2.4mR: Kröger defends World Championship title - "Everyone boils with water, except Heiko"
After nine completed races, it was clear on Saturday what had become apparent throughout the regatta: Heiko Kröger successfully defended his World Championship title and won the Open Class for the third time and for the 14th time at a Para World Championship. His long-time rival Megan Pascoe from Great Britain had to settle for third place. Second place went to Christoph Trömer from Stade. Italy's Antonio Squizzato and Davide di Maria completed the podium at the 2.4mR Para World Championships. A total of 85 athletes from 18 nations took part, 21 of whom also competed in the para class.
The great atmosphere was only somewhat dampened on the last day when it was no longer possible to sail another race due to the weak wind. However, not only were there already enough races in the results list for a world championship ranking, but the new old world champion had already been decided and would not have started even if the conditions had been good.
Everyone cooks with water, except Heiko" (Christoph Trömer)
"You never know what's going to happen. Maybe there'll be a roll at the buoy, maybe I'll hit another boat and the jury will throw me out with a DNE. Afterwards you're annoyed about the narrowly lost title. It's smarter to pull out of the last race if you're already sure you're going to win. That has nothing to do with arrogance," said the German, explaining the decision.
Over the entire series, he didn't make any major mistakes and was able to cross off fifth place as his worst result in the end. He commented on his well-deserved defence of the title in light wind conditions never before seen in regattas this season: "I was very happy with my speed. On the penultimate day, the conditions made the races extremely difficult and tricky and were hard work for the brain. A cold slowed me down a bit, but I was able to forget about that while sailing." Kröger is set to change classes for the upcoming events. For the German Championships, among other things, he will switch to the OK dinghy, in which he has been active in parallel for the past quarter of a year.
Two Italians follow Heiko Kröger at the Para World Championships
As President of the International 2.4 mR Class Association, Kröger also summarises the World Championship positively: "It was an all-round successful event. We had light winds, but that is also part of sailing. We had nine good races. The atmosphere was great and the evening programme went down well."
Two Italians followed him onto the podium at the 2.4 mR Para World Championships: Antonio Squizzato with silver and his team-mate Davide di Maria with bronze. "I'm happy about para bronze. Although I came second at the 2023 World Championships in Finland, the level of performance here was much higher. Sailing in Kiel was tricky, there were a lot of wind shifts and less wind than usual. I also made a few mistakes, but that's the only way to learn," says di Maria after finishing sixth overall.
Second place also remains in Germany - whole family at the start
In the open classification, Megan Pascoe in particular would have liked sailable conditions on the last day. The Brit is used to winning at least the silver medal at 2.4mR World Championships. Up until the penultimate race she seemed certain of this in Kiel, but a 15th place in the last race of the World Championship saw her drop back to bronze. "Of course I would have been happy if we had sailed two more races on Saturday, because then we would have had a second stringer, but that's okay. That's how it is in sailing sometimes. I'm happy that I've always been on the podium at the World Championship since 2018 and also in Kiel. That's the main thing," says Pascoe sportingly, emphasising that it was good racing and fair sailing. "It's always great when so many 2.4 mR sailors from all over the world come together. You meet lots of old friends and new, younger sailors. The mix and the good atmosphere among the sailors is what makes the class. It's always fun," says Pascoe.
One person who was happy that no more races could be sailed on the final day was Christoph Trömer (Plauer Hai-Live e.V.), who could hardly believe that he had won the silver medal at the World Championship ahead of Megan Pascoe. "Things are going extremely well for me this year, first at Kiel Week with sixth place and now here, where the whole world's elite are sailing. I'm over the moon to have come second," said a delighted Trömer, who competed at the World Championships together with his wife Sabine (16th place) and son Tim (43rd place). "I became German champion in the class in Schwerin in 2008, was immediately infected and have been sailing 2.4mR ever since. My son Tim caught the bug after a taster sail in the class, and my wife watched the 2019 World Championships in Genoa, was thrilled and has been in the 2.4mR keelboat ever since. With a trailer specially built for three boats, there are now usually three of us at the regattas," says the sailor, explaining how his family got into sailing in the 2.4 mR class. "It's possible to win against Heiko, but that's the exception rather than the rule. Everyone boils with water, except Heiko," laughs Trömer, commenting on Heiko Kröger's victory.
2.4 mR World Championship: Rookie Trophy for 14-year-olds
In addition to the medals and prizes for first to third place in the Open Class and the Para World Championship, a number of special prizes were also awarded at the award ceremony. The Youth Trophy of the Para World Championship for the best sailor under the age of 30 went to the Italian Davide di Maria (6th overall and 3rd in the Para classification), while the prize for the best NOD boat (Norlin One Design) went to Heiko Kröger.
In the open class, the Woman's Trophy went to third-placed Megan Pascoe. The Master's Trophy for the first participant aged 55 and over and the Queen Silvia's Cup for the best para-sailor went to Heiko Kröger, who was also presented with the World Cup Trophy, a challenge cup from 1989, as the overall winner.
The Grand Master's Trophy for the best sailor over the age of 65 went to Hans Asklund from Sweden (born in 1943), who took eighth place. The Rookie Trophy went to 14-year-old Maxi Grupe from Bavaria.
