Race of champions

As day two of the Volvo-sponsored 49er and Tornado ends in Germany.

The favourites were back in command at the second day of the Volvo Champions Race in Schwerin, Germany. Three times 49er World Champion Chris Nicholson and Gary Boyd (Australia) dominated the 49er fleet and lead the rankings after eight races.

Three times Tornado World Champion Roland Gäbler and his new crew Gunnar Struckmann (Germany) sailed the most consistant series of the day and got rewarded with the top position in the rankings one day before the second stop of the new Tour is
ending. "I am surprised how well we are sailing," said Gäbler. "Gunnar is a huge talent and I enjoy sailing with him a lot".

A few thousand spectators and the crews in the Olympic classes 49er and Tornado enjoyed beautiful sunshine and perfect winds around Force two to four on the Schweriner Lake.

Spectacular action took place right in front of the fans as the leeward mark was placed not more than 20m away from the beach. Each time the crews rounded the mark either during their speed show races or the Volvo Champions Races they received a big round of applause and cheers. "This race should grow and take place everywhere in Europe," said Diogo Cayolla from Portugal, 'Mr. Flexible' Cayolla competed in the 1996 Olympics as Starboat helmsman and in the 2000 Olympics as 49er crew. He is aiming at an Olympic medal in the 2004 Games in Athens.

In total 15 crews in each class are fighting for an event prize purse of 13.000 Euro. Another 35.000 Euro will be split amongst the top crews after the third stop in Travemünde (October 9 ­ 12). The Volvo Champions Race will finish on Sunday with the prize giving ceremony.

Volvo Champions Race Schwerin
Results Day 2

Tornado Sport after 8 races
1st Roland Gäbler/Gunnar Struckmann (GER) 20.00 pts (9/3/4/2/2/2/2/5)
2nd Darren Bundock/Glenn Ashby (AUS) 27.00 pts (6/7/2/4/3/3/8/2)
3nd Robert Wilson/Martin Sellars (GBR) 31.00 pts (2/4/6/5/10/1/4/9)
4th Peder Ronholt/Sören Jörgensen (DEN) 12.00 pts (5/2/5/6/8/6/6/3)
5th Helge und Christian Sach (GER) 35.00 pts (4/1/3/12/5/9/DSQ/1)
6th Robbie Daniel/Anders Strume (USA) 36.00 pts (1/10/1/10/9/4/1/11)
7th Johannes Polgar/Will Howden (GBR) 41.00 pts (8/8/8/7/1/5/12/4)
8th Martin Strandberg/Christian Mattson (SWE) 28.00 pts (10/9/9/1/6/12/7/7)
9th Diego Cayolla/Nuno Barreto (POR) 51.00 pts (11/6/11/9/4/8/3/10)
10th Lars Bähr/Dino Grobe (GER) 51.00 pts (3/5/10/11/7/10/5/12)
11th Tino und Niko Mittelmeier (GER) 64.00 pts (DNF/14/7/3/11/14/9/6)
12th Patrick Egger/Kristof Koch (GER) 76.00 pts (13/11/12/8/14/13/11/8)
13th Erik Holden/Mark Coakley (CAN) 84.00 pts (7/13/13/14/DNF/7/DNF/14)
14th Eckart und Gyde Kaphengst (GER) 90.00 pts (12/15/DNF/13/12/15/10/13)
15th Christina Loweg/Julia Nowak (GER) 95.00 pts (14/12/14/15/13/11/DNF/DNS)

49er after 8 races
1th Chris Nicholson/Gary Boyd (AUS) 17.00 pts (1/5/6/4/3/1/2/1)
2nd Peter und Sören Hansen (DEN) 19.00 pts (3/1/3/2/4/2/5/4)
3rd Marcus Baur/Max Groy (GER) 24.00 pts (7/6/2/1/2/6/1/6)
4th John Harris/Evan McNicol (AUS) 29.00 pts (6/3/1/7/5/10/4/3)
5th Markus Steeg/Moritz Deml (GER) 35.00 pts (2/2/4/12/10/7/3/7)
6th Nico Delle-Karth/Nikolaus Resch (AUT) 38.00 pts (4/4/8/DSQ/1/3/7/11)
7th Rodion Luka/George Leonchuk (UKR) 44.00 pts (9/11/5/5/7/5/8/5)
8th Gabriel Wicke/Wolf Jeschonnek (GER) 48.00 pts (5/7/7/3/9/11/6/13)
9th Ronald Rensch/Torsten Haverland (GER) 56.00 pts (8/12/10/9/11/4/13/2)
10th Jan-Peter und Hannes Peckolt (GER) 66.00 pts (10/8/11/DNF/6/8/11/12)
11th Felix Oehme/Julien Kleiner (GER) 66.00 pts (12/13/9/6/8/12/10/9)
12th Mike Bassett/Kurt Riechelmann (NZL) 77.00 pts (14/9/13/8/14/14/9/10)
13th Martin Gernhardt/Fionn Erdmann (GER) 78.00 pts (11/14/14/11/13/9/12/8)
14th Martin Kirketerp/Dion Valente (DEN) 86.00 pts (DNF/10/12/10/12/13/14/15)
15th Frank und Peter Mühlhauser (GER) 105.00 pts (13/DNF/DNF/DNF/15/DNF/15)