The wind disrupted racing at Kieler Woche again on the third day of the ISAF Sailing World Cup. Only the 49er, 2.4 mR and the Womens Match Racing competition could finish races today. "We tried to get all classes on the water today but every time we thought we could start the wind dropped again," Jobst Richter, Chairman of Kieler Woche explained. And the forecast for tomorrow promises not much more wind. In this case Jobst Richter and his team may take the decision to cancel the races for the 2.4 mR, who have completed nine races in Kiel, to use this course, which is close to the shore and shows promise of a chance to sail fair races for the other classes.
Womens Match Racing
The gold group of the Womens Match Racing provided a couple of surprises today. Former leaders Lucy Macgregor (GBR) and Anna Tunnicliffe (USA) had a bad day, losing all three of their flights whilst world number two, Claire Leroy (FRA) has revelled in the light conditions winning all three of her flights sailed. Also in the mix is Genevieve Tulloch (USA) winning both her races and the flying Finnish team skippered by Silja Lehtinen who won two of her flights, losing her first race of the regatta to Claire Leroy. The race committee were still trying hard to finish the group stages at 19.00hrs in the evening but eventually had to postpone until the morning.
49er
It was another long day on the water in very light airs for the 49ers. They did manage two more races and the leader board resembles a real battle between the British and the Danes. The Nielsen brothers sit on 23 points, eight points clear of the chasing pack of four boats on 31 points including two more British teams, another Danish crew, and Swedish and French teams. The fleet is very close and in these conditions one small mistake can be very costly.
2.4 mR
That you can trust in the wind conditions on the 2.4 mR course, was shown to be true again today. Three more races today and now nine in total. Still in the lead is Megan Pascoe (GBR) but close behind by two points is Heiko Kroeger (GER) who has improved his performances during the last two days from sixth place to second and in contention to win his fifth Kieler Woche.
Mens 470
With three races sailed the 470 class was still waiting for more races due to the lack of stable wind on course Bravo. Down in 17th place but with ambitious plans for Weymouth 2012, Lucas Zellmer and Heiko Seelig (GER) are trying to comeback into the game. But the comeback for Lucas Zellmer and Heiko Seelig who have two times placed second in the European championships, will not be that easy. Some young German crews in the 470, like Morten Bogacki and Jens Steinborn and Mathias Schmidt and Florian Reichsstädter, are well on their way to becoming top international crews.
Womens 470
The Womens 470 fleet also spent most of the day ashore waiting for the sea breeze to fill in, but to no avail. Another team that has been producing very promising results in the 470 classes are the Singaporeans. Siobhan Tann, currently lying in 15th place in the Womens 470 fleet at Kieler Woche said of the long waiting ashore. "In Singapore we are quite used to it because the wind is quite light where we sail at the National Sailing Centre on the East coast, so we just learn to stay alert ad play our games ashore, keep hydrated and eat."
Laser and Laser Radial
Both the Laser and Laser Radial fleets were unable to complete any further racing today. Two time world champion and 2008 winner of Kieler Woche, Tom Slingsby of Australia leads the Laser fleet in Kiel with three wins in the first three races. He came to Europe to compete in the ISAF Sailing World Cup events in Medemblik, Kiel and Weymouth and to compete at the world championship in the UK. He said: "I like Kiel but I am more of a strong wind sailor, typical Australian conditions."
There was no further racing for the Finns and Star classes today. Racing continues tomorrow with the medal races live in front of the harbour at Kiel on Wednesday 23 June.
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