Nine medals, nine nations

Nine different countries won the nine classes at Kiel Week in Germany

Kieler Woche 2008, the final Grade one event before the Olympics in Qingdao in August, has come to a close in Germany.

The Medal races were held on two parallel courses just outside the Olympic Centre Schilksee. The remaining crews not sailing the Medal Race started on the familiar race courses around Kiel Fjord.

The world number one Star crew Scheidt and Prada (BRA) just missed overall victory in the Star fleet and finished the series in second. Their closest rivals Lööf and Ekstrom (SWE) won their first Kieler Woche title after finishing the all decisive Medal Race in first, both crews sharing 14 points overall. Hagen and Kleen (GER) were successful in keeping their third overall.

The consistent scoring Japanese team of Kondo and Kamata in the women's 470 fleet proved successful, their victory in the Medal Race secured them their first Kieler Woche Gold Medal. Torgersson and Santen (SWE) missed out on the last three races and finished the series in 11th.

Martinez and Fernandez (ESP) seem to on course for Olympic Gold. After winning the Gold Medal in Athens, they won this year’s Kieler Woche in the 49er Class. The second and third teams were both Danish, as the Hansen brothers scored came in second and Warrer and Kirketerp finished in third. 200 World Champions, Outteridge and Austin (AUS) scored overall 149 in 14th place.

Seguin repeated his 2006 Kieler Woche victory in the Paralympic 2.4mR Class, followed by Schmitter in second and Heiko Kröger in third.

The Finn Medal Race was a battle between Trujillo (ESP) and Wright (GBR). The two sailors ended up on even points following the Medal Race with Wright taking first overall. Previous series leaqder Högh-Christensen (DEN) dropped to third.

Sari Multala (FIN) won the Laser Radial Medal Race and finished the series in second just behind de Turckheim (FRA) who won. Despite leading for four days in the build-up to the final day, Xu (CHN) could only manage third overall.

Three nations are represented at the front of the men's 470 fleet: First, Etter and Steiger (SUI), second Dahlberg and Ostling (SWE) - after winning the Medal Race, third Woolley and Overington (NZL) - who moved up to the top by winning today’s Medal Race.

Men's RS:X European Champion, Miarczynski (POL) lost his overall lead and finished second. His countryman Myszka was more lucky in the Medal Race and won Kieler Woche Gold in the Men’s board fleet. The only German Kieler Woche Gold Medal went to Kinzl in the women's RS:X fleet who defended her lead over the Polish ladies Galecka (second) and Hcavaty (third) successfully without one of them winning the decisive Medal Race.

Today’s last finishing Laser Class made two-time World Champion Tom Slingsby (AUS) winning the series with Lima (POR) in second and Leigh (CAN) in third.

Last but not least a special record this year: Within the nine fleets of the Olympic Classes Kieler Woche 2008 victory went to teams from nine different countries GBR, SWE, FRA, JPN, POL, ESP, GER, SUI and AUS.

Next year Kieler Woche will be incorporated into the ISAF Sailing World Cup.

Results, here .