WAIS Athletes Compete at Kiel Week in Germany

Four Western Australian Institute of Sport sailors are currently competing at Kiel Week in Germany, as the European season takes full swing.

Kiel Week is a popular event that serves as crucial preparation ahead of the season’s European championships, and other class world championships littered across a busy 2014 schedule.

The 2014 edition has seen more than 4500 competitors take to the start line, with members of the WAIS sailing program holding strong position in a number of classes at the 132^nd hosting of the Kieler Woche.

Despite a modified field due to the impending European championships, which start shortly in Athens, WAIS athlete Carrie Smith currently holds seventh place in the women’s 470 class. Smith is skippering the boat, with Jaime Ryan serving as crew. Local German crews currently hold first and third positions, with a crew from Austria in second.

WAIS representative David Gilmour is in ninth position overall in the men’s 49er class, competing alongside Rhys Mara. The duo is chasing crews from Germany, Great Britain and Poland in first, second and third respectively.

Caitlin Elks is crewing for Tess Lloyd in the women’s 49er FX, with the Australian pair occupying 12^th position in their fleet. Crews from Spain, Denmark and Germany currently hold the medal positions.

Former youth world champion Mark Spearman is having a tricky time of competition in the men’s Laser Standard currently, holding a position of 32^nd overall, with Germany’s Philipp Buhl, Estonian Karl-Martin Rammo and German Tobias Schadewaldt leading the fleet.

Live results can be found at the Kiel Week website.