third place after four races, finishing 4-3-5-(9) behind the Canadians Luke Ramsay/Nicola Girke and the Olympic favourites Billy Besson and Marie Riou from France. Jan Hauke Erichsen and Lea Spitzmann started the series, which ends on 12 June with the medal races, with places 7-14-(16) and a win on the day. The team from Flensburg is now in tenth place. DSV head coach David Howlett and DSV sports director Nadine Stegenwalner are on site as observers and said: "The conditions were very difficult today in light and shifty winds. Our Nacra crews have performed well in this field with all the top sailors, many of whom are already qualified for the Olympic Games. I hope they can continue these performances."

After both German teams narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Olympics in the regular three-part elimination, the German Sailing Association (DSV) gave them this additional chance to prove their performance due to their good prospects. Before Weymouth, however, the two crews from Audi Sailing Team Germany not only have to be ahead of their national rivals, but also have to secure a place among the top ten teams. Only then will the DSV propose the team that wins this last-minute duel to the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) for nomination.

Among the RS:X surfers, Toni Wilhelm from the Black Forest was able to shine at the start of the World Cup regatta for the Olympic disciplines in the very area where he missed out on the bronze medal in the Olympic final four years ago and finished fourth. Wilhelm leads the field after four races ahead of two Chinese sailors. The Munich 470 helmsman Ferdinand Gerz and his Berlin cox Oliver Szymanski are in 14th place after three races. Other German Olympic participants have decided not to take part in the World Cup and are preparing in Kiel for the upcoming Kiel Week and the Olympics.