It was one of the many dreaded rubbish bags in the polluted Olympic area that cost Paul Kohlhoff and Carolina Werner a place on the podium at the Olympic dress rehearsal. After three victories on the day and only single-digit results, a rubbish bag got caught underwater in the German boat at the start of the seventh race of the new Nacra 17 Olympic mixed catamaran. "The boat got stuck and that cost us several places," reported Carolina Werner. In the end, the "German Wonder Kids" missed out on bronze by just one point after their spirited and hard-fought series. But fourth place also shows how strongly the team from the Kieler Yacht-Club has developed this year. They have already arrived at the top of the world at a rapid pace, although they are still far from having exhausted their potential.
"Paul and Carolina are a great team with a great attitude," praised DSV head coach David Howlett, who also coached the catamaran sailors on the water in Rio de Janeiro. The crew, for their part, were delighted to be working with the experienced Ainslie Gold coach Howlett: "He's a winner, has the right mentality," said Carolina Werner, "we can learn an incredible amount from him." However, the youngest team in Sailing Team Germany also has helpers in the background to thank for its rapid rise. For example, two-time Olympian Marc Pickel from Kiel, who provides Kohlhoff and Werner with top-level technical advice and support on a voluntary basis.
It was an insightful Olympic dress rehearsal off Rio de Janeiro's famous beaches. 326 sailors from 50 nations tested the six different and highly demanding courses for a week. A Korean surfer who fell ill fuelled the discussions about the three inland courses off the Copacabana, which were under particular strain. The three outdoor courses challenged the starters with sometimes high waves and more wind. Athletes from 19 countries shared the total of 30 medals of the Olympic test regatta in ten disciplines. Sailing Team Germany had to be satisfied with a bronze medal 348 days before the start of the 2016 Olympic regatta. This meant that the reinvigorated 49er European champions Erik Heil and Thomas Plößel from Berlin gave the German national sailing team 17th place in the medal table. Laser vice world champion Philipp Buhl (9th) and RS:X surfer Toni Wilhelm (10th) did not make it onto the podium this time. Nevertheless, both are still among the German hopefuls and once again proved that they belong to the world's best.
Australia's sailors, already the most successful nation at the Olympic regatta off Weymouth three years ago, once again lead the medal table after this test regatta with two gold medals and one bronze. However, the most impressive performance came from the French, who won five medals and impressively underlined their Olympic ambitions with nine out of ten possible top ten places. The British were left behind, returning home with one gold and one silver. However, with eight top ten placings, they proved that they will be a force to be reckoned with again in 2016.
The results of the national team:
3rd Erik Heil/Thomas Plößel, 49er (Norddeutscher Regatta Verein)
4th Paul Kohlhoff/Carolina Werner, Nacra 17 (Kieler Yacht-Club)
9th Philipp Buhl, Laser Standard (Segelclub Alpsee-Immenstadt)
10th Toni Wilhelm, RS:X Surfboard (Württembergischer Yacht-Club)
11th Annika Bochmann/Marlene Steinherr, 470 W (Verein Seglerhaus am Wannsee)
12th Tina Lutz/Susann Beucke, 49erFX (Chiemsee Yacht Club/Hannoverscher Yacht-Club)
13th Ferdinand Gerz/Oliver Szymanski, 470er M (Segler-Verein Wörthsee/Joersfelder Segel-Club)
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
