Kiel Week is the largest sailing event in the world -- 1,800 boats raced this year in Olympic and non-Olympic classes. A daily hour-long sail to the starting line was necessary to avoid the busy Kiel shipping channel.
Foerster has medaled at both the Olympics and the Pan Am Games -- he is the 1992 Olympic Silver Medalist in the Flying Dutchman class, and 1995 Pan Am Gold Medalist in the J/24 class. Foerster and Merrick have only been sailing together for a few months. This is their second regatta win in June. Earlier in the month they finished first out of 25 470s at the RIISA Regatta in Barrington, R.I..
An Olympic class boat since 1976, the 470 is a double-handed centerboard boat. This modern high performance fiberglass planing dinghy was designed to be sailed by anyone, and is directly credited with encouraging new sailors to the sport during eh 1960s and '70s. At the Olympic Games men and women compete separately in the 470.