Elliott 6m debuts on the world stage at Kiel Week

by Event media / Sail-world.com on 3 Jun 2009 The new Olympic boat the Elliott 6m will finally make its debut on the world stage in a couple of weeks during event six of the ISAF Sailing World Cup at Kieler Woche in Germany, which runs from 20 to 28 June.

Twenty-four crews from nine different countries are expected to be fighting for the Kieler Woche trophies, the first for the new boat in the Olympic Women's Match racing event.

For its selection as equipment for the Olympic Games, the boat has undergone modifications to the original design of the sails, rig and keel to specifically suit a crew of three women.

The first eight Elliott 6m built under this new design will be shipped directly from the McConaghy factory in China to Hamburg. A charter arrangement at Kieler Woche will allow all women's match race competitors an equal chance to sail the new Olympic equipment for the first time.

The Elliott 6m will also be used for the final event of the 2008-2009 World Cup, the Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta held at the 2012 Olympic Sailing Competition venue in Weymouth and Portland.

ISAF and the Kieler Woche event organizers have been working with Elliott Marine, the Deutscher Segler Verband, Koninklijk Nederlands Watersport Verbond, the Finnish Sailing Federation and the Helsinki Match Racing Centre to make this early introduction of the Elliott 6m at Kieler Woche possible.

The Koninklijk Nederlands Watersport Verbond and the Royal Yachting Association are working together to supply the Elliott 6m for this year's Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta and the Delta Lloyd Regatta in 2010.

A maximum of 20 points is up for grabs at each World Cup event and with match racing on the programme for Kieler Woche and Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta, there is still a long way to go in deciding the Women's Match Racing champion of the inaugural ISAF Sailing World Cup.

ISAF World Cup - Leading positions after 2 events (Miami and Medemblik)

1 Lucy MACGREGOR GBR Annie LUSH, Ally MARTIN - 18 - - 20 - - 38pts
2 Mary ROOK GBR Bethan CARDEN, Lauren MARTEL - 11 - - 14 - - 25pts
3 Margarita CAMESELLE ALVAREZ ESP Esperanza BARRERAS, Grieciele DISONERO - 15 - - 8 - - 23pts
4 Lotte MELDGAARD PEDERSEN DEN Trine PALLUDAN, Tina SCHMIDT - 20 - - - - - 20pts
5 Ulrike SCHUEMANN GER Julia BLEIR, Kathrin KADELBACH - - - - 19 - - 19pts
6 Giulia CONTI ITA Alessandra MARENZI, Alessandra ANGELINI - 19 - - - - - 19pts
7 Anne-claire LE BERRE FRA Myrtille PONGE, Alice PONSAR - - - - 18 - - 18pts
8 Anne LE HELLEY FRA Ophélie THERON, Catherine LEPESANT - - - - 17 - - 17pts
9 Genevieve TULLOCH USA Jennifer MORGAN, Jamie HAINES - 17 - - - - - 17pts
10 Silke HAHLBROCK GER Maren HAHLBROCK, Marion ROMMEL - - - - 16 - - 16pts