Warnemuender Woche - New Bic Techno German Youth Champion

by Warnemuender Woche amended Sail-World.com on 5 Jul 2011 Warnemuender Woche 2011 commenced at the beginning of the week. After an inital day's delay due to the weather, the program is continuing, with several classes having now completed their competition.

14 year-old Lasse Mannsbarth impressed by winning the German Youth Championship of the BIC Techno after five first ranking places. The Olympic aspirant Franziska Goltz is going strong in the Laser Europa Cup. 55 participants in the 280 sea mile long long-distance Rund Bornholm started at 1 p.m.

'Lasse surfing was superior', said Steffen Kinzel, Head of the Racing Committee, as he praised Lasse Mannsbarth from Kiel. During the award ceremony Lasse proudly held up his gold medal from the German Sailing Association for the German Youth Championship. Stefanie Schwaru (Schondorf) and Lasse Brudek (Wilhelmshaven) proudly showed their silver and bronze medals.

The RS:X class found their winners for today. Jakub Skorupski from Poland won just in front of his compatriot Natalia Kacprzyk. Maximilan Klaus from Berlin was the best German. 'All the German training centres have sent their best sailors. Unfortunately, the quality of the races suffered from the bad weather conditions' Kinzl said about the committed field of newcomers.

Franziska Goltz from Schwerin continued to be at the head of the big Laser Radial field. 'Actually, the conditions were extreme: the wind lessened more and more, but there were still huge waves; we couldn’t even see the buoy during the first race', she summarized.

In the all female ranking, Goltz was able to further her leading position with one first and one second place. Races started and finished in all three racing categories of the athletic one-design class with wind conditions around ten knots. Mattis Naud from France prevailed against the Australian Ki-Raphael Sulkowski and Jack Wetherell fom Britain.

In the newcomer class Laser 4.7, the Russian Dmitry Tretyakov is leading on the field in front of his fellow countryman Alexander Shelting. Julius Kerl from the Bavarian Chiemsee is the best German in 10th position.

The Streamline class gave their awards to the winners. The Berliner Philipp Kadelbach, Martin Fey and Tilo Müller (both SGS) were able to stand their ground and won the overall ranking in front of the local competitors Axel and Adrian Mertens and Carsten Fischer.

The Mittelmole was turned upside down at 1 p.m. 55 big boats made a big entrance, divided into three starts. The start signal showed everyone that is was time for the long distance hanseboot Rund Bornholm.

Heike Schlimbach of the premium partner hanseboot started the regatta by giving the signal. 'That was really exciting for me and I’m touched that I was given the opportunity to send out the participants', Heike Schlimbach said.

Head of the Racing Committee, Uwe Wenzel, German Champion of last year with his 'Cala…29', was pleased with the start. 'There were optimal conditions for the offshore crews with 18 to 20 knots. I wish all the competitors a great regatta, hanseboot Rund Bornholm 2011'.

The second start provided Wenzel and his team with a few difficulties. All the boats decided to start from the port side, which got narrow, turbulent and some boats were forced over the line early. 'Four crews had to go back and cross the starting line again', Wenzel explained.

The competitors have now to sail 280 sea miles. Taking into account the weakened wind conditions, Wenzel is expecting the first arrivals on Wednesday morning. 'The two biggest and fastest yachts, the Volvo Ocean Racer 'Glashäger' and 'SSS', are expected to be back in the early hours of Wednesday morning – the smallest boat, the youth project 'Blue Bird', may make it until Wednesday evening'.

Wenzel and his Racing Committee team must now wait and watch the horizon with their binoculars.

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