First ship home. Tilmar Hansen and the "Outsider" crew were also in front again in Gdansk
It was a short, fast race that brought the NORD / LB Baltic Sprint Cup fleet from Klaipeda / Lithuania with favorable winds to Gdansk / Poland, 110 nautical miles away. And again "Outsider" came in first.
The finish line began in the middle of the night with serial winner Tilmar Hansen's carbon sled "Outsider". He was the first to moor in the beautifully illuminated historic center of Gdansk's old town.
But the “Inschallah VI” by Volker Andreae won after a calculated time. Second place overall went to “Emil Reiseschwein” by Stefan Hummelt (Buxtehude), which again took over the overall lead. Third place went to the Estonian yacht “Ladybird” from skipper Erki Melts from Pärnu.
Today the longest stroke of the regatt over 260 nautical miles to Copenhagen in Denmark continues.
Tired and broken, but also euphoric and with shining eyes, the sailors in Gdansk reported on the stage behind them. "We went out to the right and our weather strategy worked perfectly," said Volker Andreae, explaining the success of the Hamburg crew. “We were able to go fast for a long time with our little gennaker, that brought a lot,” adds the weather expert, who is also aiming for overall victory.
The "Emil Reiseschwein" from Stefan Hummelt from Buxtehude, as well as the small J-109 "Brinkmann & Partner" with skipper Hans-Jürgen Rieckhoff are currently still ahead in the overall result. Only when the cancellation results are settled after the sixth race does it look really good for the "Inschallah", provided that the next stage does not hold a big surprise. “But I think that on the next blow after Copenhagen everything is possible again because the wind development remains unclear. The end result is still completely open,”said Andreae.
After the fifth race, however, the yellow jersey for the overall lead went back to the "Emil Reiseschwein", who took second place. “Brinkmann & Partner” follows in second place overall, and “Meltemi” by Harald Graf Saurma-Jeltsch / Eckernförde has established itself in third place.
The Estonian crew of the "Ladybird" also had a great success. The red yacht under the direction of skipper Erki Melts from Pärnu / Estonia sailed in third place during the stage to Poland. “It was very hard sailing, but we are happy with the result. The first 50 miles under Spinnaker were great, but the long close-hauled course to the finish line was very tiring."
With twelfth place this time, the team of the "Tutima" had to choose Satisfy Frankfurt. “But it was just great sailing, we're withFull moon rushing under spinnaker with twelve knots on the clock. It's nice when the boat starts surfing,”said Christoph Krautzik from the crew of the DK 46
Tilmar Hansen, owner of the "Outsider" who was the first ship to cross the finish line: “It was wonderful, we drove a great reach gear under Gennaker. It's a euphoric feeling to glide over the waves with 13, 14, 15 and more knots. We are happy that we were able to leave the 60- and 70-footer behind us, but there is also a bit of disappointment that we always end up so far behind (this time, eighth place, editor), because we are already seriously sailed, but measuring the boat is extremely punishing,”said the Admiral's Cup winner
Preliminary result of the fifth stage of the NORD / LB Baltic Sprint Cup from Klaipeda / Lithuania to Gdansk / Poland:
1. Inschallah VI (Volker Andreae, Hamburg) 2. Emil Reiseschwein (Stefan Hummelt, Buxtehude) 3. Ladybird (Erki Melts, Pärnu / Estonia) 4. Vanguard (Philipp Lubinus, Kiel) 5. Hans (Dirk Manno, Glücksburg
Intermediate result after five of seven stages of the NORD / LB Baltic Sprint Cup 2005, without strings:
1. Emil Reiseschwein (Stefan Hummelt / Buxtehude), 27 points; 2. Meltemi (Harald Graf Saurma-Jeltsch / Eckernförde), 34; 3. Brinkmann & Partner, 37; 4. Schüddelfrost, (Friedrich Böhnert / Hamburg), 42; 5. Inshallah; 43