At Tokyo 2020, in both the 49er and 49erFX fleets, there were German sailors on the podium. This time around is different. Germany has not yet secured qualification for Paris 2024 in either skiff classes.
In the 49er fleet, the German skiff sailors are pulling out all the stops. With pressure on them to not only qualify their nation but also clear the conditions laid out by their national authority to decide to send them to the Games. Nonetheless, their performance is undoubtedly giving selectors much to ponder. There are four Olympic places on offer and there are two German pairs in the top three after six races. Max Stingele and Linov Scheel top the standings with Fabian Rieger and Tom Heinrich in third.
Five qualifying berths are possible in the women's skiff where the Poles are in dominant form, occupying the top two places after six races thanks to Aleksandra Melzacka and Sandra Jankowiak in first, and Gabriela Czapska and Hanna Rajchert in second. The German duo of Maria Bergmann and Hanna Wille have surged back into contention for a qualifying berth after a stellar performance today, securing fifth place. This leaves them just ahead of compatriots Maru Scheel and Freya Feilcke in sixth.
Natacha Saouma-Pedersen and Mathias Bruun Borreskov (DEN) continue to lead the Nacra 17 fleet of 15 where there are only four spots available for the Paris Games. At this stage the fourth Olympic Berth is highly contested by the Belgians in fourth, fifth and sixth, led by the sibling pairing of Kwinten and Lotte Borghijs.
The Italian 470 sailors top the leaderboard with Elena Berta and Bruno Festo, in first, and Giacomo Ferrari and Alessandra Dubbini, in second.
World Sailing’s Emerging Nations Program has many success stories but the most prominent is in the men's dinghy with two of their sailors topping the leaderboard. Malaysia's Khairulnizam bin Mohd Afendy, seeking a fourth consecutive Olympics appearance, and Karl Martin Rammo of Estonia in second place.
Similarly, in the ILCA 7 Class, four places are up for grabs in the women’s dinghy category. Marilena Makri of Cyprus, supported by the Emerging Nations Program, currently leads the pack, ahead of Romania’s Ebru Bolat
Results are available for all classes for both events. Stay tuned for Day 3.