The sun returned and racing finished for the ISAF Sailing World Cup classes today in the first part of Kieler Woche, the penultimate stage of the ISAF Sailing World Cup. After five days of racing the medal races were a fitting finale for the 680 crews competing in the classes of the Olympic competition. The home nation, Germany shared the biggest medal haul with the USA, both with four medals but no golds. Great Britain and Australia came out on top, GBR with two golds and one silver and Australia with two golds and a bronze.
470
The Australians Mathew Belcher and Malcolm Page finished the job by winning the first of the gold medals at Kiel with a second place in the medal race.
The two British blondes Sarah Ayton and Saskia Clark capped off an excellent week claiming their first Sailing World Cup win in the 470 class. They finished the medal race with a fourth to secure the gold medal by four points from one of two Swedish crews in the top ten, Lisa Ericson and Astrid Gabrielson.
49er
The breeze had just lifted a shade in the early afternoon creating an exciting finale to the 49er regatta. Whilst the Austrians Nico Delle Karth and Nikolous Resch won the medal race from German crew Lennart Briesenick-Pudenz and Morten Massmann, the race for third and the gold medal could not be decided by a photo finish for third, which meant the gold medal had to be decided on count back with the British pair of John Pink and Rick Peacock claiming it on a better number of third places, (both teams having the same number of first and second places).
Star
Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada of Brazil squeezed into the gold medal position with a seventh in the medal race, chased hard by the German crew of Johannes Babendererde and Timo Jacobs. The German crew finished second in the medal race and just short of the gold medal by a solitary point.
Finn
It was not the plan for Rafael Trujillo (ESP), he started as favourite going into the medal race but with a ninth in the medal race he lost his chance to beat his rival Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic (CRO) and had to settle for bronze place on the podium.
RS:X
A bitter end at Kieler Woche for Olga Maslivets (UKR) who led the whole fleet right from the start on Saturday but failed in the medal race with a ninth place, dropping her to fifth overall. With a second place in the medal race Agata Brygo (POL) catapulted on to the podium with Jessica Crisp of Australia taking the bronze.
Julien Bontemps of France sailed a faultless regatta of eight races, scoring seven consecutive bullets! On his tail all week was Ivan Pastor from Spain who finished fourth in the medal race securing silver at Kieler Woche and also becomes joint leader of the World Cup rankings in the RS:X class with Bontemps. Michal Majewski of Poland beat off his fellow Polish team mates to claim the bronze.
Laser/Laser radial
Double world champion Tom Slingsby of Australia only had to sail a conservative medal race to keep his closest rivals at bay to claim the gold in the Laser fleet. Clay Johnson (USA) had steadily improved throughout the regatta and raced a good medal race to jump onto the podium in silver medal position. Home nation sailor Phillipp Buhl of Germany has sailed a much improved regatta here in Kiel to grab a well deserved bronze medal. A second Kieler Woche win goes to Paige Railey (USA). Second place in the medal race and silver on the podium goes to Franziska Goltz (GER) who was more then happy with her result.
Womens Match Racing
The Women's Match Racing competition became a bit of a marathon with long days on the water, often not returning until sunset. The quarters, semis and finals were all completed on medal race day and the eventual winner was a delighted Ekaterina Skudina from Russia, who triumphed over world number two Claire Leroy of France in the final.
2.4mR
There is no medal races in the 2.4 mR class but another two fleet races and it became a pursuit race for Heiko Kroeger (GER). He finished ahead Helena Lucas (GBR) and Thierry Schmitter (NED).
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Result list
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