21st International Canoe World Championships at Lübecker Yacht Club - Day 1

Start of race 1 - 21st International Canoe World Championships day 1 © Taifun / www.ic-taifun.de

The 21st International 20 square meter Canoe World Championships kicked off in boisterous conditions on the first Monday of Travemünder Woche on the Baltic shores of Germany.

After launching for a midday start conditions quickly escalated with gusts close to 30 knots and with a severe sea state the fleet was eventually sent back ashore and the long waiting game started.

After numerous delays a diminished fleet lined up for a 17:00 start. Chris Hampe charged across the line on port chased by Glen Truswell with the leading American contenders, David Clark and Michael Costello leading the main bunch of starboard tack boats to the left.

Clark led Hampe around the windward mark with the top four all close for the first triangle.

Meanwhile in the pack the places were changing as each mistake and capsize reshuffling the order, Ole Jungle closing up the gap to those ahead, while in the IC one design it was Simon Hipkin who was leading Stephen Fleming and Torsten Marquardt.

At the end of the sausage leg out front the Americans were first and second but were celebrating too early having thought they had finished. By the final gybe mark on the second and final triangle Costello had only just managed to hold out Glen Truswell, but Clark had slipped back to fourth behind Hampe and despite closing up the positions would hold to the finish line.

British team at the 21st International Canoe World Championships - photo © Sue Fleming

Results after day 1: