European Skiff Championships: The first major title - European Championship gold for Marla Bergmann and Hanna Wille

Hanna Wille raised her fist into the blue sky over Thessaloniki right after the last finish. She already knew then that she had sailed to European Championship gold in the 49erFX with her helmswoman Marla Bergmann. For the Olympic sixth-placed team from Marseille, who have been friends since childhood, it is the first major title of their career. "It gives us a lot of self-confidence for our future course," said a jubilant Hanna Wille.

Light winds, tough test

The path to the first gold for the German Sailing Team in the post-Olympic season was characterised by light winds. Safe starts, good boat handling and speed even in light breeze were required in the Greek European Championship area. The Olympic sixth-placed team from Marseille almost always had good answers to these challenges. After an early start setback on day one of the open European championships, Marla Bergmann and Hanna Wille achieved ten single-digit results in a total of twelve races up to the medal race on Whit Sunday, including one race win, two second places and one third place.

We were able to play our speed card well." Hanna Wille

"With second place in the last race before the final, they really stood up and earned the chance, which they then used in the medal final," said DSV head coach Dom Tidey, who is currently watching the YES junior regatta in Kiel, but also had a good view of the Skiff European Championships from afar. The British sporting director of the national sailing team praised the entire group of 49erFX sailors and said of Marla Bergmann and Hanna Wille's skiff European Championship gold: "This is the first big medal this year and a brilliant springboard towards the summer and then the World Championships."

For Marla Bergmann and Hanna Wille, second place at the open European Skiff Championships was worth the title. The series was won by sisters Georgia and Antonia Lewin-Lafrance from Canada. Aleksandra Melzacka/Sandra Jankowiak (Poland) and Isaura Maenhaut/Anouk Geurts (Belgium) secured silver and bronze in the closed European Championship classification. Asked about the keys to their success in the light European Championship winds of mostly five to ten knots, Hanna Wille said: "We had a really consistent regatta and were able to trust our speed."

With a good boat feeling to gold at the European Skiff Championships

Where do they get their speed from? Marla Bergmann said: "I think we have a good boat feeling in these light winds." With fourth place in the medal race, the crew from Mühlenberger Segel-Club, who started the final with a seven-point lead over Melzacka/Jankowiak, managed to keep the Polish chasers at bay, who finished sixth. Whether they focussed more on the Canadian leaders, who were only four points ahead of them, or the Poles in the final?

Above all, we focussed on ourselves. And on sailing a clean and best possible race." Marla Bergmann.

Sophie Steinlein and Catherine Bartelheimer (Norddeutscher Regatta Verein/Bayerischer Yacht-Club/Segelclub Inning am Ammersee) were a little unlucky. The duo also had medal chances until the twelfth and final race of the gold fleet, but then finished 15th. They narrowly missed out on the podium in fourth place at the European Championships. Click here for the European Championship results.

Maru Scheel, who is the helmswoman for Team Germany in the Women's America's Cup 2024, sailed to eighth place in the European Championships with Freya Feilcke (Kieler Yacht-Club). Katharina Schwachhofer and Elena Stoltze (Württembergischer Yacht-Club/Segelkameradschaft Leopoldshafen) sailed to twelfth place in the European Championship rankings.

From the European Skiff Championships back to university and Kiel Week

Medical student Marla Bergmann and biology student Hanna Wille are heading straight back home on Monday. They will be back at university on Tuesday. They have exams coming up before the national sailors focus on their home game at Kiel Week from 21 to 29 June. The skiff sailors are expecting a strong field on the fjord. "Many of them want to gain as much regatta practice as possible on the way to the World Championships in autumn," said Hanna Wille.

While no German crews were in action at the Nacra 17 European Championship being held in Thessaloniki at the same time, In the absence of the two top German 49er crews Richard Schultheis/Fabian Rieger (Norddeutscher Regatta Verein/Verein Seglerhaus am Wannsee) and Jakob Meggendorfer/Andreas Spranger (Bayerischer Yacht-Club), the young talents Moritz Doraus and Riko Rockenbauch (Württembergischer Yacht-Club) made a strong impression as fourteenth in the open classification and ninth in the closed European Championship classification.