What an exciting and beautiful Bundesliga final on Hamburg's Outer Alster! A total of 45 races were fought, won, wrangled, laughed, trembled, hoped, cried and won. After the host Norddeutscher Regatta Verein had already sailed to its second championship title in a row ahead of schedule, the Hamburg team was able to relax on its home turf. Things were more exciting between the Seglerhaus am Wannsee (VSaW) and the German Touring Yacht Club (DTYC) in the duel for the vice-championship. And the races were even more dramatic for the relegation-threatened clubs, who desperately needed every point in their fight to stay in the championship. The furious final of the 18 first division teams took place in calm conditions at the start and then in perfect sailing conditions and picture-book weather on the Alster on Sunday - initially in front of the jetties of the dedicated Hamburg Sailing Club, and then directly in front of the jetties of the organising NRV for the final.
The final relegation decisions were only made in the last races. The relegated teams from the 1st German Sailing League have now been determined: Lübecker Yacht-Club, Schweriner Yacht-Club and Mühlenberger Segel-Club von der Elbe, who finished bottom of the table, were unable to save themselves in the showdown on the Alster and will have to make friends with the second division for 2015. Düsseldorfer Yacht-Club, Chiemsee Yacht Club and Bayerischer Yacht-Club finished the season in relegation places 13 to 15. This trio will have to compete again on 8 and 9 November at the relegation regatta in the same area. Their opponents will then be the three hungry second division teams: Hamburger Segel-Club, Potsdamer Yacht Club and Segel- und Motorboot-Club Überlingen, who also have hopes of a place in the 1st German Sailing League in 2015. The water sports club Hemelingen, Segelklub Bayer-Uerdingen and Münchner Yacht-Club had already been promoted directly from the 2nd to the 1st German Sailing League in Friedrichshafen.
The Norddeutscher Regatta Verein (NRV) celebrated its prematurely won club championship for the second time in a row at its home event on the Alster. The most frequent comment on the pontoons was the now almost familiar phrase: "These are the Bavarians of sailing." And they will once again be the hunted in the third league season in 2015, but were initially able to enjoy the confident defence of the championship trophy in Hamburg. DTYC secured the runner-up title ahead of VSaW, although the Berlin team had started the Hamburg final with a comfortable lead. VSaW helmswoman Kathrin Kadelbach and her team were unable to cope on the Alster this weekend, only finishing eleventh and having to let the DTYC team led by Maximilian Weiss pass them in the overall standings.
The sixth and final first league regatta was won by the Konstanz Yacht Club ahead of the Berlin Yacht Club and the host NRV. The second season of the young German Sailing League came to an end with a stormy championship celebration. League manager Jocky Hellmich said: "The German Sailing League is a successful model that has triggered a huge wave of euphoria in Germany."
Michael Naumann was also among the guests at the championship ceremony. Hamburg's Senator for the Interior and Sport did not miss the opportunity to personally congratulate the German champions from the Hanseatic city on their achievement. Neumann said: "The Sailing Bundesliga brand has hit like a bomb." He said he was proud that this format from Hamburg was also putting sailing in the international spotlight. The Senator was also referring to the idea of the Champions League, which got off to a flying start this year with its first invitational race in Copenhagen. In addition to the NRV, the DTYC and the VSaW are also qualified for this.
The overall result of the 1st German Sailing League 2014
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
