Kiel, Germany – June 25, 2025
Kiel Week wrapped up today for the 49er and 49erFX with a perfect medal race day that crowned familiar champions and delivered drama right until the last leg. Over the course of the regatta, teams faced every weather condition imaginable—from light breezes and sunshine early in the week to strong winds and torrential rain that shut down racing entirely for the 49er fleet on one of the stormiest days. But it all came together perfectly today, as sunnier skies and steady breeze set the stage for decisive medal races in both the 49erFX and 49er classes.
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In the 49erFX, the British duo of Freya Black and Saskia Tidey (GBR 24) stole the show. Starting the medal race in third place and wearing the red bib, the pair delivered a commanding win when it mattered most. Their tactically sharp sailing earned them not only the medal race win but also the top spot on the podium. They now add a Kiel trophy to their collection—and a second Grand Slam title this season, having also taken gold at the Trofeo Princesa Sofía in Palma de Mallorca. Coincidence? Unlikely. The pair are showing the kind of form that makes them Olympic contenders.
(c) Sascha Klahn/ Kieler Woche
The 49er fleet saw a similarly epic comeback story unfold. Erwan Fischer and Clément Péquin (FRA 1) had a shaky start to the week after a boat collided with them in the first race, forcing them to retire. But from that moment, their trajectory only pointed upward. With Fischer returning from paternity leave—this being his first regatta back—the French team rallied hard and climbed the leaderboard. Today, they sealed the deal with a strong performance in the medal race, dedicating their victory to Erwan’s newborn daughter, Lou. Like Black and Tidey, Fischer and Péquin now hold two Grand Slam titles in 2025, with Palma and Kiel already under their belts.
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The 49erFX podium was completed by Sophie Steinlein & Catherine Bartelheimer (GER 17), who took silver after a consistent week, and Georgia and Antonia Lewin-Lafrance (CAN 71), who rounded out the top three. In the 49er, Jakob MEGGENDORFER and Andreas SPRANGER (GER 22), while Hernan UMPIERRE and Fernando DIZ (URU 14) secured bronze with an impressive showing across the fleet races.
(c) Sascha Klahn/ Kieler Woche
(c) Sascha Klahn/ Kieler Woche
While today marked the final races for the 49er and 49erFX fleets, it also marked the beginning of the Nacra 17 competition. With just 13 boats on the line, the fleet may be small, but the stakes are high. This event serves as a valuable tune-up ahead of the Nacra 17 World Championships in Cagliari this October. With 3 races already completed, GBR’s John Gimson and Anna Burnet currently top the leaderboard with a net score of just 2 points.
The Nacra 17 class will be live streamed tomorrow (Link below)
Photos: https://media-kiel.fotoware.cloud/fotoweb/
Tracking: https://kw2025.sapsailing.com/gwt/Home.html#/event/:eventId=9041f635-c6c7-4aa6-9e87-1997427b37b5
Videos & LIVE: https://www.kielerwoche.tv/
49er Results: https://49er.org/events/2025-kiel-week/#result-49
49erFX Results: https://49er.org/events/2025-kiel-week/#result-49fx
Nacra 17 Results: https://nacra17.org/event/2025-kiel-week-2/#nacra17-results
