Kieler Woche 2010 (ISAF Sailing World Cup)

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Complete German national team will be competing in Kiel

2010-05-11

Together with Audi, HSH Nordbank, Veolia and boot Düsseldorf at optimal course - Fight of surfing generations - Sailing, sailing and even more sailing

’Kieler Woche has a special standing for us Germans,’ says Moana Delle, surfer of the German national team who will be competing with her fellow team members at this year’s 128th edition of Kieler Woche. ‘This is what we are expecting from our national team,’ confirms Nadine Stegenwalner, Sports Director of the German Sailor’s Federation DSV the unique characteristics of the event. Here in Kiel on their home waters, the German stars want to show that they are part of the international high-class competition and with that prove themselves at ISAF Sailing World Cup. From 19 to 23 June ten Olympic classes and the Paralympic class 2.4mR will be on the race courses of Kieler Woche, until the 15 international classes will take over from 24 - 27 June. More than 5000 sailors from about 50 nations are again expected for the event (19 - 27 June). Meaning that during the ten days lasting regatta about 400 starts will be absolved by 2000 boats on ten race courses.

To carry out a successful event organizing clubs (Kieler Yacht-Club, Hamburger Segelclub, Norddeutscher Regatta Verein and VSaW Berlin) will be supported by their strong premium partners AUDI AG, Veolia, HSH Nordbank and boot Düsseldorf who will all together be looking towards Kieler Woche at the first press conference in Hamburg on 11 May 2010.

Very keen on Kieler Woche are Lennart Briesenick-Pudenz/Morten Massmann (Flensburg) and Moana Delle (Kiel) as they will be defending their titles. The 49er sailors and R:SX surfer both were the German Kieler Woche gold medallists in 2009. ‘It was an overwhelming feeling to win in Kiel. It was our first World Cup victory and that in our home waters. We will never forget the medal race which had the best conditions for sailors and the audience alike,’ is Lennart Briesenick-Pudenz looking back emotionally. ‘Sure it was a great feeling. It is always lovely to win a regatta and if it happens at home it is even better,’ remembers Moana Delle. One of her biggest competitors will be Sydney silver medallist Amelie Lux who is planning her comeback for 2012.

Sailing, sailing and even more sailing

’In order to let the classes sail as much as possible we abstained from any limitations concerning the maximum amount of races per day and series,’ said Jobst Richter, Chairman of the Kieler Woche races. Kiel has sufficient space available on the water: With ten racing areas each class will be allocated its own area so that consequently the number of races will only be determined by wind and weather conditions. ‘We are service providers to the sailors. That is why decisions in their favour can never be wrong. And we are confident that there will be a lot more racing than in the years before - because more sailing means more fun for sailors,’ comments Richter about Kieler Woche’s self-confidence.

Welcome Race 2010

Many offshore sailors have been waiting for it and a very happy Eckhard von der Mosel, Chairman of Kieler Woche Offshore Committee announced the positive outcome of the negotiations: After four years of abstinence the first offshore race of Kieler Woche 2010 will again be from Kiel to Eckernförde and back. "The many spinnakers on the Kiel Fjord as well as the crowded harbour of Eckernförde - these are the pictures that the world associates with the beginning of Kieler Woche," says the offshore chairman passionately.

New Offshore Concept

Besides the long-distance offshore events, Kieler Woche will also offer a completely new concept for
One-Design yachts. Especially smaller boats as Melges 24, J-80 and Laser SB3 prefer short ways to the race area with many and fast races rather than long- or mid-distance races starting on the Inner Fjord. For this, race area Foxtrott on the Outer Fjord will be available during the Olympic part (19-24 June) for offshore One-Design yachts which include apart from above mentioned classes also X-99, X-79, Streamline and Albin Express. At the same time the X-99 class has chosen the new concept to compete for North European Championship, as did Streamline with its German Cup.

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Successful start day

2010-06-19

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.

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.

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.

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 Delle 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."

"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).

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Not everybody could race today

2010-06-20
Less wind on day two of Kieler Woche meant that not all classes could continue their races in the ISAF Sailing World Cup. Only the RS:X, 2.4 mR, 49er and the Women’s Match Racing competition had the chance to sail close to the coastline.

"The weather conditions were very strange today. We had enough wind on the courses near the harbour, but the further you go out the wind dropped. So we had to think about how we can have the same conditions to sail all classes closer to the shore, maybe one after each other. But we really hope we will have better conditions on Monday," explained Jobst Richter, Chairman of Kieler Woche.

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Womens Match Racing:

The Womens Match Racing endured a long day on the water on the opening day of Kieler Woche to complete the early rounds of the Match Racing regatta in the Elliott 6 Olympic boats. The three groups went out on the water today in much lighter conditions to try to complete the group stages. ISAF ranked number one Lucy Macgregor (GBR) has started strongly in a tough group winning all but one of her flights against Anna Tunnicliffe (USA). Lucy said that they raced two very different days out on the water but although the wind was much less today there was still a lot of chop, "We have had a really good start to the regatta winning all our races except the last one against Anna today. It was really hard on the race course today, it was hard to keep the boat moving, all the moves can be very expensive." Both Lucy Macgregor and Anna Tunnicliffe go through to the Gold group. In Group B, Genevieve Tulloch (USA) ranked ninth in the ISAF world rankings won six out of seven of her flights to lead her group from world number two, Claire Leroy (FRA) and fifth ranked Nicky Souter of (AUS). The race committee tried to complete Group C but at the time of going to press the rain had drawn in and the wind was not cooperating so after four flights sailed the surprise leader was ISAF world ranked number 20, Silja Letinen of Finland who had won all her races to lead the group.

49ers:

After the surfing conditions yesterday the 49ers were able to maintain a bit more control out on the race course but it was still very tricky for the top crews. The British teams currently hold the top two places after five races sailed. Chris Draper and Peter Greenhalgh started their Kieler Woche campaign with two bullets yesterday relishing the conditions, "It was a good day yesterday, really good fun conditions, flat out, what 49er racing is all about." Today they continued their good form with a third and a second discarding one bad result (12th). Greenhalgh explained, "It was tough today, 2-5 knots in a lot of spectator boats, the wake caused us to park up a few times but it is the same for everybody so it’s just about dealing with it." In second is the other British duo of John Pink and Rick Peacock and the first of a number of strong French teams, Yann Rocherieux and Morgan Lagraviere are making up the podium one point adrift.

Womens RS:X :

Only two races could be sailed in the Womens RS:X class today. "In less wind we can only rock the board as the class rule says in these conditions, so only two races are allowed per day." And a single race today took 50 minutes. After nearly one hour rocking the sail you are off. It was fair enough just to sail two races today," explained local hero Moana Delle (GER). Her training partner Amelie Lux (GER), silver medallist at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, sailed her first race today with a special guest on board and came in fifth. "I am pregnant!" "The baby will come in October and then she will look forward to the Games in Weymouth 2012," Amelie Lux hopes for her comeback. Best on track to win Kieler Woche in the RS:X is Olga Maslivets (UKR) defending her lead from the first day.

Mens RS:X:

There was not much change in the 39 board RS:X Mens fleet today despite the change to light and shifty conditions. Beijing 2008 silver medallist Julien Bontemps (FRA) has a near perfect score of four bullets and one discarded second place. However with two fleets Ivan Pastor of Spain also has also recorded three bullets and a second, discarding a fifth place. He is only one point adrift of Bontemps with a string of Polish sailors making up the next three positions led by Michal Majewski.

2.4 mR:

Rely on me is probably the motto of the 2.4 mR class in Kiel. "We can sail in any wind. When all the other classes cannot start because of lack of wind, the 2.4 mR can sail every day at Kieler Woche. So it was no problem for us to sail three races again today", Heiko Kroeger (GER), gold medallist in the 2.4 mR from Sydney, reported at the end of the day. Kroeger, now fourth overall, is tied with Thierry Schmitter (NED), bronze medallist from Athens 2004. But defending her lead from the first day is Megan Pascoe (GBR) with a discarded 11th place in the last race to remain two points ahead of Barend Kol (NED).

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There was no racing in the 470 fleets today despite the efforts of the race committee; the wind was just not stable enough. Renowned coach of the Australian Olympic Team, Victor Kovalenko was beaming from ear to ear on the dockside with his protégées performance at the start of Kieler Woche.

"I am very happy that they became the members of ’Three Bullets Club’, the sailors who won three races in one day at a Sailing World Cup event, Euros, Worlds or the Games. It is indication of top level skills in our sport" referring to 470 Mens leaders Mathew Belcher and Malcolm Page and also of Tom Slingsby in the Laser class.

There was no racing for the Lasers, Laser Radials, Finns or Stars today but tomorrows forecast expectations are for more breeze and a chance to get the race schedule back on track.

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Racing continues until Wednesday 23 June when the Medal Races take place live in front of the harbour.

High resolution photos please see http://media.kieler-woche.de/fotoweb
TV footage please see http://www.kieler-woche.tv

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Check out the Kiel Week photo gallery by Fried Elliott/ friedbits.com.

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A Light Breeze Returns To Kieler Woche

2010-06-22
It was a bit of a nail biting day again in the morning of the fourth day of Kieler Woche, penultimate stage of the ISAF Sailing World Cup. By noon a light breeze filled in and all classes could finish enough races before the medal races begin on Wednesday. "The forecast was really the opposite of what we saw later on the water. But to make sure enough races were completed for the Finn and Star classes, who had only raced two before, we relocated their course close to the shore. And it worked, they could sail three races," explained Jobst Richter, Chairman of the Kieler Woche



Finn

Rafael Trujillo started the day where he left off yesterday, chalking up another bullet, his third consecutive, but dropped off the pace in the second race of the day, discarding a 19th to go into the medal race with a four point lead over his rival Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic of Croatia, who also discarded a bad result in the second race. "It was shifty and puffy on the course today, I had a bad start, had to sail back round the committee boat." explained Rafa. "The top ten boats are always racing against each other all the year but Ivan and I have been fighting for gold at the last three major events. I have been coming to Kiel since 1997, won in 2004, came second in 2008 so I really hope I can win tomorrow." Deniss Karpak (EST) goes into the medal race in third only just ahead of the chasing pack.


Star

He has never won Kieler Woche in the Star before, only in the Laser, but he is well on the way to achieving that goal this year. Robert Scheidt (BRA) with crew Bruno Prada leads the Star fleet into the medal race with a comfortable gap of seven points to Diego Negri and Enrico Voltini (ITA) with Mark Mendelblatt and Magnus Liljedahl (USA) in third.


Mens 470

It was only possible to race one more race again today and it was a predicable sight as Mathew Belcher and Malcolm Page chalked up a fourth bullet in a row. They seemed to be sailing an immaculate series in all conditions but Page was respectful of the opposition.

"There has been very good competition at Kiel Week this year, we prefer stronger wind, which is what we had on the first day but we have been practising in the light so its good to know we are going well in light as well." "The points are very close for the medal race tomorrow and the medal races are a different style of racing to the normal fleet racing so we have to sail with what we feel and see. It’s a very short race with only ten boats, so tactics will be out of the window; the calibre of competition is very high." Despite the Aussies domination of the fleet, 2009 world champions Sime Fantela and Igor Marenic (CRO) are only five points behind with Anton Dahlberg and Sebastian Ostling (SWE) another four points back in third so the medal race will still be close.


Womens 470

On top of the Womens 470 fleet the British team of Sarah Ayton and Saskia Clark go into the medal race as leaders. Sarah Ayton, double Olympic gold medallist and two-time world champion, part of the ’three blondes’ who sailed to victory in the Yngling class at the Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Games, has teamed up with experienced 470 crew Saskia Clark, a former world championship medallist in 2005 and 2007. She is aiming for a third gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in Weymouth. Lisa Ericson and Astrid Gabreilsson of Sweden go into the medal race in silver position with Maria Gallego and Julia Rita of Spain currently in bronze. Three German teams have found their way into the top ten after four races. Kathrin Kadelbach and Friederike Belcher, Annina Wagner and Marlene Steinherr, and Tina Lutz and Sanni Beucke will all start in the medal race. "We won the last race today and just made it into the medal race, which was not a sure thing before. We are very happy," stated Tina, former world champion in the Optimist.


49er

Only three points separate the top six competitors in the 49er fleet going into the medal race. Of three British boats in the top five the young team of Dylan Fletcher and Alain Sign have enjoyed the light conditions to lead the consistent Danes, Emil and Simon Toft Nielsen, the first of three other Danish teams in the medal race. Yann Rochierieux and Morgan Lagraviere of France sailed very consistently, winning the last race of the day and finishing in the bronze position but only one point ahead of the chasing pack of three boats including former leaders Draper and Greenhalgh (GBR).


Laser

In the only race of the day Michael Leigh (CAN) closed the gap to four points on run away leader, Tom Slingsby (AUS) by winning the last race. Leigh heads into the medal race with a further three point lead over two young German sailors lead by Philipp Buhl.



Laser Radial

The Laser Radials sailed one more race today and Tatiana Drozdovskaya (BLR) has maintained her lead all week to finish with a fifth and a slender one point lead over Alberte Holm Lindberg of Denmark and seasoned campaigner Paige Railey (USA) another point behind in bronze position. These three go into the medal race with a few points in the bag.


Mens RS:X

Having sailed seven races in total Julien Bontemps of France has been simply unstoppable recording six bullets and discarding a second. Trailing him by six points is Ivan Pastor (ESP) and the Polish trio of Grodzicki, Majewski and Przbytek battling for the other medals.


RS:X W

After leading the RS:X fleet right from the start to the medal race it was no surprise that Olga Maslivets (UKR) starts tomorrow as number one ahead of silver medallist at the 2009 world championship, Blanca Manchon (ESP) and Agata Brygo (POL).



2.4 mR

With twelve races sailed, the 2.4 mR class showed again today that this class is the real results machine at Kieler Woche. And after his Kieler Woche victory in 2009 Heiko Kroeger (GER) is again on course to make it his second win in row. After three days leading the fleet, which started in Kiel with handicap and non handicap sailors, Megan Pascoe (GBR) dropped back to third place three points behind Helena Lucas (GBR).


Womens Match Racing

The race committee continued to churn through the rounds all day but by 20.00hrs had to postpone having got part way through the quarter finals. At the close of the day, Claire Leroy (FRA) leads Silke Hahlbrock of Germany two flights to one. Ekaterina Skudina (RUS) leads Silva Lehtinen’s team from Finland by two to one and Anna Tunnicliffe (USA) also leads Katie Spithill of Australia by the same score. In the final group world number one Lucy Macgregor (GBR) leads her opponent Genevieve Tulloch (USA) by two to one.


The medal races will start on Wednesday from 11am. They can watched live on the internet by logging on to: www.kieler-woche.de