With strong conditions up to 24 knots of wind, Kieler Woche the penultimate stage of the ISAF Sailing World Cup started today.
"We are pretty happy with the first day of racing here. We had to postpone the start this morning by one hour because of the high waves outside but finally we could finish our scheduled programme for the day", Jobst Richter, Chairman of the Kieler Woche explained.
Starboat
Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada (BRA) started Kieler Woche with the lead in the Star fleet after two races. Scheidt, four times medallist at the Olympic Games, won the Kieler Woche three times in the Laser, but never in the Star. Scheidt explained that it is a good start but the result is not so important as to create and maintain a rhythm: "We plan to use the regatta to improve our sailing. It is my 15th Kieler Woche and it is even harder to win. It took me eight years to win my first one. The level here is very high, we have the new European Champion here and the field is very strong. Our focus will be to go full on in 2011. We will race in the 2011 World Championship in Australia then the goal will be the 2012 Olympics in Weymouth, but we have some very strong competition from within Brazil to beat first, especially from the Grael family."
Fresh from their victory at the European Championship Johannes Polgar (GER) and Markus Koy (GER) came in third today tied on the leader board with Mathias Miller and Benedikt Wenk (GER). "After winning the European Championship in Italy we are a bit exhausted. But after we sailed to the race course this morning we were back on track again", explained Johannes Polgar. Polgar went on to explain that they were still fresh and new to the class after switching from the Tornado.
2.4mR
How strong the competition is in the 34 boat 2.4 mR class. The first three races showed it today on course India straight in front of the Schilksee harbour. Last years Kieler Woche winner Heiko Kroeger (GER) won the first race of the day, but dropped to third and ninth place in the next two races. "Especially in the last race it was very tricky with the wind shifts. With one tack at the wrong time you went back from first to ten," Heiko Kroeger expressed at the end of the day. It was the other way round for Thierry Schmitter (NED). Last year second placed Schmitter opened Kieler Woche with a seventh place. But with two wins in the following races he goes in to the lead. Gold medallist from Qingdao Paul Tingley (CAN) came in seventh in the last race and currently stands in ninth overall.
RS:X
Three races, three first places for Olga Maslivets (UKR). Placed 29th in the ISAF World Rankings the 32 year Olga Maslivets now leads the Women's RS:X fleet. The German newcomer Moana Dell started Kieler Woche down in eighth place. But having trained in Maui, Auckland and Mallorca, Spain, she feels prepared for her Olympic campaign: "I learned a lot about surfing and the RS:X board during the last few months in New Zealand and in Spain and I am looking forward for the Olympic qualifications in 2011."
49er
"That was a nice breeze outside today and it was real fun to sail. It did not really start very well for us in the morning, but in the afternoon we won one race and came fourth in the last race of the day", Oliver Lewin (GER) sailing together with Julian Ramm (GER) was happy after the first day. Placed third overall behind the two British teams of Chris Draper and Peter Greenhalgh and John Pink and Rick Peacock. The current leader of the ISAF World Rankings Nico Delle Karth and Nikolaus Resch (AUT) finished sixth today right behind the winning team from last year Lennart Briesenick-Pudenz and Morten Massmann (GER).
For complete results click here.
Photos and press material can be found here.
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