German Sailing League: NRV only just pushed off the throne

The Norddeutscher Regatta Verein remains the Bundesliga benchmark for the time being: after the opening regatta on Lake Starnberg, the Hamburg team also won the second meeting of the 18 first division teams at the Travemünde Week. Helmsman Johannes Polgar and his crew of Niklas von Meyerinck, Klaas Höpcke and Florian Spalteholz won two second places in the last two races after thrilling races in marvellous sailing conditions, just one point ahead of the strong team from Flensburger Segel-Club.

At the end of an outstandingly sailed series, the FSC crew had it in their own hands to push the Hamburg top favourites off the throne, but after a botched penultimate race, even the Flensburg daily victory at the end was not quite enough for victory. FSC helmsman Sven Koch and his crew of Alexander Erichsen, Hans Henning Höft and Morten Massmann won the most races with six first places. But in the final tally, the Nord-Club was just one point short of triumph in Travemünde with a total of 57 points, which the "Bavarians of sailing" and defending champions from Hamburg were once again able to celebrate with 58 points. "We had it in our own hands today," said Morten Massmann, "unfortunately we ruined our consistent performance this weekend with a stupid mistake in the penultimate race."

Third place in Travemünde went to the German Touring Yacht Club ahead of the Württemberg Yacht Club and the Seglerhaus am Wannsee club. The host Lübecker Yacht-Club did not make it past 14th place and remains at the bottom of the table after two of five league regattas.

The NRV is the undisputed leader with two victories. But helmsman Johannes Polgar was still charmingly downbeat: "We didn't expect to win here in Travemünde at all. The competition was really strong." The Seglerhaus am Wannsee club had to cede second place in the table to the German Touring Yacht Club and slipped back to third place. DTYC helmsman Max Weiss said: "The Bundesliga is really intense. Even during the breaks you can't switch off because you're still at the last race. And then it's back on the water and on again. It's really amazing!" Behind the Berliners, the FSC rocketed up to fourth place in the table with its strong performance in the Bay of Lübeck.

At the bottom of the table, Mühlenberger Segel-Club and Düsseldorfer Yacht-Club, in 16th and 17th place respectively, are battling it out with the Lübeck team. The difference in points between the leading NRV (36 points) and the Lübecker Yacht-Club in 18th place (6 points) is already 30 points after two regattas.