No racing

But plenty of talent lurking ashore at Kiel Woche

All race courses at Kieler Woche were becalmed today and consequently the competitors of the Olympic Classes practiced patience around the Schilksee harbour. The weather forecast for Tuesday is for a south easterly five to ten knots which causes the race organisation and competitors to plan additional racing tomorrow.

Today’s press conference included internationally renowned “yachties”: Tony Kolb, former Pitman on BMW Oracle during the qualifications of the challengers for the 32nd America’s Cup who is sailing a Finn during Kieler Woche. He says he needs "this break” to plan his future professional career. He would prefer to continue working for BMW, stay involved in America’s Cup racing, and is not too keen to sail another Volvo Ocean Race.

Christoph Sieber (AUT) reported about his latest career steering a 49er after he won the Olympic Gold Medal in the Mistral in Sydney 2000. Together with his crew he aims to qualify for Qingdao 2008 and will start for Austria in Cascais and the Olympic Test Regatta 2007 in China. He announced that Austria intends to send competitors in six Olympic classes (Tornado, 470 men and women, Star, Finn and 49er) to Qingdao, and admitted that his swap from the sailboard to the 49er left a certain gap within the Austrian boardsailing scene.

Achim Griese (Silver Medal winner Star/Los Angeles 1984) will skipper an X-35 keelboat during the World Championship from June 19 to June 24. Kiel Yacht Club received 37 entries from eight nations, and the teams passed measurement and crew weight control before the first race on Wednesday. Griese emphasized that participating in a World Championship of a one-design class is more exciting and challenging than sailing an IMS offshore yacht during Kieler Woche.

Finally, the representatives of DSV (Deutscher Segler Verband) Hans Sendes and Malte Philipp explained the modus of qualification for the German team at the Olympic Sailing Competitions in Qingdao 2008. At present the DSV team will be represented in six classes (470 women, Laser Radial, Star, 49er, Tornado, Yngling) during the “Good luck regatta” in China 2007, and final Olympic “tickets” will be granted in April 2008.