Richmond wins Prelude for the X-35 World Champions

by Media on 22 Jun 2007 Wednesday, 35 entries from eight nations (GBR, EST, NED, DEN, SWE, BEL, NOR, GER) finished two prelude races on the outer Kiel Firth.

The X-35 Worlds are part of Kieler Woche and consist of a maximum of ten races and a minimum of six races with one discard from June 20 to June 23 with a reserve day on June 24. Race Officer Klaus-Otto Hansen choose up and down offshore courses (6 – 9 nm) for both races.

The British team, Cool Running, with helmsman Mark Richmond won the days first race and finished the second race as 2nd, leaving the victory in the later race to Mati Sepp on Hermes – X and his crew from Estonia. Last year’s Dutch X-35 champion team on Quantum Racing, Nic Bol placed third after two races.

At the press conference Bol complimented the race committee on two superb races with easterly breeze of 16 to 17 knots and lumpy sea at the start. The breeze decreased to 10 knots during the second race which consisted of a shortened course. Especially at the windward mark the fleet of 35 yachts rounded very closely but sailed two fair and clean races.

Nic Bol, a Dutch sailmaker, was last year’s champion in the X-35 Worlds in Medemblik, and in 2006 the fleet included 24 yachts from five nations. In Kiel Bol’s crew consists of nine Dutchmen, and their crew weight is seven kilos below limit. His sailing career includes offshore experience on Farr 40, J 22 and former IMS top involvement on Mean Machine.

Asked about the strongest competition at this year’s X-35 World Championship he expects Hermes-Xx, Mati Sepp from Estonia being a big challenge. Furthermore he will keep an eye on Britain's Mark Richmond on Cool Running and enjoys the keen competition of new teams from Scandinavia and Germany sailing the exciting X-35 one design class.

The German 'hopefuls', skipper Achim Griese (Star Olympic Silver Medal Los Angeles 1984)and his team on Celox placed sixth overall and enjoyed the speed of their boat. The seventh placed German team Xen, with Torsten Bastiansen on the wheel, intends to stay involved in the top-ten, as his crew represents the Flensburger Segel-Club and have just changed from the X 332 Sport to the X-35.
Thursday the race committee intends to start three races weather permitting.