Team Grobe Takes It All

With an amazing record of 7 wins out of 8 matches Alina GROBE, sailing with her brother Dino and his Tornado team mate Lars BAEHR, takes the title of the AUDI Spring Battle 04 Qualifier.

The male challengers could not keep up with her outstanding tactical skills on the double trapeze streamline keelboat. In an exciting final against the former German match racing champion Hendrik WITZMANN she managed to regain the lead on the last downwind.

Alina was all smiles when she crossed the line only a few meters ahead: “Lake Wannsee is always a major challenge for tactical decision making, especially in such a patchy and gusty breeze as today. Although I am not very familiar with match racing, as I come from 470 sailing, I could make it up with smart sailing. I am really looking forward to challenge the big guys tomorrow in the Grade 3 event.”

In the small final Jan-Eike ANDRESEN defeated “Team Absolut Beginners” Ludger GAWLITTA, whose practice sessions on Lake Wannsee earlier this year payed off to a surprising 4th place.

Snow squalls and cold breeze did not stop Jochen SCHUEMANN (GER) and Simon SHAW (GBR) from getting familiar with the Streamline boat as trapeze yachts are seldom used in the match racing circuit. SHAW commented that it needs the combination of match racing and dinghy sailing experience to win this regatta: “We are expecting a lot from Paul CAMPBELL-JAMES’s team. But we better watch out for Alina!”

Special guest on the spectator vessel for tomorrow will be German sailing legend Willi KUHWEIDE who is looking forward to join the spectacular sailing battle of generations at Lake Wannsee.