July 29 2010
Clean sweep for the Marinepool Racing Team at the Manroland Tornado World Championship, held within the 121st Travemünde Week, which concluded yesterday. Gold and silver are the best possible result!
Roland Gäbler is back at the top of the Tornado class. The three times world champion and president of the International Tornado Class Association won his fourth title on Wednesday. The 45 year old German sailed with his Danish wife Nahid and won Gold to his own surprise, beating the second Marinepool Racing Team, Greeks Iordanis Paschalidis and Kostas, Trigonis by one point. The Bronze medal went to the German brothers Helge and Christian Sach.
The last day of racing was a real nail-biter, starting with little wind and ending with strong gusts and a thunderstorm. Gäbler always seemed in control and profited from his vast experience. He was eventually being rewarded with the top spot. In front of standing ovations by a huge crowd the couple climbed the highest step at the price giving and listened to the national anthem played in their honour.
"We are totally blown away, we did not dare to dream about this! It is the jewel in my sailing career. We have to let it sink in!" the bronze medallist of Syney 2000 was jubilant. It was a well deserved victory with three firsts, as many seconds, one third in 8 races. With this series Gäbler was world champion before the last race. He sailed it anyway, finished 6th and could not be overtaken by the Greeks who were one point behind Gäbler in the final scores, although they won all three races the last day of the event.
Paschalidis and Trigonis are the reigning European Champions and have been sparring partners of Gäbler for more than 10 years.
Roland said "we are proud we did so well and we could get out on top as a mixed team. This although we started sailing together only a year ago. The Greeks were the favorites going into the world championship. But my wife did a superb job, even today with the extremely gusty wind which made racing a rodeo ride at times. I am deeply impressed how she managed the conditions!".
We are equally impressed, congratulations Roland and Nahid, but also to the silver Greeks Dani and Kosta!
Nahid and Roland Gäbler, Tornado Weltmeister 2010 ⎟© MK/Travemünder Woche
Nahid and Roland Gäbler, Tornado World Champions 2010 ⎟© MK/Travemünder Woche
Dani Paschalidis/Kostas Trigonis, Silver Medal 2010 ⎟ © Red Bull