New Moon III (BAH 25, Jürg RYFFEL, Christoph BURGER, Peter VLASOV) lead the 2026 5.5 Metre German Open on Chiemsee after winning three of the four races sailed on Thursday. Ali Baba (GER 125, Wolf-Eberhard RICHTER, Beata KALKOWSKI, Jörg GRÜNEWALD) is second after three second places while randale 5.5 (GER 86, Frank STEIN, Giacomo CINTI, Marco ASCOLI) is third after winning the final race of the day.
The day was characterised by light, shifty winds, hazy sunshine, high temperatures and fantastic hospitality from the host club, Seebrucker Regatta-Verein.
Criollo (GER 30, Andreas CHRISTIANSEN, Felix CHRISTIANSEN, James CHRISTIANSEN) got the better f the first two starts by leading round the top mark, but New Moon had better legs downwind to take the first two wins. New Moon then lead all the way in the third race as the wind finally began to increase to 8-10 knots.
By the fourth race it was getting gusty and patchy in equal measures with plenty of gains and loses across the course. New Moon again led at the top but randale, gybed away downwind, found better pressure and was gone for their first ever race win, extending up the second beat.
Owner, Frank Stein was euphoric after having won his first race in the class.
“We had very good four races today, a little bit difficult with a lot of wind and different pressure on the course, but the race committee and all the guys did a very good job, a very good job, so we could finish four races and we look for tomorrow, what the weather will do tomorrow.
“The forecast says a little bit stormy, we will see in the afternoon But, today, it was perfect for us and for the others too.
“For my team we had the first race win in the 5.5, so the first bullet for us and congratulations to my guys. They did a very well job. Thank you to the guys.”
Anna Eisenreich, Hanna Kahl are part of the youth team at Seebrucker Regatta-Verein, sailing No Stress with Johannes Bandtlow
“We are very happy that the 2026 German Open has come to our club. It was very fun, actually, today. The wind was good, everything was good.
“We were very happy with the second race. I think it was perfect, because it was amazing. We were very happy after that. And the rest was good. Overall, I think we wanted to go a bit better but it's a German Open so eighth place is pretty good.
After sailing the Evolution, Unicorn last year, for this event they in a modern, No Stress.
“Unicorn is undergoing renovation, so Jörg Sonntag sponsored us another one of his ships. And Anna and I have switched places so she is steering and I am on the bow. It's working out okay.
Otherwise, I think there is the possibility of moving higher than eighth, because we are used to the sailing here. So, if we don't make bigger mistakes, it should go pretty well.”
Racing continues to Saturday
Results after 4 races
1 New Moon III (BAH 25, Jürg RYFFEL, Christoph BURGER, Peter VLASOV) 6
2 Ali Baba (GER 125/184, Wolf-Eberhard RICHTER, Beata KALKOWSKI, Jörg GRÜNEWALD) 12
3 randale 5.5 (GER 86, Frank STEIN, Giacomo CINTI, Marco ASCOLI) 15
4 Criollo (GER 30, Andreas CHRISTIANSEN, Felix CHRISTIANSEN, James CHRISTIANSEN)15
5 Manuela V (ITA 36, Guido TOMMASI, Matteo BARISON, Andrea RACCHELLI) 17