Patiently Waiting For Breeze

All race courses of were becalmed all day Monday at the ISAF Grade 1 Kiel Week, leaving the overnight scores unchanged. It was a day of complete contrast to Sunday, when near-perfect conditions made for a great show of sailing.

The lack of wind left the competitors in the Olympic Classes practicing patiently around the Schilksee harbour on Monday. ISAF President Göran PETERSSON (SWE) was much more fortunate as he went out to watch the racing on Sunday, with great sailing conditions resulting in three races across most of the classes.

Austria, New Zealand and Australia are represented with strong teams in Kiel and are currently showing very strongly at the top of the leaderboards. After four races in the Laser Radial the ladies from down under are dominating, with Jo ALEH (NZL) holding on to her lead ahead of Sarah BLANCK (AUS) and Krystal WEIR (AUS). Sylvia VOGL and Carolina FLATSCHER (AUT) lead the Austrian charge at the top of the Women’s 470 standings ahead of Elise RECHICHI and Tessa PARKINSON (AUS) and Shelley HESSON and Bianca BARBARICH-BACHER (NZL).

Polish Windsurfers On Top

The Women’s RS:X fleet sailed four races with Agata BRYGOLA (POL) in superb lead, followed by two Germans, Moana DELLE and Regina STADLER. Poland also head the men’s fleet, with Maksymilian WOJCIK (POL) top after four races, leading from Americans Robert WILLIS and Ben BARGER.

World Champion Michael BLACKBURN (AUS) scored top points in the Laser, followed by Karol POROZYNSKI (POL) in second and Alexander SCHLONSKI (GER). Australia hold another top spot in the Finn thanks to Anthony NOSSITER (AUS), who is followed by Dan SLATER (NZL) and Ivan KLJAKOVIC GASPIC (CRO). Mathew BELCHER and Nick BEHRENS (AUS) lead in the Men’s 470.

The German Star team Marc PICKEL and Ingo BORKOWSKI won all three races on Saturday with their newly developed and built Star boat. Hans SPITZAUER and Christian NEHAMMER (AUT) followed them in second, with Peter BROMBY and Bill MCNIVEN (BER) third.

GAEBLER Leads

The Tornados sailed 3 races with Roland GAEBLER and Gunnar STRUCKMANN (GER) in the lead, followed by their countrymen Helge SACH and Christian SACH in second.

The 49er fleet is dominated by Marcus BAUR and Hannes BAUMANN (GER) followed by Christoph SIEBER and Clemens KRUSE (AUT), whilst Heiko KRÖGER (GER) stays top in the 2.4mR fleet.

Premium Partners of Kiel Week 2007 like BMW (presenter), HSH Nordbank, freenet and boot Duesseldorf as well as numerous co-sponsors like b+m Informatik,B + S Card Service, Canon, Fürst Bismarck Quelle, Helly Hansen, Hugo Hamann, International Farbenwerke, Jever, Kapsch CarrierCom, Kielnet, Lankhorst and Hohorst, Nexus, Segler-Zeitung, Tutima contribute successfully to this year’s 125th edition of Kiel Week.

For all the news on Kiel Week CLICK HERE.

Kiel Week will be included in the first running of the ISAF World Cup© series for the Olympic Classes. For more on the ISAF World Cup© CLICK HERE.