Kiel Week 2009

 

Final results: http://results.regatta-info.de/result_details.php?results=2009-06-24_Finn_Wettfahrt_5_Extra.xml

 

Finn focus at Kiel - day one


 

Rafal Szukiel (POL) takes first Finn race in Kiel.
 

Seventh on the ISAF Sailing World Cup standings, Rafal Szukiel from Poland is leading the strong 63 Finn fleet after one race sailed under difficult conditions in Kiel, Germany.

 

The sixth event in the ISAF Sailing World Cup has started Saturday in Kiel with difficult racing conditions which only provided for one race in the Finn and Star classes sharing the Delta area.

 

A big squall disturbed the start of racing forcing the Finn sailors to wait while the Stars had three attempts to start. When the Finn’s starting procedure was finally given it was under black flag to avoid further delay, sending home Beijing Olympic Silver medallist Zach Railey (USA) and young German Anian Schreiber.
 

Indian sailor Nachaatar Johal explains the race:  “The pin end was favoured at the start. Dan Slater (NZL) was leading at the top mark. In the last beat, the wind swung to the right side by 30 to 40 degrees and there was lot of up down in the finishing positions.”
 

The rain was back after the first race and then the wind died down forcing the race committee to send everyone home!
 

While Szukiel made the most of the day, Sailing World Cup leader, Ed Wright (GBR) had a bad start in the regatta with a 19th place.
 

The first Junior across the line is 19 years old Caleb Paine from the United States in 14th position. Caleb Paine is part of a youth development programme set up by the US Finn Foundation.

 

There are 18 juniors (21 and under in the Finn class) engaged in Kiel week and preparing for the Junior Finn World Championship (Joerg Bruder Silver Cup) starting at the end of July at Balatonfured, Hungary.
 

Racing will hopefully resume on Sunday despite very light winds forecast.
 

Sunday - no racing

 

 

Monday - no racing

 

 

Tuesday

 

Finn focus at Kiel - day four

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.
 

 

Wednesday - medal race

 

Rafal Szukiel (POL) takes Gold in Kiel


 

Leading on the opening day of the event, Rafal Szukiel overcame close competition to win the Medal race and narrowly took his first victory ever in a Grade one event. Szukiel who has been a long time campaigner in the Finn class, is starting to put his mark on the fleet. Second place overall goes to the Semaine Olympique Française winner, Croatian Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic. Deniss Karpak (EST) who has stepped on the Finn early this year after competing for many years in the Laser is steadily improving to place third overall after leading the fleet before the Medal race. At the age of 22, Karpak is a confident sailor with his eyes set on a podium at the London Olympic Games.

 

Ed Wright (GBR) recovered from his 19th place scored on the first day to place 6th overall. With a further 15 points added to his ISAF Sailing World Cup standings, he is unbeatable before the last event in Weymouth and is the first sailor across all classes to pretend to this new title.

 

Tomas Vika (CZE) is the first Junior sailor in 14th place. Vika is among a group of five Czech Juniors trained by four times Olympian Michael Maier. Maier decided this year to help these five young sailors, to boost the Finn class in his country and pass his knowledge to the younger generation. The Junior team has sailed all the main European regattas so far and will be a strong team for the future Junior World Championship on Balatonfured, Hungary, starting on the 30th of July.

 

The next main event in the Finn class is the Finn Gold Cup sailed from the Vallensbaek Yacht Club near Copenhagen, Denmark from the 3rd to 11th of July. The six days racing will be filmed and footage available for TV and website on an ftp site. All boats will carry a tracking device to bring racing close to everyone worldwide. With 98 entries from 30 countries, it promises to provide a real show on the water!