Sailing Grand Slam: "Joyeuses Pâques!" - Olympic sailors challenged from Easter Monday

Over Easter, the Mediterranean harbour of Hyères is a hive of activity. Olympic sailors from all over the world meet in France for the second regatta of the Sailing Grand Slam. All ten Olympic sailing disciplines are active. Among the 670 registered athletes with almost 500 boats and boards are 50 German sailors, surfers and kiters. But they won't have to wait for the Easter bunny on the Côte d'Azur...

Easter start in the Sailing Grand Slam

Although Easter rabbits (Lapin de Pâques) are known in France instead of Easter bunnies, Easter sweets come from a completely different "source" here than in Germany: traditionally, the Easter bunnies bring sweets with them. "Cloches de Pâques" the Easter bells the Easter eggs. Legend has it that from Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday, the church bells travelled to Rome to ring the Easter eggs. fly and return with sweets.

Jannis Maus (Cuxkiters e.V.) has already given himself a good present in advance. Germany's most successful Olympic starter for the German Sailing Team in Marseille is fit again after suffering from food poisoning at the thirsty season opener off Mallorca. The Olympic fifth-placer says: "I'm fully recovered and looking forward to Monday."

The final preparations for the start of the regatta on Easter Monday were made in Hyères harbour on Easter Sunday. On the last day before the start of the Semaine Olympique Française, the Olympic sailors, iQFOiLers and Formula kiters prepared for the sporting opening. Many eyes will be on the 49er sailors Richard Schultheis and Fabian Rieger (Norddeutscher Regatta Verein/Verein Seglerhaus am Wannsee), who were so successful in second place in the opening race in Spain. Can the newly formed duo repeat their brilliant opening success in France?

Olympic eleventh Meggendorfer/Spranger back in the game

It will be doubly exciting because Jakob Meggendorfer and Andreas Spranger, the German Sailing Team's Olympic eleventh-placers, are also back in action following a hand injury to foresailor Andreas Spranger and an infection in the helmsman. "Our comeback wasn't quite what we had hoped for," said Andreas Spranger with regard to the unexpected cancellation of the Trofeo Princesa Sofía.

He has long since been able to smile again after his unfortunate "kitchen accident" in the flat in Palma, in which he suffered severe cuts on his left hand while washing dishes, which had to be stitched up in hospital in Spain. At home in Kiel, the experienced hand surgeon Nina Schwall took care of the consequences of the accident, whose sons are now active themselves as a strong junior crew in the Olympic 49er.

Andreas Spranger can sail again, says: "I flew home pretty quickly after the accident and then had it treated by Nina Schwall. I was in good hands there." The foresailor still has to be patient until he is finally healed, but things are improving: "I'm still in pain when I sail, but I should be fine. I've worked out good techniques with the physios on how to tape it. And the wind forecast doesn't look too strong for the time being."

New coach for the 49er seniors

Irishman Ryan Seaton is the new coach for the 49er seniors, while Max Groy is in charge of the youngsters. "We're happy with the new coach so far, we're training together with Richard and Fabi. It's a really cool group. They have potential and have already shown that they can realise it."

Jakob Meggendorfer and Andreas Spranger (Bayerischer Yacht-Club) are very much looking forward to their delayed start to the season: "We're finally starting tomorrow. We're looking forward to finally racing again. And then we'll see where we stand. It will be a bit like our first standings after the games."

470 Mixed: already exciting

Four top German crews have entered the 470 Mixed for the Sailing Grand Slam's Semaine Olympique Française, which is more than 50 years old: In addition to the Olympic starters Simon Diesch and Anna Markfort (Württembergischer Yacht-Club/Verein Seglerhaus am Wannsee/JSC), Theresa Löffler and Christopher Hoerr (Deutscher Touring Yacht-Club/Segelclub Breitbrunn Chiemsee), Malte Winkel and Paula Amelie Schütze (Norddeutscher Regatta Verein/Schweriner Yacht-Club) and Theres Dahnke and Paco Melzer (Plauer Wassersportverein/Potsdamer Yacht-Club) will be competing.

With second and fourth places at the Spanish classic Trofeo Princesa Sofía, Diesch/Markfort and Löffler/Hoerr proved right at the start of the new Olympic cycle on course LA28 that they are still among the world leaders in the 470 Mixed. Five GER crews are on the Starting list of the French classic in the Sailing Grand Slam who will be racing in the women's skiff 49erFX on Easter Monday. Among them are Marla Bergmann and Hanna Wille, who finished sixth at the Marseille Olympics.

The sailors from Mühlenberger Segelclub officially launched their second Olympic campaign in April and presented their programme on the "Road to Los Angeles 2028". The 23-year-old helmswoman Marla Bergmann and her 24-year-old foresailor Hanna Wille are seeking support for their campaign, which has an openly stated goal: a medal at the 2028 Olympics. However, they also have strong rivals in their own camp along the way.

Up-and-coming crews in the 49erFX

For example, Sophie Steinlein and Catherine Bartelheimer (Norddeutscher Regatta Verein/Segelclub Inning am Ammersee). They finished the season opener in the Bay of Palma in tenth place, just ahead of Marla Bergmann and Hanna Wille (11th), the Kiel Women's America's Cup helmswoman Maru Scheel with Freya Feilcke (13th) and Katharina Schwachhofer/Elena Stoltze and SailGP tactician Anna Barth with Emma Kohlhoff (19th).

A strong and broad FX squad is growing up in the German Sailing Team. The second regatta of the Sailing Grand Slam will show how the internal 49erFX showdown in the Mediterranean will turn out. The medal decisions for the windsurfers and kiters will be made on 25 April. The medal races for all six other Olympic sailing disciplines will be held on 26 April.

Looking back! After this video double portrait, Marla Bergmann and Hanna Wille sailed to sixth place at their first Olympic Games last year. Their second Olympic campaign has now begun: