| MALMÖ, SWEDEN-(31-7-2003) Wolfgang Hunger and Holger Jess of Germany are today celebrating their second 505 World Championship, following their initial success in Portugal two years ago.
Thursday initially promised a repeat of the previous day’s light and fickle conditions, but the Race Officer’s confidence in getting the fleet to leave the harbour at Limhamn on time was rewarded by a 6 to 8 knot breeze in time for Race 7. Sweden’s Krister Bergström and Johann Barne were the closest challengers to Hunger and Jess at the start of the day, and did their best to maintain the pressure by being the first to round mark 1 after a long 30 minute beat against the current. However, the next spinnaker to show behind them was that of the German pair. These two boats gradually pulled away from the fleet, with Hunger and Jess pressing the Swedes hard. On the final downwind leg, Hunger attacked the Swedes on a number of occasions, threatening to break through to windward, but Bergstrom kept his cool to finish ahead by about six boat lengths.
In a good race for Germany, young German 420 star, Sophie Söllner, crewed by Wolfgang Stuckl, again showed her liking of the lighter conditions by sailing superbly to finish third, ahead of compatriots Stefan Köchlin and Axel Priegan.
By the start of Race 8 the breeze had filled in a little more to give trapezing conditions upwind. Although the wind had settled down to a steady south westerly, the Oresund current provided a slight advantage to those on the left side of the course. The Danish team of Hans Jörgen Riber and Henrik Buhl had previously proved their speed in an 8 to 10 knot breeze during last week’s Swedish open championships. They duly rounded mark 1 with a commanding lead over Howard Hamlin and Peter Alarie of the USA, who were being closely harried by Martin and Rainer Görge of Germany. However, the slight chance that Bergstrom and Barne had of denying Hunger and Jess the title disappeared when the Germans rounded in fifth place with the Swedes back in the teens. Riber and Buhl powered through to their first race win during the championship, ahead of Hamlin and Alarie and the Danes, Per Larson and Henrik Andersen. However, the real celebrations were in the fourth placed boat, with Hunger and Jess realising that whatever the outcome of tomorrow’s final race, they cannot be caught.
Overall standing after 8 races of 9 (subject to protest)
1. Hunger / Jess GER 8pts, 2. Bergstrom / Barne SWE, 14 pts, 3. Hamlin / Alarie USA 29pts, 4. Pinnell / Hunt GBR 30pts, 5. Riber / Buhl DEN 32 pts, 6 Kellner 7 Stammerjohann GER 39 pts.
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