DM Sylt: Not enough wind for the fin, too much swell for the foil

​The first day of the German Championships on Sylt proved to be a test of patience. Light winds and a powerful shorebreak brought both disciplines to a standstill. But things are looking up.

At the start of the German Championships, the competitors had to be patient at first. The conditions had initially looked promising. Consequently, with winds of 12 to 16 knots, the decision was made to send the field of 27 Fin slalom competitors out onto the water for the first start at 12:00. Unfortunately, the wind then dropped off slightly and, combined with the strong current, conditions were no longer fair enough for official Fin Slalom races.

However, switching to foiling wasn’t a realistic option either. Due to the strong winds over the previous days, a powerful shorebreak had built up at Brandenburger Strand. This posed too great a risk to both competitors and equipment if they had been sent out onto the water with foiling gear in these conditions. The riders were therefore brought back ashore and hopes were pinned on the afternoon. By then, the wind might pick up again, or at the very least the shorebreak might subside as the tide went out, allowing the foilers to get out on the water.

Unfortunately, neither of these hopes came to fruition. The wind remained at 9 to 12 knots, below the limit for the Fin Slalom discipline, and despite the ebbing tide, the shorebreak remained high. At 5.00 pm, the race committee finally decided to call it a day. Forecasts for Thursday promise suitable conditions for Fin Slalom, and perhaps even foiling. This would be the chance for top favourite Fabi Wolf to take a big step towards the German Championship title in this discipline. The newly crowned European runner-up is regarded as the benchmark against which the other riders must measure themselves.

However, there are plenty of riders who have good reason to hope they can throw a spanner in the works for Wolf. Leading the way is the multiple German champion, as well as European and world champion, who knows the specific conditions on the North Sea off Sylt like the back of his hand and is keen to have a significant say in the title race.