After the opening parade of the sailors with flag bearers and drummers Schleswig-Holstein's Minister of the Interior Dr. Sabine Sütterlin-Waack and Martin Lutz, Deputy Chairman of the Kiel Yacht Club, opened the 2.4mR Inclusive World Championship with two bells in Kiel-Schilksee yesterday. From this morning on 85 athletes from 18 nations will be on the hunt for the World Championship titel. For the first time, the Open and the Para World Championship will be held at the same venue.
“It is a pleasure for me to welcome so many international sailors from all over the world here in Kiel-Schilksee. As Minister of the Interior and Sport, I am delighted that this World Championship has attracted so many athletes. Athletes with and without disabilities will compete under the same conditions. The 2.4mR keelboat makes this possible, and the Kiel-Schilksee olympic harbor provides the necessary accessibility. Thanks to funding from the federal and state governments, it was possible to install suitable jetty facilities and an elevator. We have been supporting the Paralympic sailing sport in Schleswig-Holstein for years and thus a strong infrastructure,” said Sütterlin-Waack at the opening ceremony.
She thanked the Kiel Yacht Club for hosting the World Championship. The deputy chairman of the club passed on his thanks to the Chief Race Officer Stephan Giesen and all the volunteers who make the Event possible. A guest of honor at the opening ceremony was also Gerwin Stöcken, City Councillor for Social Affairs, Housing, Health and Sport.
Finally, Heiko Kröger, President of the international 2.4mR class association and successful para-sailor, spoke at the opening. He remembered the first 2.4mR regatta at Kiel Week in 2002, where all the olympic classes were postponed due to too much wind. Just the 2.4mR class sailed three races, which completely changed the perspective of the other athletes concerning the paralympic class. “In the meantime, we have had many Kiel Week regattas, the Para Worlds and now the Inclusive World Championships. Actually, the class has always been inclusive, but now World Sailing has agreed that we have the official Para event in the Open World Championship. It's good that we are sailing together here, as we always have, but this way we get a lot more publicity for the class,” said Kröger, who is the defending champion at the World Championship.
Measuring the boats is all about millimeters
Before the starting signal for the race is given, the sailors have had a number of tasks to complete on land over the past few days. To ensure fair races, all boats, sails and masts must be presented to the measuring team before a world championship. Only then are they given the go to start or - if things don't go quite so smoothly - told what still needs to be changed. Anything that doesn't fit is adjusted if necessary - perhaps by shortening the mast or batten pockets by a few millimetres or adding a few extra lead weights to the hull. For the 2.4mR World Championship, measurer Tom Jatsch will decide whether anything needs to be changed. From Sunday to Tuesday, he took a close look at the participants' equipment and checked the measurement reports.
One active participant after another pushed their boat on a trailer to Jatsch to be weighed on the hook in the boat hall. Plus/minus one kilogram, the red number on the scales had to match the weight of the boat entered on the measurement certificate. The boat is weighed with sails, mast, boom, safety line, hand pump and battery for the permanently installed pump. If it is too light, the missing kilos are made up with additional lead weights in the keel. It doesn't help to say that you are a heavy sailor yourself. That doesn't matter. And if the additional weights are no longer in place at a later inspection, there is a risk of disqualification, explains Jatsch. But for most of the athletes, everything matched the respective measurement certificate.
Right next door in the Schilkseer Vaasahalle, the sails and masts had to withstand the strict gaze of the measurers. The measurement stickers issued by the sailmaker or the German Sailing Association had to be checked on the sails. In addition, when checking the mainsails, it was sometimes only a matter of millimetres. “According to the current class rules, the length of the batten pockets must not exceed 68 centimetres. If the pockets are longer, they have to be shortened. This has happened a few times,” says Jannis Meyer as he applies the centimeter measure. A total of three Jibs and two mainsails are checked per participant and, ideally, the seal of the World Championship is affixed once they have passed the inspection. The masts are also measured to the millimeter. It must be exactly five meters long up to a certain mark, otherwise it must be shortened. Once all the material has been approved, the boat is given eight stickers: one each for the hull, boom and mast and five for the sails.
As soon as the boats are set up in the harbor apron, Tom Jatsch and his assistant Fred Sulek do another inspection round on land and check the safety equipment and stickers. This sometimes results in an interesting additional task. On Monday, for example, a so-called sink test was spontaneously scheduled, which is due every five years. “We fill the boat with water and check whether it is safe and stays afloat in an emergency. In addition, a minimum weight of 35 kilograms is added to the boat in the form of lead weights,” explains Jatsch. The test is an exciting undertaking, including a little thrill for the boat owner as his boat sinks deeper and deeper into the water in the harbor basin.
Classification decides who sails for the Para title
If you want to sail in the Para World Championships, you not only have to have your equipment measured, you also have to undergo classification. At the 2.4mR World Championship Dr. Jürgen Schwittai takes care of this according to the specifications of World Sailing. “Ideally, the athletes bring medical documents with them to the classification, which show the disability. This involves restrictions in strength, coordination and joint mobility. I look at the person, ask where the problems are and, if necessary, carry out functional tests to determine the classification. At the World Championships, the only thing that counts is whether the disability is severe enough to compete in the Para classification,” explains the doctor. The purpose of the “Para World Sailing Classification System” is to measure the abilities of the sailors in order to ensure a fair and equitable para-competition.
Good conditions at the practice race in the regatta area
As a final test for the races of the World Championship, the athletes took part in a practice race in the regatta area yesterday and thus got a taste of the races that are scheduled until Saturday. Defending champion Heiko Kröger returned to the habor after the first round of the practice race already because he nows the bay quite good already. The light wind suited the reigning vice world champion Megan Pascoe and she took the lead. “The race was fun. The light wind was perfect for me. And it was nice to see such a big fleet back together and also quite a few younger sailors joining it“, said Pascoe.
The warning signal for the first race is scheduled for today at 11 am. Due to the large field of participants, the races will be started in two groups. The last starting opportunity within the World Championship is on Saturday at 2 pm. A maximum of eleven races in total are planned according to the announcement. The award ceremony will take place after the regatta on Saturday afternoon, August 3.
Schedule
July 31 to August 03: from 1100 hrs. races
August 03: from 1100 hrs. to 1500 hrs.: races last possible start at 1400 hrs.; price giving ceremony
“It is a pleasure for me to welcome so many international sailors from all over the world here in Kiel-Schilksee. As Minister of the Interior and Sport, I am delighted that this World Championship has attracted so many athletes. Athletes with and without disabilities will compete under the same conditions. The 2.4mR keelboat makes this possible, and the Kiel-Schilksee olympic harbor provides the necessary accessibility. Thanks to funding from the federal and state governments, it was possible to install suitable jetty facilities and an elevator. We have been supporting the Paralympic sailing sport in Schleswig-Holstein for years and thus a strong infrastructure,” said Sütterlin-Waack at the opening ceremony.
She thanked the Kiel Yacht Club for hosting the World Championship. The deputy chairman of the club passed on his thanks to the Chief Race Officer Stephan Giesen and all the volunteers who make the Event possible. A guest of honor at the opening ceremony was also Gerwin Stöcken, City Councillor for Social Affairs, Housing, Health and Sport.
Finally, Heiko Kröger, President of the international 2.4mR class association and successful para-sailor, spoke at the opening. He remembered the first 2.4mR regatta at Kiel Week in 2002, where all the olympic classes were postponed due to too much wind. Just the 2.4mR class sailed three races, which completely changed the perspective of the other athletes concerning the paralympic class. “In the meantime, we have had many Kiel Week regattas, the Para Worlds and now the Inclusive World Championships. Actually, the class has always been inclusive, but now World Sailing has agreed that we have the official Para event in the Open World Championship. It's good that we are sailing together here, as we always have, but this way we get a lot more publicity for the class,” said Kröger, who is the defending champion at the World Championship.
Measuring the boats is all about millimeters
Before the starting signal for the race is given, the sailors have had a number of tasks to complete on land over the past few days. To ensure fair races, all boats, sails and masts must be presented to the measuring team before a world championship. Only then are they given the go to start or - if things don't go quite so smoothly - told what still needs to be changed. Anything that doesn't fit is adjusted if necessary - perhaps by shortening the mast or batten pockets by a few millimetres or adding a few extra lead weights to the hull. For the 2.4mR World Championship, measurer Tom Jatsch will decide whether anything needs to be changed. From Sunday to Tuesday, he took a close look at the participants' equipment and checked the measurement reports.
One active participant after another pushed their boat on a trailer to Jatsch to be weighed on the hook in the boat hall. Plus/minus one kilogram, the red number on the scales had to match the weight of the boat entered on the measurement certificate. The boat is weighed with sails, mast, boom, safety line, hand pump and battery for the permanently installed pump. If it is too light, the missing kilos are made up with additional lead weights in the keel. It doesn't help to say that you are a heavy sailor yourself. That doesn't matter. And if the additional weights are no longer in place at a later inspection, there is a risk of disqualification, explains Jatsch. But for most of the athletes, everything matched the respective measurement certificate.
Right next door in the Schilkseer Vaasahalle, the sails and masts had to withstand the strict gaze of the measurers. The measurement stickers issued by the sailmaker or the German Sailing Association had to be checked on the sails. In addition, when checking the mainsails, it was sometimes only a matter of millimetres. “According to the current class rules, the length of the batten pockets must not exceed 68 centimetres. If the pockets are longer, they have to be shortened. This has happened a few times,” says Jannis Meyer as he applies the centimeter measure. A total of three Jibs and two mainsails are checked per participant and, ideally, the seal of the World Championship is affixed once they have passed the inspection. The masts are also measured to the millimeter. It must be exactly five meters long up to a certain mark, otherwise it must be shortened. Once all the material has been approved, the boat is given eight stickers: one each for the hull, boom and mast and five for the sails.
As soon as the boats are set up in the harbor apron, Tom Jatsch and his assistant Fred Sulek do another inspection round on land and check the safety equipment and stickers. This sometimes results in an interesting additional task. On Monday, for example, a so-called sink test was spontaneously scheduled, which is due every five years. “We fill the boat with water and check whether it is safe and stays afloat in an emergency. In addition, a minimum weight of 35 kilograms is added to the boat in the form of lead weights,” explains Jatsch. The test is an exciting undertaking, including a little thrill for the boat owner as his boat sinks deeper and deeper into the water in the harbor basin.
Classification decides who sails for the Para title
If you want to sail in the Para World Championships, you not only have to have your equipment measured, you also have to undergo classification. At the 2.4mR World Championship Dr. Jürgen Schwittai takes care of this according to the specifications of World Sailing. “Ideally, the athletes bring medical documents with them to the classification, which show the disability. This involves restrictions in strength, coordination and joint mobility. I look at the person, ask where the problems are and, if necessary, carry out functional tests to determine the classification. At the World Championships, the only thing that counts is whether the disability is severe enough to compete in the Para classification,” explains the doctor. The purpose of the “Para World Sailing Classification System” is to measure the abilities of the sailors in order to ensure a fair and equitable para-competition.
Good conditions at the practice race in the regatta area
As a final test for the races of the World Championship, the athletes took part in a practice race in the regatta area yesterday and thus got a taste of the races that are scheduled until Saturday. Defending champion Heiko Kröger returned to the habor after the first round of the practice race already because he nows the bay quite good already. The light wind suited the reigning vice world champion Megan Pascoe and she took the lead. “The race was fun. The light wind was perfect for me. And it was nice to see such a big fleet back together and also quite a few younger sailors joining it“, said Pascoe.
The warning signal for the first race is scheduled for today at 11 am. Due to the large field of participants, the races will be started in two groups. The last starting opportunity within the World Championship is on Saturday at 2 pm. A maximum of eleven races in total are planned according to the announcement. The award ceremony will take place after the regatta on Saturday afternoon, August 3.
Schedule
July 31 to August 03: from 1100 hrs. races
August 03: from 1100 hrs. to 1500 hrs.: races last possible start at 1400 hrs.; price giving ceremony
