Five bullets for Goodie

While Percy/Simpson lead the Stars going into the medal races at Kiel Week

After the windless conditions of the last two days it was a relief to see the sponsor flags of the 127th Kieler Woche blowing in a nice breeze this morning. All classes finished their program for the day ready for Wednesday's Medal Races.

“After all these hours of waiting the last two days, it was a good feeling today to have all boats on the water racing. And I am happy that we can sail the Medal Races in all classes which we wanted to achieve for the ISAF Sailing World Cup and for the Kieler Woche as well”, said Jobst Richter, Chairman of Kieler Woche Race Committee.

Only one point away from each other, the top three teams in the 49er class promise a thrilling Medal Race for tomorrow. The local team of Lennart Briesenick-Pudenz and Morten Massmann (GER) fluffed the second race with a 17th place, but after eight races they took the overall lead. “We struggled a bit in that race, because we were always on the wrong side on the beat," explained Lennart Briesenick-Pudenz later. "But we are in the Medal Race and that was our main target for Kieler Woche. Maybe we looking now for place on the podium tomorrow.” Manu Dyen and Stephane Christidis (FRA) are second going into the medal races tomorrow in front of Kostov Pavle and Petar Cupac (CRO). Skandia Team GBR have two boats in the medal races - Paul Campbell-James/Mark Asquith and John Pink/Rick Peacock, the former 13 points off the lead



In the press conference yesterday, 2.4m German gold medallist from Sydney Heiko Kroeger (GER) promised: “I am third now, but I will catch Andersen and Schmitter tomorrow.” Said and done. After nine races overall Kroeger left Thierry Schmitter (NED) and Jens Als Andersen (DEN) behind him. “Today you had to be well rested and quick. Normally the left side would be the better one in these conditions, but this time it was the right. That you have to know. In the three finishes we were only about 20 cm away from each other. That was pretty close but it was great day of sailing”, was Kroeger’s comment. Again there are two Brits in the medal race - Megan Pascoe and Martin Whittingham-Jones.

It will be hard work for last year's winners Ai Kondo and Wabako Tabata (JPN) to leave Kieler Woche again as the winners of the women’s 470 event. They are six points behind the immaculate Dutch team Lisa Westerhof and Lobke Berkhout (NED), who have scored three bullets in five races. The Medal Race will be decisive. There may also be a surprise from the third or fourth placed teams tomorrow. After five races Henriette Koch and Lene Sommer (DEN) are in third place behind Kondo and Tabata but only one point away and just one point behind them are the German team of Wibke Wriggers and Geeske Genrich.

Yesterday’s leaders in the men’s 470, Lucas Zellmer and Heiko Seelig (GER) were black flagged today in the last race, making the way free for Croatians Sime Fantela and Igor Marenic. With one discard, Zellmer and Seelig have to count their BFD as they also picked one up in race 2 and will therefore not make the Medal Race. The Croatians are one point ahead of Jan-Jasper Wagner and Lennart Scheußler (GER) and behind them are three British teams also challenging for a podium finish. These are Neil Marsden and Ian Dobson, level on points with past World Champions Nic Asher and Elliot Willis (who were OCS in race four), with Exeter University duo James Rusden and Rob Partridge, squeaking into the medal race in 10th place.

Aboard the new Elliott 6s, the Women’s Match Racing quarter-finals began this morning with the eight qualified teams competing in a full round robin to decide the semi-finals places. At the end of the round robin the two Australian teams were on top, each with five wins from seven races. This placed Katie Spithill first as she defeated Nicky Souter in the contest between them. Progressing with Spithill and Souter to the Semi-Final are Renee Groeneveld (NED) and Julie Bossard (FRA). Bossard found herself in the same position as yesterday, her position in the next round decided after a tie. Bossard, Silke Hahlbrock, Genny Tulloch and Lucy MacGregor all posted three wins but it was Bossard who took the place in the semi-final.

Next up on the match racing course area was the fourth stage to decide overall runner up. ISAF World Cup leader Lucy MacGregor was up against Genny Tulloch to decide fifth and sixth while Silke Hahlbrock took on Paula Lewin (BER) to decide seventh and eighth in a best of three series. It was a clean sweep for MacGregor, taking two wins in succession and the British team finish fifth to bring their Standings total to 54 points. In the battle for seventh place, Hahlbrock despatched Paula Lewin in a similar way with two straight wins, but it was a disappointing day for the young German team. An injury to a crew member early in the day affected their performance, but they will be back on the water tomorrow to watch and learn from the finalists.

The RS:X fleets all sailed a further three races today to bring their total to five and bring in the discard. After a poor start to the day, 'Pont' Miarczynski (POL) was back on form and added a first and a fourth to his two bullets from day one. Discarding his eleventh place, Miarczynski tops the leaderboard going into the Medal Race three points ahead of his nearest rival. Toni Wilhelm is snapping at the heels of the Polish sailor after a consistent day of two thirds and a second. Just two points further back in third overall is the first of two Korean sailors Taehoon Lee.

In the women’s RS:X fleet it was another clean sweep for the young German Moana Delle who posted a perfect score-card of five bullets. Anna Galecka (POL) lies in second place after two thirds and a second today and she is just one point ahead of Finish sailor Tuull Petaja. All three will pick up valuable World Cup Standings points if they can continue their successful performances in the Medal Race tomorrow.

With just one race on the scoreboard, the Star fleet were keen to get back into the action today. The first race got underway in 10 knots of breeze at 11.15 with a black flag start, but all the fleet got away cleanly. First to finish was Olympian Emilios Papathansiou (GRE) who like so many top sailors has left the Finn fleet and teamed up with Apostolos Karnoutsos to compete in the Star. Two more races followed to give the Stars enough races to sail a Medal Race, but without a discard. After four races Beijing Gold medallists Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson (GBR) head the leaderboard. It was a consistent day for the British heroes, posting two seconds and finishing off the day with a bullet, placing them two points ahead of American Marks Mendleblatt and Strube.

98 Stars are entered for the 2009 Star Europeans which will take place in Kiel from 5 to 12 July so this Kieler Woche is a great preparation event for this high class fleet and the German teams are demonstrating the benefits of their new training programmes. Three German teams will feature in the Medal Race tomorrow.

Like the Stars, the Finn fleet only had one race on the scoreboard, so needed to sail three today and are not able to discard their worst score. Only five points separate the top five and tied on 20 at the top are Deniss Karpak (EST) and Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic (CRO). Tied for third and fourth on 24 points are World Cup Standings leader Ed Wright (GBR) and Dan Slater (NZL).



He came as the favourite to Kiel and he did not disappoint. British Olympic gold medallist Paul Goodison sailed the shortest possible way into the Medal Race finishing first in all five races. Goodison leads Mike Bullot (NZL) in second and young British sailor Nick Thompson, the current leader of the ISAF Sailing World Cup Standings behind him in third.

The girls from the Laser Radial were the last out on the water today but have five races on the board. With no race score outside the top two, the leader before the Medal Race is Paige Railey (USA) ahead of Evi van Acker (BEL). Qingdao gold medallist Anna Tunnicliffe (USA) ended up third on equal points with Charlotte Dobson (GBR). Only five points separate the top four sailors so there is everything to play for in the Medal Race tomorrow.

On the last day of the ISAF Sailing World Cup at Kieler Woche only the top 10 finalists will sail in the Olympic Classes while the 2.4mRs will continue to sail as a fleet race.

With a tracking system in place all Medal Races can be seen on the internet here.

Full results: 2.4mR , 49er , Laser Radial , Laser , 470M , 470W , RS:X W , RS:X Youth , RS:X M , Star , Finn , Match Racing

Robert Deaves's Finn focus

The medal race for the Finn class at Kiel Week couldn't be closer. A mere eight points separate the top six boats. Deniss Karpak (EST) is sitting at the top having taken the lead after race two, with Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic (CRO) in second, also on 20 points while Ed Wright (GBR) is in third on 24 points.

Tuesday was day four at Kiel and with just one race on the board from Saturday's decidedly up and down race, the fleet was keen to get going. So much so that seven boats were pulled out of the first race on Tuesday with black flags.

The wind was only at 4 to 8 knots, but it was enough, though it paid to play the sides of the course with not much wind in the centre. But the wind had finally appeared and three races were sailed that brought the total number of races sailed to four.

For some four races was still not enough as there is now no discard going into the medal race. Zach Railey (USA), silver medalist at the Olympics last year had picked up a black flag in race one and despite having three solid results ended the day still some way short of the medal race cut.

However, the day belonged to Ed Wright. Racking up two second places and a race win, Wright showed why he is the current leader of the ISAF Sailing World Cup. After a lowly 19th in the opening race on Saturday, Wright pulled himself right back into the competition and within striking distance of a third World Cup victory.

Relative newcomer Deniss Karpak (EST) is having a great regatta. Not out of the top nine so far, he placed 3-9-6 on Tuesday to head the field going into the medal race, while second placed Kljakovic Gaspic picked up a 8-3-5 to end up on equal points with Karpak.

The race wins on Tuesday went to Rafael Trujillo (ESP), Dan Slater (NZL) and Wright. After winning the opening race on Tuesday Trujillo followed up with a 5-9 to go into the medal race in tenth place, but too far adrift to take a medal. Slater placed 9-1-4 to end the day in fourth place on equal points with Wright and with a real chance of a medal.


So with four races down and no discards the medal race is really tight.

The line up looks like this:

Deniss Karpak (EST) - In only his first season in the Finn Karpak has improved race by race and is the dark horse for this regatta. A top Laser sailor, finishing third in the 2007 Worlds, he clearly has larger ambitions in the Finn class and is enjoying it immensely.

Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic (CRO) - Only other sailor to be consistent this week, Kljakovic Gaspic won Hyeres and now sits on equal points with Karpak. Proven light weather sailor and gaining in confidence all the time.

Edward Wright (GBR)- Has medalled at the last four ISAF Sailing World Cup Events and won three medal races this year. Has to be the favourite to take another World Cup victory on Wednesday. Won Kiel Week last year.

Dan Slater (NZL) - Consistent results in the top ten for Slater this week leaves him just four points off the top spot and on equal points with Wright.

Rafal Szukiel (POL) - Won the opening race on Saturday and managed to stay top ten in Tuesday’s races. Generally poor record in medal races, but only five points off the top, so anything is possible.

Thomas le Breton (FRA) – First year in the Finn and his first medal race. Strong ex-Laser sailor. Only 8.5 points of the top so good chance of a medal if things go his way,

Peer Moberg (NOR) – Seasoned campaigner and had a reasonable week, but probably too much to do to take a medal

Kula, Piotr (POL) – Strong, young Polish sailor in his first medal race. A string of three 7th places on Tuesday in a 64 boat fleet is no mean feat and definitely one to watch for the future.

Skorniakov, Eduard (RUS) – 2007 European Champion who havs never really produced that form since, but pretty consistent this week.

Rafael Trujillo (ESP) - 2007 World Champion. Won the medal race at the Delta Lloyd Regatta, but counting a 35th here from Saturday’s race, so cannot medal.