The level is rising, and so is the tension: on the second regatta weekend of the German Sailing League, the 18 first division teams will get down to business at the Travemünde Week on J 70 sports boats. The clubs have already had two days of thrilling battles. Before today's final day, the six leading clubs were only four points apart.
Five races with six starters each are still on the programme on Monday. The leaders are the Flensburger Segel-Club and the defending champions from the Norddeutscher Regatta Verein on Hamburg's Alster with 37 points each after ten races. Sven Koch, Alexander Erichsen, Hans Henning Höft and Morten Massmann will be competing for the Flensburg team this weekend. The 2013 German club champions have sent Olympic eighth-placed Johannes Polgar, Niklas von Meyerinck, Klass Höcke and Florian Spalteholz into the race.
Behind the leading duo, the Deutsche Touring Yacht-Club (36 points), the Württembergische Yacht-Club (35), the Seglerhaus am Wannsee club (34) and the sailing club "Das Wappen von Bremen" (33) are waiting for their chance to leap forward.
"The standard is very high, although there is still room for improvement. At least for us...", says VSaW Vice President Ulrike Schümann, who is accompanying her VSaW team this weekend. The Olympic fourth-placer on the motto for the final day: "We're going full attack today. We'll have fun in any case. Let's rock!"
After a total of 30 races, the 72 sailors had the effort written all over their faces on Sunday evening. With around 20 knots of wind and bright sunshine, 21 races were completed on Sunday alone. Kathrin Kadelbach, helmswoman for VSaW, said on Sunday evening: "Everything hurts. It was really tough today. All the clubs are fighting for every point, because that's what counts in the end."
The teams at the back of the pack will have to stretch themselves on the final day: Mühlenberger Segel-Club, Bayerischer Yachtclub Überlingen and Chiemsee Yacht-Club are in 16th, 17th and 18th place after two of the three regatta days. The teams still have five races left to make up ground.
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Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
