Folkboat Rolling Home Regatta, Segal Club Berlin

So, the last main event of the season for the Folkboat class in Europe, is a traditional event on the lake in Berlin. Run by the small but friendly Segal Club, some 45 boats from Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Estonia and Great Britain made the trip.

Berlin and its lake provide a beautiful backdrop to what is the close of the season for the Folkboats, the regatta also caters for the H-Boat which saw some 27 entries from Denmark, Germany and Finland, providing a true European feel to the event.

Format is windward leeward courses with some oscillating breeze, and plenty to get your head around. The weekend started on the Saturday with 4 races planned and one final race on the Sunday, and the forecast was clear skies 11 knots on the Saturday gusting 15 and more wind on the Sunday, gusting 27 knots.

Race one saw the usual eagerness with a general recall before the fleet got under way cleanly on the second start. As we all know lake sailing provides a different test, not only of 'eyes' out the boat but also a test of tactical nerve when anticipating and executing racecourse management.

The Danish team of Soren Kaestel with Erik and Sofie Andersen - DEN 873 picked up where they left off in San Francisco getting the first win of the day, they were followed in second by a local boat GER 642, sailed by Emil Steinke, and the third spot went to another local and previous German National Champion, Andreas Blank GER 645.

Race two got under way with a slightly building breeze, and cleanly. DEN 873 showed there pace around the course claiming there second victory, but were pressed into the line by a close pack with the British boat GBR 673, Simon Osgood, Jamie Lea and Richie Bell getting the second from the current German Champion Thomas Metzing GER 1091.

Per Buch DEN 926 by his team's standards had, had a slow start to the regatta, but put the hammer down in race three. Leading from start to finish, previous triple Gold Cup winner and sailing with his regular crew of Hans Shultz and Per Puck won followed by Thomas Metzing GER 1091, and then Soren Kaestal DEN 873, who now had his monopoly of first places broken, taking the third.

The final race four, had another winner and another visitor take the bullet, that was Jens Thuroe DEN 634, with son Viktor and Knud Peder Anderson on board, they had a clear lead from the ever consistent local, Andeas Blank GER 645 and Per Buch DEN 926.

At the end of the first day and with the regatta having only one singular race left, had an interesting International feel to the leader board, DEN 873, leading with GBR 673 second and GER 645 third, this being said everything was to play for on the last day, with only 6 points separating between places 2 and 7.

The Saturday night saw a meal at the host club before the Danes and British going to the neighbouring Verein Seglerhaus Club, which were celebrating their J70 team winning the Bundesliga. A great night for all sailors to gather and enjoy the hospitality provided.

The final day would be tough for many reasons, firstly 27 knots of breeze, secondly sore heads (if you were Danish or British) and thirdly to beat DEN 873, who needed to finish 7th or beyond and GBR 673 to win for any movement for first.

Three laps of the windward leeward course in extremely tough conditions greeted everyone, and the top 6 boats overall were 'duking' it out at the front. John Wulff DEN 666 took the win followed by Per Buch DEN 926, and then by a under a metre Andreas Blank GER 645 from Simon Osgood GBR 673. However, Soren Kaestal's team DEN 873 finishing 5th had done enough to secure the event, with the next three boats ending on 15 points, so racing was tight and settled for the second, third and fourth places on countback.

Prize-giving was held in the host club, and everyone united in what a great event it had been. Here's to another successful season in the Folkboat, which will be celebrating 78 years of existence with no sign of letting up as a class.

Overall Results:

Full results can be found here.