It was as if they wanted to make up for their first league defeat against the German Touring Yacht Club last year as quickly as possible: The two-time German club champions from the Norddeutscher Regatta Verein got the fourth Bundesliga season of 2016 off to a flying start with a victory. Helmsman Tobias Schadewaldt, who finished eleventh in the 2012 Olympic 49er, and the NRV crew beat 17 other first division teams at the start of the season on Lake Starnberg and went straight to the top of the new Bundesliga table. Second place was secured by the defending champions from the German Touring Yacht Club ahead of the Lindauer Segel-Club and the Seglerhaus am Wannsee club.
NRV helmsman Schadewaldt said after the success of his northern club in the south of the republic, as a guest of the Munich Yacht Club: "It is incredible to have won the first event with my team. We are more than satisfied with the victory. Florian Spalteholz, Niklas von Meyerinck and Florian Weser joined Schadewaldt in scoring points for the club from Hamburg's Outer Alster.
The opening regatta of the 2nd Bundesliga, which was held off Starnberg at the same time, was also dominated by two northern clubs, Mühlenberger Segel-Club and Hamburger Segel-Club, who also lead the table in this order. A very young crew with helmsman Magnus Simon as well as Finn Olsen, Simon Zweigler and Till Krüger impressed for the MSC. The Potsdamer Yacht-Club secured third place in the second league opener. In a total of 78 races, the 36 clubs in the two leagues delivered highly exciting encounters.
The second league weekend will take place from 27 to 29 May off Konstanz. The first division teams will determine the German club champion at the season finale from 27 to 29 October on Hamburg's Outer Alster.
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
