Kiel Week 2020 - Thrilling duels, large fields

Wolfgang Hunger and Holger Jess have won the Kieler Woche eight times. Could this year became the 9th? © Christian Beeck

As well as the Olympic classes, there are also interesting duels and performances in the non-Olympic classes at Kiel Week 2020. Are Helge and Christian Sach (Zarnekau) sailing on the fast Formula 18 to their tenth Kieler Woche victory since 2006? Does Wolfgang Hunger succeed in winning his 23rd Kieler Woche?

The doctor from Strande leads the eternal Kieler Woche title list. This year, the former 470 Olympic participants will again compete with his crew member Holger Jess (Wittensee). Together they have already won eight joint victories in the 505 class, the last one they won only last year 2019.

But Hunger and Jess were also competitors at the start once and fought against each other for the Kieler Woche victory. Wolfgang Hunger achieved another six victories in the 505 with Julien Kleiner. But the sailor from Wittensee took his revenge and had the bow in front once each with Tim Böger, Meike Schomäker and the Australian Michael Quirk. With this Holger Jess underlined that a crew member also has his share in the success on the two-man dinghy.

Two reigning European Champions meet in the Europe class. In the one-handed dinghy, the European Champion Anna Livbjerg from Denmark and the European Champion Schilt Catafal from Spain have entered. The German hopes are on the shoulders of Marisa Roch from Kiel, who finished eighth at the European Championships. The largest group in the Europe is set up by the Danes with 20 active sailors.

The biggest field in a non-Olympic class will be the 29ers. The junior skiff is considered the preliminary stage for the Olympic 49erFX for the women and the 49er for the men. During Kieler Woche 2020 the sailing stars of tomorrow will not only sail for the Kieler Woche victory but also their Eurocup. A total of 110 young crews will compete in two groups. Another 25 crews are on the waiting list.

In the Contender, Germany's sailor of the year 2019, Max Billerbeck (WSV Kollmar), takes another run for his first Kieler Woche victory in the one-hand dinghy. 34 competitors from Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands, among them old master Jan von der Bank (Eutin/five Kieler Woche victories since 1995), have to be left behind.

In the 420 junior class, 100 teams will fight for the Kieler Woche title and victory at the Eurosaf Circuit. The Kieler Woche is the final event of the European competition. The one-handed junior class Laser 4.7 with 77 entries (max. 60) and the Radial (open) with 113 entries (max. 100) also provide large fields with waiting lists.