5.5 Metre German Open 2025 in Warnemunde - Day 1
by Robert Deaves 30 May 08:59 BST
May 29-31, 2025
New Moon III - 5.5 Metre German Open 2025 © Robert Deaves
New Moon III (BAH 25, Christoph Burger, Kim Chabani, Peter Vlasov) is the early leader after two races in great conditions at the 2025 5.5 Metre German Open in Warnemunde. Beta Crucis (AUS 63, Martin Cross, Bob Stoddard, Simon Reffold) is second with Otto (NOR 68, Lasse Berthelsen, Sam Haines, Kyle Gundersen) in third. The race wins went to Beta Crucis and New Moon III. The first German boat is Ali Baba in blue (GER 125, Andreas Haubold, Martina Klemmt, Daniel Brambeer) in fourth.
After almost a full day of heavy rain on Wednesday, Thursday dawned bright and sunny with the forecast of a decreasing moderate wind from 12 knots down to 7-8 knots; and so it turned out. Two races were sailed in the afternoon in a pleasant breeze and slight sea before the fleet returned to free beer on the dock.
Beta Crucis led all the way in race 1, after winning the pin and dominating the left. Otto, and New Moon slugged it out for second, and when the wind decreased on the second beat New Moon moved up to second and down to the finish.
The wind had decreased to 6-8 knots for the second race, with New Moon leading all the way from Otto. The wind started to swing right as it died and this favoured Ali Baba in blue who moved up to at third at the finish.
Simon Reffold, from Beta Crucis said, "We had a good first race, the breeze was about 12 knots dropping down as the day went on. We had a look around and decided the left was going to pay, so went for the pin and nailed that and had a good first beat. The boat was well set up so we rounded first and led for the rest of the race. We gad a close battle with Otto and New Moon. So really good first race
"In the second race the breeze had dropped a lot and the right hand side was going to pay so we went up to the bright but didn't really have the boat properly set up. But that is really why many of us are here to get tuned up for Sopot [World Championship in 10 days time) so we learned a bit and ended up fourth.
"It's my first time in Warnemunde. We've done lots of Kiel and Travemundes but never here. It's awesome here, perfect place to go sailing and today was perfect. Tomorrow I think will be windier and colder."
Peter Vlasov, from New Moon, said, "Two lovely races in what we often call champagne sailing conditions. Not very shifty. We felt the left was favoured and there were straight starting lines.
'The second race was weaker; we thought the wind would die on the left later. We had an interesting start. We were right on the boat and were patient with boats going left and right, but started spot on, the instrument said 1 metre to the line."
Three boats had rather adventurous arrivals to the regatta. Sturmvogel (GER 50, Thomas Schenk, Ard Schenk, Matthias Tretschoks) sailed all the way from Stralsund, 65 nm to the east, over two days in some quite testing conditions. Willy Lehmann (GER 26, Hauke Wulf, Gert Lorenzen, Dietmar Löhndorf) sailed a slightly smaller distance from the west, while Kungsörnen (GER 112, Paul Lehmann, Gunnar Borgwardt, Oliver Severin) sailed down from Rostock, but unfortunately their rudder broke off the harbour entrance. After being towed off the rocks, and the rudder recovered, their regatta was over before it began, as they head home for repairs.
Racing continues Friday with four races provisionally scheduled, though the forecast is for much stronger winds.
Results after two races
1. New Moon III (BAH 25, Christoph Burger, Kim Chabani, Peter Vlasov)
2. Beta Crucis (AUS 63, Martin Cross, Bob Stoddard, Simon Reffold)
3. Otto (NOR 68, Lasse Berthelsen, Sam Haines, Kyle Gundersen)
4. Ali Baba in blue (GER 125, Andreas Haubold, Martina Klemmt, Daniel Brambeer)
5. Singora (GER 37, Hans Köster, Nicolas Barth, Mine Köster)
Full results available here.
More photos available here.