Setback For The "Wadlbeißer From Upper Bavaria"

2023 Author: Allison Derrick | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-24 23:06

"Whatever they try, the Wadlbeißer from Upper Bavaria always know the better answer", writes the "Merkur", who reports on the experiences of the team from the German Touring Yacht Club at the Nord Stream Race in a blog. The league winner had won the first stage from Kiel to Copenhagen in 2016, and the second part looked like dominance again.

The second stage of the Nord Stream Race from Copenhagen to Stockholm, at 420 nautical miles, was not only the longest, but perhaps also the toughest of the regatta. Last night, 25 knots of wind with gusts of up to 30 knots in a short, steep sea at speeds of 20 knots presented a new challenge for the five teams, which essentially consist of the winning teams of the national sailing leagues.

The German team was unlucky. The crew under skipper Michael Tarabochi initially also led on the second section. But then the gennaker broke. Tarabochia: "At 1:30 am we were hit by a gust, we surfed down a wave, the gennaker flapped briefly and then tore completely." Instead, the Enough was set. "From then we had no chance. We still made up to 20 knots, 13 to 14 knots on average, but it was impossible to keep up."

The Swedish team won the second stage and took the overall lead

So only the last place remained on this stage, but at least the team is still in second place in the overall standings.

The gennaker is currently being repaired, with the fast stage giving the sailmakers additional time.

What such conditions mean for the league sailors who are mostly inexperienced at sea, describes Martin Krite, who as a under 30-year-old already won the Volvo Ocean Race 2011/12 on "Groupama" as bowman and security officer: "It doesn't often happen that I do scared me on a boat but it was the case last night. It was like a mini Volvo ocean race. We have so many talented young sailors, but they're all like cowboys, they just want to go ahead. I was standing at the stern, was very nervous! Shortly before we reached the island world, we lay down completely on our side for about four minutes. Fortunately, no one was injured."

Arrival in Stockholm

Start of the stage to Stockholm