Roland Gaebler and Gunnar Struckmann are apparently one of the few German teams that achieved normal form in Athens. Even after the second day they are still in the top field. After the places 15 and 3 they are in seventh place overall with a small gap to the front.
However, the first three boats have hurried slightly, if you can tell after four of eleven races. The Americans Lovell / Ogletree and Hagara / Steinacher from Austria impressively demonstrated their light wind strength today. The Argentine co-favorite Santiago Lange with the silver surfer from Sydney Carlos Espinolan on the bow is also ten points ahead of fourth.
But when the strings come into play after the fifth race, the field will move closer together again. Meltemi conditions are also expected again from tomorrow, which means that shifts in the field are likely.
“It doesn't matter to Roland and Gunnar,” says Klaus Lahme, who now looks after the tornadoes on the track after the 470s. "The boys are good at it in all conditions."
The third from last place in the first run was a “pig race” today. "You can't blame them." The wind on the right had come 30 degrees further from the right than the left. There was nothing in the middle. Some even set the gennaker on the cross.
In the second race, the German tornado would finally have started a little more risky. “They were the first ship on the far left of the starting buoy and were in the lead until Hagarmit overtook a gust”, says Lahme. "On the cross they had to let the French go, but the speed was okay."
It was a mixed day again for the German Starboot team with Alexander Hagen and Jochen Wolfram. In 13th place followed an eighth place in a race, which in the meantime led her to three, but then also to eleven. They are eleventh in total.
At the top, the Brazilians Grael / Ferreiri draw circles. Apparently spurred on today by compatriot Scheidt's laser victory, they set two victories for the day while the illustrious competition faltered.
Cayard fell back with 15 and 10 as did Percy / Mitchell with 12 and 9. The Swedish top favorites Loof / Ekstrom, who are last after an early start and rank 14, are doing very badly.
In contrast, Daenen Holm / Olsen are surprisingly in second place. They had made the headlines last week for running over a British tourist in their car.
In the 49er, Baur / Groy seemed to be building on bygone times after finishing second. But this was followed by a 13th place, with which they are ninth overall.
At the top, the Spanish world champions are tied with Ukraine. The British are third.