Rolex Baltic Week in Kiel, Germany - Day 3

Kiel in northern Germany was bathed in Caribbean conditions for Day 3 of the Rolex Baltic Week, with temperatures soaring to over 32 degrees C on shore. Out on the water a south/south-easterly breeze built to 12-13 knots, with gusts topping 15 knots to test the crews, on both the inner and outer fjords. After three days of ultra-close racing the winners of two classes were decided on Saturday’s (3 July) racecourses. The Modern 8-Metre YQuem II (Switzerland) maintained her flawless scoresheet with three more wins today to claim the Euro Cup title with a day to spare. In the 6-Metres, sailing for the Robbe & Berking mR Sterling Cup, another title has been decided. Sleipnir II (Germany) has clearly hit their stride with three perfect wins, to gain a secure 8-point lead.

With just one race scheduled for Sunday, the fibreglass design YQuem II skippered by Jean Fabre has proved simply unbeatable, however behind her the Classic designs enjoyed close racing for second overall. Aun, belonging to Japanese skipper Yutaka Kobayashi and sailed by members of his family, is currently lying in the runner-up slot after scoring a second, third and fourth place today. Just three points behind is Anne Sophie (GER 15), who also picked a up a second along with two fifths, and the famous Germania III (GER 9) – who raced on the waters off Kiel back in 1936, when she won the Olympic bronze medal – had a fantastic day with second, third and fifth results. The duel between the two First Rule boats from Lake Constance also continues, with Sposa (GER H4) just getting the better of Elfe II (GER H9) so far.

For the glamourous Twelves there was yet more tight racing for the Robbe & Berking mR Sterling Cup, as the fully powered classic yachts provided a fantastic sight for shoreside spectators with the upwind mark set right in front of the Kieler Yacht Club. In Saturday’s second race (Race 6) three boats rounded the first windward mark side by side, with nothing to split Sphinx (GER 64), Trivia (GER 10) and Vanity V (DEN 5). In the end it was Trivia who got the gun, which they followed up with another win in Race 7 to take the overall lead in this ultra-close contest. Sphinx took the day’s opener, and going into the final day just one point separates them from Vanity V for second overall. Meanwhile even Heti, the only First Rule 12mR in the fleet, is racing hard – as evidenced by an OCS for being over the startline early!

Carsten Kemmling, tactician on Trivia said: “This was a real man's sport today! It was hard work for the whole crew in manoeuvres. The leading boats are equal on speed, but we sailed pretty well and started perfectly especially in the last race.” The former Laser dinghy sailor added: “I never thought that racing would be so much fun in these Metre yachts!” Stig Westergaard, tactician on Vanity V praised their rivals, saying: “Trivia did an excellent job today, when we made some faults, besides which we had some spinnaker problems. Hopefully there are two more races [Sunday], so that we can attack the Germans!”

Behind SLEIPNIR II Aida (GER 59) and Mellum (GER 22) traded places for second and third, with Aida lying in second overall going into the final day – they can be sure of a close contest in the final day’s racing. Lillevi (GER 68) has dropped to fourth overall after being disqualified from one of Friday’s races following a protest incident. In the powered up conditions her young crew – with 29er sailor Anton Berking at the helm, the son of regatta patron Oliver Berking (head of Robbe & Berking) – struggled a little in the stronger breeze compared to the slick crew work on Sleipnir II.

Andreas Krause, skipper of Sleipnir II commented: “We showed the full potential of our fast boat. But racing was tight, we even had a general recall. And you are never on the safe side until you passed the finishing line.”

Sunday (4 July) one more race for the 8-Metres, and up to two for the Robbe & Berking mR Sterling Cup fleet, is scheduled, starting from 11:00 (CEST). Last possible start is 14:00.

Results after day 3 of the 2010 Rolex Baltic Week

8-Metre Euro Cup
1. YQuem II (Jean Fabre/Switzerland, 1/1/1/1/1/1/1/(1) 7 points
2. Aun, (Yutaka Kobayashi/Japan, 3/3/2/2/3/3/2(4)) 18
3. Anne Sophie (Hanns-Georg Klein/Germany, 2/2/(6)/3/2/5/5/2) 21

Robbe & Berking 6mR Sterling Cup
1. Sleipnir II (Andreas Krause/Germany, (3)/1/2/1/1/1/1) 7 points
2. Aida (Bjoern Storsberg/Germany, 2/4/(5)/2/2/3/2) 15
3. Mellum (Joachim Wolter/Germany, (5)/2/4/3/3/2/3 17

Robbe & Berking 12mR Sterling Cup
1. Trivia (Wilfried Beeck/Germany (4)/2/2/2/2/1/1) 10 points
2. Vanity V (Patrick Howaldt/Denmark, 1/1/3/(5)/3/3/2) 13
2. Sphinx (Gorm Gondesen/Jochen Frank/Germany, 2/(4)/1/3/1/2/4) 14

See full results at www.rolex-baltic-week.com