Detlef Amlong wanted to add the title of International German IMS Champion to his Kiel Week victory and the World Championship title at the Rolex Baltic Week before Flensburg. However, the chances of this are not good ahead of the long-distance race starting on Thursday evening.
There are stories that are told by the Brothers Grimm and those that are written by sport: In this case, it's about the fairy tale of the "Frog King". In the Grimms' tale, it is the story of a princess and an enchanted prince who temporarily lives out his life as a frog. In sailing, it's the story of a master glazier from Schwedeneck who turns the sailing world upside down and puts the fear of God into the competition with an almost 20-year-old Dehler, Optima 101/106, named "Frog King". Detlef Amlong wanted to add the title of International German IMS Champion to his Kieler Woche victory and the World Championship title at the Rolex Baltic Week off Flensburg. (start at 6 pm), "Froschkönig" is in fourth place, 18.5 points behind the leading "no limits", and can hardly hope for a happy ending.
As part of the 96th Flensburg Fjord Week, a total of 48 yachts have been competing since last Friday for the German Championship, which is awarded in the IMS I, IMS II and IMS III/IV classes. The decision will be made tomorrow night with the long-distance race.
At 6 pm, regatta organiser Claus Otto Hansen sends the yachts out on the 80 nm long course, which is the highlight in the battle for the International German Championship after the seven short courses already sailed last weekend. As the long distance has 1.5 times the rating and cannot be cancelled, it will decide the battle for places. The first yachts in the IMS I class are expected back in Glücksburg around Friday morning.
The "Frog King" had already secured the long-distance title at the World Championships six weeks ago, so that the 58-year-old Amlong can be trusted to do anything, even if "no limits" (Christensen/Flensburg) hardly seems to be catchable (18.5 points ahead means 13 places ahead).
The "Froschkönig" has been an integral part of the German tall ship scene for two decades. This season, veteran Amlong is sailing from success to success with Iris Kunterwald, Johanna Möller, Christian Zieger, Daniel Zenker and Nils Gauter.
"I don't think there's anyone here who doesn't wholeheartedly wish him success at the World Championships," said Sven Christensen, who finished second at the World Championships, but the friendship will now end at the DM. There, the Flensburg native wants to sail his own hat-trick and leave "Frog King" behind him.
"We will sell our X-Yacht after this IDM and start a new campaign. And of course we would like to say goodbye with a third German championship," says Christensen, who, as a native of Flensburg, is still missing a major success on his home turf.
But Detlef Amlong, who has been sailing since his youth and won the runner-up title in the European Corsair Championship around 40 years ago, wants to prevent this from happening. After a ten-year break from sailing, Amlong returned to the "Hispaniola" as a tactician before buying the four-and-a-half-year-old Optima 101/106 15 years ago. Since then, the "Frog King" has been an integral part of German offshore regattas and is always among the front runners in the IMS Class III. Of course, the old-timer receives an age bonus, but this only increases up to the 15th year. The next five years no longer bring any credit. "But it's not the age bonus. They simply sail really well," says the head of the German Sailing Regatta Association (RVS), Uwe Wenzel (Bremen), attesting to the sailing skills of his long-term rival.
Frog green, with a striking sponsor sticker (a relic, as the sponsor has not been paying for a long time) on the main, the ship would also need a princess's kiss to become as beautiful as a prince, but there is no money. Although the jib and main from sailmaker Jan-Segel are only in their second season on board, the second racing main is already six years old. Conditions that most of the competitors are not even familiar with. But Amlong can't keep up when it comes to upgrading. "We've even decided that next year we'll each have to pay 450 euros into the crew fund so that we can continue sailing," says Amlong. And while some of the competition brings professionals on board and pays them, the Frog King crew pays for sailing.
"What we urgently need is a sponsor. However, we are still happy with other dimensions than are perhaps usual in sailing," says Amlong, who is now hoping for a small World Cup bonus, knowing full well that Group II (IMS II and III) is naturally overshadowed by the big names.
Nevertheless - the track record is impressive: Kieler Woche victories this year and last year, the titles at two German Championships (1997 and 2003) and even the World Championship title this year. However, defending the title next year is not on the agenda. "How are we supposed to pay for that? No, we can't," says Amlong, who now wears an expensive Rolex on his wrist since his success at the Rolex Baltic Week, although he would have preferred to invest the financial equivalent of this prize in his yacht. The Frog King has truly earned his crown, even if there will probably be no happy ending at the International German IMS Sailing Championship.
Swan kick-off
After a successful opening ceremony of the 12th Swan Baltic Sea Challenge on Wednesday evening, the Swans will also get into the action in the second part of the 96th Flensburg Fjord Week. The eleven Swans in Group A and nine in Group B will be sent out on the long course to kick things off. Two middle distances will follow on Friday (start at 1.30 pm) and Saturday (start at 10.00 am). "It's enormous that 20 Swans are starting in Flensburg despite the Rolex Swan Week off Sardinia," said organisation manager Claus-Otto Hansen, delighted with the popularity of the elegant yachts.
The eleven yachts from four nations in Group A include the three Swans that took places on the podium last year: "Tarok VI" (Berth/DEN), "Elan" (Baum/Hamburg) and "Chaos" (Sundvall/NOR). The winner of Group B and overall winner "Thyros" (Charlet/Bremerhaven) will also be defending its title.
Dates:
Flensburg Fjord Week: 8-16 September
Thursday, 14 Sept., 9 a.m.: Swan-Förde-Cup
Friday, 15 Sept., 1.30 pm: 17111-Transit-Logist-Cup
Saturday, 16 Sept., 10 a.m.: Flensburger Pilsener Cup
Blue and blue-yellow ribbon of the Flensburg Fjord.
IDM: 7-16 Sept.
Thursday, 14 Sept, Night of the Champions - long distance (approx. 80 nm/ Lyö round), start: 6 pm.
Saturday, 16 Sept, 6 p.m.: Award ceremony
12th Swan Baltic Sea Challenge: 13 to 16 Sept.
Thursday, 14 Sept. 9 a.m.: Long distance
Friday, 15 Sept., 1.30 p.m. middle distance
Saturday, 16 Sept., 1.30 pm middle distance
