The first winner on this relegation weekend was German sailing. Ignited by the idea of the league, 61 club teams from all over Germany applied for the last five free places in the 1st German Sailing League, which was founded in 2013, and 18 places in the 2nd German Sailing League, which was founded this year.
In a total of 86 fleet races and according to an ingenious changeover system, the 244 sailors determined their best for three days on boats of the J 70 and J 80 type, which Mittelmann's Werft had provided as a partner for the regatta spectacle on the Flensburg Fjord. For three days, the four-man crews competed for league places, glory and honour for their clubs. In stormy, calm and almost perfect sailing conditions on the final day, the crews had to summon up all their skills. It was a memorable sailing weekend with a historic flavour and a remarkably high sailing fun factor.
The Kieler Yacht-Club, the relegation winner, the second-placed Bodensee-Yacht-Club Überlingen, the Seglervereinigung Itzehoe, the Segelkameradschaft "Das Wappen von Bremen" and the Düsseldorfer Yachtclub all made it into the 1st German Sailing League. Hamburger Segel-Club (HSC), which was confidently placed in the top five until the last race, missed out on qualifying for the first division in seventh place, as did Segelklub Bayer Uerdingen (SKBUe) in sixth place. HSC helmsman Max Gurgel was annoyed about the missed opportunity: "We were leading up to the windward mark in the last race and could even have won this regatta. But then we had a kink in the genoa sheet and they sailed past us right and left." Now the Hamburg team has to attack in the 2nd German Sailing League. "But we're already starting with a second place in the first of three regattas, so we're taking a good result with us and will then fight for promotion to the first division next year."
The fact that sailing is a sport of experience was clearly demonstrated this weekend on the Flensburg Fjord. The crews of the future first division teams brought plenty of it with them. For example, the team led by KYC helmsman Martin Menzner with 49er ace Julian Ramm in the boat. Menzner is a regular winner of national J regattas and dominated the Bundesliga boats with his crew.
The Überlingen team of Andreas Buchert, Klaus-Peter Stengele, Jörg Munck and Joseph Pochhammer had also been training for the relegation weekend since the end of 2013 and had completed two targeted intensive sessions on Lake Garda with club-owned and chartered J 70 and J 80 boats. The club had sent its Überlingen dream team to Glücksburg with this message: "The whole club is keeping its fingers crossed and wishes them every success! Despite all the preparation, it will not be easy to make it into the top 23 (2nd Bundesliga) of the 61 participating club teams. A top five finish would be brilliant, but with this relegation play-off being seen as a 'minor German championship' and at least ten professional teams, it's not yet realistic." Oh, really? Oh yes, it is! The team from Überlingen were even rewarded for their meticulous preparation with one of the five first division places and were able to celebrate. As did X99 world champion and helmsman Christian Syka from the Itzehoe Sailing Association and his team, as well as the teams from the sailing club "Das Wappen von Bremen" and the Düsseldorf Yacht Club, who were well prepared.
We report in detail in YACHT 10 about the many winners of this sailing festival in Glücksburg - the name was the programme on the water and on land thanks to successful organisation, committed partners, the remarkably hospitable DHH and the confident race management from the Flensburger Segel-Club.
The 1st German Sailing League gets underway on Lake Starnberg from 16 to 18 May. The battle for the club championship in German sailing will reach its finale on the Outer Alster in Hamburg after four more first league regattas in the Bay of Lübeck, on Berlin's Wannsee and on Kiel's inner fjord. In its inaugural year, the new 2nd Bundesliga will continue with two more regattas on Lake Starnberg and Lake Constance after the first points regatta on the fjord (the relegation will be included in the ranking for the second division teams).
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
