Kieler Woche - Day 1

Frithjof Schwerdt on day 1 of Kieler Woche © okpress

The curtain rose on Kieler Woche today with the usual very diverse range of sailing craft enjoying brisk conditions which proved especially challenging for those drawn to race on the race courses closest to land. The shifting, pulsing offshore breeze rose and fell, peppered with short shifts in wind direction which made anticipation, quick reactions and smart decision making essential. Sunshine made an occasional appearance.

The nine day regatta attracts over 4000 sailors racing representing 50 different nations and draws tens of thousands of spectators to the banks of the Kiel Fjord in the city and to promenade at the Olympic centre at Kiel-Schilksee. It continues to enjoy its reputation as the world's biggest sailing regatta. The first days are more focused on the amateur and grass roots classes, dinghies and cruiser-racers. The later days peak with the Olympic and Paralympic classes fleets and will include a big, patriotic send off on Tuesday for Germany's Olympic sailing team before they head to Rio. Top billing this week also goes to the J/70 Class which contests the European Championship and the 470s which race for their Junior World Championship.

The 29er youth skiff class has drawn over 90 crews from 13 different nations, most treating the event as an important build up for the upcoming World Championships in Medemblik in just over one month's time as well as a the fifth event on the EuroCup championship. Dutch duo Pieter van Leijen and Daniel Bramervaer may have missed the early season events due to schoolwork commitments, only racing at the Delta Lloyd regatta but their lack of big regatta competition this season may only have made them hungrier. They came ashore at Kiel Schilksee at the top of the leaderboard, quietly content with four race wins and a second from their yellow fleet qualifying races.

Helm van Leijen grinned: "We had a pretty good day considering the wind was so shifty. The first race the pressure changes were big over short periods. But I think our speed was good. So a 2,1,1,1 and a 1 for the day we have done pretty well and we hope to keep it that way. We have been Top 20 every time we have been here but I hope that we have made a big jump this time and we can keep this up. We have done no European tour regattas because we have had to work for school."

On the Musto Performance Skiff race course Germany's newly crowned World Champion Andi Lachenschmid lies second behind rival compatriot Frithjof Schwerdt who he tangled with in the third race. Schwerdt went 2,1,1 for the day to lead Lachenschmid who capsized twice, the second time to avoid a Contender. But Lachenschmid considers this a fun regatta after the world championships which only finished just over one week ago in Carnac, France. 
 Lachenschmid recalled: "The first race I won, I made a good start and was very fast downwind in the first and second race and that made the difference. The second race I capsized but still finished second. And in the third race I had a little bit of trouble in the upwind with Frithjof (Schwerdt, regatta leader) and then had problems with the Contenders, I had no space and had to make a last minute tack and capsized but I recovered to fourth place. Winning the world title was a nice feeling. It is great to be here as world champion but it is hard too because it is like you have a target on your back. Everyone wants to beat you!"

A strong British contingent continue to support the regatta, a serious undertaking after participating in the World Championships. John Evans, from Derwent Reservoir in the north England, lies in seventh after a 7,5,6 today: "It was very fluky, especially difficult coming in to the windward mark which was underneath the shore and so you really had to pick how you came in to the mark. It was good for me today considering I have my 60th birthday coming up next week. This is my third time here. It is a good event. The whole atmosphere is great and we like to come and support the class. We were at the worlds two weeks ago and dropped the boat here on the way back and went back to work for the week. And so that was a bit tiring."

The regatta is due to finish with a Super Sunday climax on 26th June but Denmark's Jesper Nielsen managed to repeat his Super Saturday of last year opening with a perfect three wins scoreline in the 44 boat Contender class. Last year he started with three wins which were the launch pad for his first overall victory at Kieler Woche. Danish sailors lie first and second:

Nielsen explained: ìIt is not a normal for me today but I did get three firsts on the Saturday last year and went on to win, and so it's a good sign. I am really happy because it was really shifty and so you had to stay calm and believe the opportunities would come. The last few metres in to the windward mark you could make good gains. I was sixth or seventh approaching the top mark first time up and made the right choices and got round second and from there I was fast downwind and had a good lead by the finish. We have a strong Danish group here but it is really close. And the class here is so much fun. I really love it here. The race committee do a really good job and ashore everyone is happy and smiling and it is great to meet with others from other classes."

The regatta continues to be a favoured fixture on the 505 calendar. Britain's Andy Smith and Tim Needham lead German's class legends Wolfgang Dr. Hunger and Julian Kleiner. The Laser 4.7 fleet is over 100 strong not least because sailors from 13 nations are seeking to learn the waters and winds in preparation for the World Championships which are hosted here August 1 - 6th. Germany's Julia Busselberg made the best start, her 4,1,4 means she leads by four points.

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