Robert Stanjek in the SSL Finals with Claus Olesen
by Alex D'Agosta 22 Nov 2014 11:48 GMT
1-7 December 2014
Robert Stanjek will be attempting to bring a stunning 2014 season to a fittingly impressive conclusion in the big upcoming Finals in Nassau in two weeks' time. The second half of the year has proved particularly rewarding for the German sailor. In July, he and his friend and companion in many sailing adventures, Fritjhof Kleen (who is being replaced in the Bahamas by Dane Claus Olesen because of an injury) won the Star World Champion title, triumphing in a fleet of 87 boats at Malcesine on Lake Garda, and earning themselves a place in the annals of the sailing greats. Stanjek's name was engraved on the cup that already sports many of the most famous names in sailing. The legendary likes of North, Elvstrom, Conner, Blackaller, Melges, Straulino, Cayard and many Star Sailors League Finals 2014 competitors, including Scheidt (3 times), Loof and Rohart (twice) and Grael (once), Kusznierewicz and Szabo, have won it, in fact.
Thanks in large part to the 2,500 points assigned to the winning team in the Star Worlds and seventh place in the SSL Finals 2013, Stanjek now has 4,524 points in the Star Sailors League Skipper Ranking, and is lying third behind Diego Negri (7,023) and Augie Diaz (4,819). His closest rivals, which include the 11 other skippers with more than 4,000 points, are Xavier Rohart (4,384) and Robert Scheidt (4,005).
Stanjek is also well known in the offshore and blue water racing worlds. This year, he also competed in the Gazprom Swan 60 Class and the Rolex Middle Sea Race aboard Esimit Europa 2.
Stanjek says, "Unfortunately Fritjhof (Kleen) injured his knee very badly. He is well on the way to recovery but he will not be able to race in December. However, I am very confident we will be back competing again next year. For the Bahamas, I will team up with Claus Olsen from Denmark. He is a good friend of mine and a very experienced sailor who represented his country in two Olympic Games and sailed in the America's Cup. I am very happy and it is a big honour to sail with Claus. Our goal is to reach the very last final race. But even more importantly, we want to see all the old dudes, have a great time and do some fair racing."
"It is probably the most impressive entry list since the last Olympic Games. It is fantastic that it is also bringing in top sailors from other classes to the competition. When I was young, I used to follow the World Match Race tour with all the big names and legends that were competing at that time. Now it seems the SSL final is bringing together the 20 best young sailors in the world. I am really happy to have qualified and to be racing in this quality competition once again."
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