World Championship 49er and 49er FX: A German victory in the Medal Race and difficult tasks on course for the Olympics
Tatjana Pokorny
· 10.03.2024
The German skiff sailors are struggling to regain their place at the top of the world rankings. Three years after the last Olympic medal successes of Erik Heil and Thomas Plößel (2x bronze in a row) and Tina Lutz and Sanni Beucke (silver in Enoshima), their successors in the former German showpiece disciplines 49er and 49er FX are still struggling for their Olympic chance without a secure place on the national starting grid. The World Championships have now shown that hope for successful Olympic starts is alive and well.
Hofmann/Bartelheimer strong in World Championship showdown
With Inga-Marie Hofmann and Catherine Bartelheimer, a German 49er FX crew reached the medal race of the World Championship this weekend. In the showdown, the helmswoman from Düsseldorfer Yachtclub and her foresailor from Segelclub Inning am Ammersee even managed to shine with victory. They left a number of well-known world champions and also the Brazilian double Olympic champions Martine Grael and Kahena Kunze behind them. Hofmann/Bartelheimer finished the world championships in a proud seventh place with the best result of their career.
Inga-Marie Hofmann said after the brilliant final: "We are delighted that we were able to sail to such a good result, especially in the Olympic year. It motivates us for the other regattas. It gives us courage to give everything." Marla Bergmann and Hanna Wille from Hamburg finished the World Championships in 13th place. The duo from Mühlenberger Segel-Club lead the DSV's internal rankings in the battle for an Olympic ticket with 25 points after finishing fourth in last year's European Championship and two out of three regattas. Hofmann/Bartelheimer follow with 14 points, which they earned with their World Championship success alone. Sophie Steinlein and Jill Paland (Norddeutscher Regatta Verein) have collected four points so far.
Bergmann/Wille lead in the battle for an Olympic ticket
Everything now points to a duel between Bergmann/Wille and Hofmann/Bartelheimer in the third and final elimination at the Spanish classic Trofeo Princesa Sofía, which the Hamburg team will start with an eleven-point lead. In addition, both crews still have to ensure that they are among the top ten nations in the final ranking of the three elimination regattas if they want to fulfil the conditions of the German Olympic Sports Confederation.
Once the internal battle for the elimination win has been decided and the DOSB conditions have been met, the German skiff sailors face a final high hurdle: they must compete at the Last Chance Regatta from 18 to 27 April for the as yet unsecured national starting place for the Olympic regatta in Marseille (28 July to 8 August). It doesn't matter which German 49er FX crew secures one of the last three national starting places to be awarded there for skiff countries that have not yet qualified. If successful, the winning crew in the national elimination will take the place.
Hanna Wille said after the World Championships about the upcoming pre-Olympic final spurt and the tasks to be solved: "We are confident. Especially in view of the entire German training group. We believe that we will definitely make it as a team to secure a place in the national starting line-up." Hanna Wille had the following to say about her own chances of securing this hoped-for place at the nationals: "We did well in Palma last year. We know what to expect there. The World Championships showed us that we have to continue to be aggressive."
German 49er men face major challenges
Inga-Marie Hofmann and Catherine Bartelheimer also believe in their Olympic chances. Inga-Marie Hofmann said: "Marla and Hanna were able to show what their capabilities are at the European Championships. We have now been able to play to our strengths. We believe that we will experience varied conditions in Mallorca. This is certainly another good opportunity to position ourselves as the best German 49er FX team."
The starting position of the German 49er men on course for the 2024 Olympics is somewhat weaker, with no team having been able to sail to at least twelfth place or better in two qualifying regattas so far. They have to overcome this DOSB hurdle in addition to the other open tasks that the 49er FX women also have to solve.
As the best German World Championship crew, Jakob Meggendorfer and Andreas Spranger narrowly missed out on their target of twelfth place in 13th. Like Max Stingele and Linov Scheel (Kieler Yacht-Club, world championship 17th), they must now hope for a formidable performance at the Trofeo Princesa Sofía in order to even be considered for an Olympic nomination. If they succeed, the 49er group led by national coach Max Groy will also have to secure a place on the national starting list at the Last Chance Regatta in Hyères.
Maximum strength for the Last Chance Regatta
This means that the air has become thin in the former German showpiece discipline 49er. Nevertheless, the athletes and coaches are determined to turn the tide in their favour. Andreas Spranger said after the World Championships: "It wasn't a bad World Championships, even if we have more potential. We haven't spoilt anything yet, but now we have to really go for it in Palma. The nine points are achievable, the top ten nations are doable. We'll worry about the national qualifiers after Palma."
DSV coach Max Groy also remains optimistic: "Jakob and Andreas have come together well again after a difficult phase last year. I think they can take the momentum from the World Championships with them to Palma. Looking ahead to the Last Chance Regatta, it's safe to say that it has its own rules and that outsiders will also be looking for their chance. As the 49er training group of the German Sailing Team, we will line up with maximum strength and fight to get the national starting place."
Historic World Championship gold for France in the 49er
The World Championship medals were shared by other nations in the picture-book sailing area off Lanzarote in champagne conditions with winds of 12 to 14 knots. World Championship gold in the 49er FX went to Odile van Aanholt/Annette Duetz from the Netherlands ahead of the dethroned defending champions Vilma Bobeck/Rebecca Netzler (Sweden) and Jana Germani/Giorgia Bertuzzi (Italy).
Erwan Fischer and Clement Pequin achieved something historic in the 49er men's event: around four and a half months before the Olympic regatta in their home waters off Marseille, the duo won the first World Championship title in 49er history for France. Fischer and Pequin dethroned Bart Lambrieux/Floris van Werken from the Netherlands, who had previously won three consecutive world championship gold medals, by a staggering 38 points. The French had already secured victory before the medal race. World Championship bronze went to the Spaniards Diego Botin and Florian Trittel.
