Musto Skiff German
Open
Report from Frithjof Schwerdt
Both northern and southern Germans agree
upon the beauty of Bodensee and Reichenau Island. Unfortunately,
Bodensee didn’t exactly show its most attractive side
during the first few days of the Mustoskiff German Open
which was, incidentally, held together with the German
470 Championship. We were greeted by clouds, rain and
very little wind. Not exactly ideal for the avid skiff
sailor.
Nevertheless the second day saw four races which presented
the usual tricky conditions of inland waters with the
field going sometimes left and sometimes right. Positions
changed on every upwind leg, with the exception of Swiss
sailing pro Nicolas Duchoud, who was familiar with the
conditions and comfortably led the field. Whether Duchoud’s
success was due to the field’s long night partying in
Constance or his exceptional racing tactics, I won’t
venture an opinion.
At the end of the day a “buddy system” was introduced,
which prompted an enthusiastic exchange of knowledge
and expertise. The idea behind it is that a good sailor
can help a highly motivated sailor to improve his skills.
The field was subsequently divided into pairs for coaching
and the team that improved the most won.
On the third day a few rays of sun broke through to
warm the Mustoskiff fleet. Unfortunately the wind wasn’t
quite as cooperative, so no further races were held.
On the final day of the regatta it was more of the same,
so participants took part in the alternative program
organised by the dinghy sailors of Reichenau Island:
a hike up to the highest part of the island, followed
by a wine tasting. Alongside exquisite regional wines,
we were also rewarded with a magnificent view of the
perfectly still Bodensee and Reichenau Island. In the
afternoon we were granted a light breeze that was sufficient
for a race to take place so all competitors were able
to scratch a race. The German Open 2012 was won by Nicolas
Duchoud, with Roger Oswald and Paul Dijkstra taking
second and third places. The top German competitor was
Iver Ahlmann who came in fourth.
At the awards ceremony, all participants received a
vegetable basket from the Reichenau region and prizes
courtesy of the Steinlechner Shipyard. Many thanks go
to Jollensegler Reichenau Association for hosting this
great event.
Results: http://jollenseglerreichenau.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/mustoskiff2012ergebnisliste_02okt2012.pdf
Frithjof GER 272
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