diff --git a/java/com.sap.sailing.gwt.ui/src/main/java/com/sap/sailing/gwt/ui/leaderboard/LeaderboardPanel.java b/java/com.sap.sailing.gwt.ui/src/main/java/com/sap/sailing/gwt/ui/leaderboard/LeaderboardPanel.java
index dc7c89eecd2..d9b9681c817 100644
--- a/java/com.sap.sailing.gwt.ui/src/main/java/com/sap/sailing/gwt/ui/leaderboard/LeaderboardPanel.java
+++ b/java/com.sap.sailing.gwt.ui/src/main/java/com/sap/sailing/gwt/ui/leaderboard/LeaderboardPanel.java
@@ -286,8 +286,8 @@ public class LeaderboardPanel extends FormPanel implements TimeListener, PlaySta
         for (ExpandableSortableColumn<?> expandableSortableColumn : columnsToExpandAgain) {
             expandableSortableColumn.toggleExpansion();
         }
-        if (newSettings.getSortByColumn() != null) {
-            sort(newSettings.getSortByColumn(), true);
+        if (newSettings.getNameOfRaceToSort() != null) {
+            sort(getRaceColumnByRaceName(newSettings.getNameOfRaceToSort()), /* ascending */ true);
         }
     }
 
@@ -973,11 +973,22 @@ public class LeaderboardPanel extends FormPanel implements TimeListener, PlaySta
         }
         contentPanel.add(getLeaderboardTable());
         setWidget(contentPanel);
-        if (settings.getSortByColumn() != null) {
-            sort(settings.getSortByColumn(), settings.isSortAscending());
+        if (settings.getNameOfRaceToSort() != null) {
+            RaceColumn<?> column = getRaceColumnByRaceName(settings.getNameOfRaceToSort());
+            sort(column, settings.isSortAscending());
         }
     }
 
+    private RaceColumn<?> getRaceColumnByRaceName(String raceName) {
+        for (int i=0; i<getLeaderboardTable().getColumnCount(); i++) {
+            Column<LeaderboardRowDTO, ?> column = getLeaderboardTable().getColumn(i);
+            if (column instanceof RaceColumn<?> && ((RaceColumn<?>) column).getRaceName().equals(raceName)) {
+                return (RaceColumn<?>) column;
+            }
+        }
+        return null;
+    }
+
     private SafeHtml getPlayPauseImgHtml(PlayStates playState) {
         if (playState == PlayStates.Playing)
             return AbstractImagePrototype.create(pauseIcon).getSafeHtml();
@@ -1573,7 +1584,7 @@ public class LeaderboardPanel extends FormPanel implements TimeListener, PlaySta
         playPause.setHTML(getPlayPauseImgHtml(playState));
         playPause.setTitle(playState == PlayStates.Playing ? stringMessages.pauseAutomaticRefresh() : stringMessages.autoRefresh());
         if (!settingsUpdatedExplicitly && playMode != oldPlayMode) {
-            updateSettings(LeaderboardSettingsFactory.getInstance().createNewSettingsForPlayMode(playMode));
+            updateSettings(LeaderboardSettingsFactory.getInstance().createNewSettingsForPlayMode(playMode, /* columnToSort */ null));
         }
         currentlyHandlingPlayStateChange = false;
         oldPlayMode = playMode;
diff --git a/java/com.sap.sailing.gwt.ui/src/main/java/com/sap/sailing/gwt/ui/leaderboard/LeaderboardSettings.java b/java/com.sap.sailing.gwt.ui/src/main/java/com/sap/sailing/gwt/ui/leaderboard/LeaderboardSettings.java
index 584502d4df4..101f76b77c6 100755
--- a/java/com.sap.sailing.gwt.ui/src/main/java/com/sap/sailing/gwt/ui/leaderboard/LeaderboardSettings.java
+++ b/java/com.sap.sailing.gwt.ui/src/main/java/com/sap/sailing/gwt/ui/leaderboard/LeaderboardSettings.java
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package com.sap.sailing.gwt.ui.leaderboard;
 import java.util.List;
 
 import com.sap.sailing.domain.common.DetailType;
-import com.sap.sailing.gwt.ui.shared.LeaderboardRowDTO;
 import com.sap.sailing.gwt.ui.shared.RaceInLeaderboardDTO;
 
 public class LeaderboardSettings {
@@ -17,15 +16,15 @@ public class LeaderboardSettings {
     
     /**
      * An optional sort column; if <code>null</code>, the leaderboard sorting won't be touched when updating the settings.
-     * Otherwise, the leaderboard will be sorted by this column (ascending if {@link #sortAscending}, descending otherwise.
+     * Otherwise, the leaderboard will be sorted by the race column (ascending if {@link #sortAscending}, descending otherwise.
      */
-    private final SortableColumn<LeaderboardRowDTO, ?> sortByColumn;
+    private final String nameOfRaceToSort;
     private final boolean sortAscending;
     
     public LeaderboardSettings(List<DetailType> meneuverDetailsToShow, List<DetailType> legDetailsToShow,
             List<DetailType> raceDetailsToShow, List<RaceInLeaderboardDTO> raceColumnsToShow,
             boolean autoExpandFirstRace, Long delayBetweenAutoAdvancesInMilliseconds, Long delayInMilliseconds,
-            SortableColumn<LeaderboardRowDTO, ?> sortByColumn, boolean sortAscending) {
+            String nameOfRaceToSort, boolean sortAscending) {
         this.legDetailsToShow = legDetailsToShow;
         this.raceDetailsToShow = raceDetailsToShow;
         this.raceColumnsToShow = raceColumnsToShow;
@@ -33,7 +32,7 @@ public class LeaderboardSettings {
         this.delayBetweenAutoAdvancesInMilliseconds = delayBetweenAutoAdvancesInMilliseconds;
         this.delayInMilliseconds = delayInMilliseconds;
         this.maneuverDetailsToShow = meneuverDetailsToShow;
-        this.sortByColumn = sortByColumn;
+        this.nameOfRaceToSort = nameOfRaceToSort;
         this.sortAscending = sortAscending;
     }
   
@@ -76,8 +75,8 @@ public class LeaderboardSettings {
         return delayInMilliseconds;
     }
 
-    public SortableColumn<LeaderboardRowDTO, ?> getSortByColumn() {
-        return sortByColumn;
+    public String getNameOfRaceToSort() {
+        return nameOfRaceToSort;
     }
 
     public boolean isSortAscending() {
diff --git a/java/com.sap.sailing.gwt.ui/src/main/java/com/sap/sailing/gwt/ui/leaderboard/LeaderboardSettingsFactory.java b/java/com.sap.sailing.gwt.ui/src/main/java/com/sap/sailing/gwt/ui/leaderboard/LeaderboardSettingsFactory.java
index 65c3671a38c..0950ef02739 100644
--- a/java/com.sap.sailing.gwt.ui/src/main/java/com/sap/sailing/gwt/ui/leaderboard/LeaderboardSettingsFactory.java
+++ b/java/com.sap.sailing.gwt.ui/src/main/java/com/sap/sailing/gwt/ui/leaderboard/LeaderboardSettingsFactory.java
@@ -19,7 +19,10 @@ public class LeaderboardSettingsFactory {
         return instance;
     }
 
-    public LeaderboardSettings createNewSettingsForPlayMode(PlayModes playMode) {
+    /**
+     * @param nameOfRaceToSort if <code>null</code>, don't sort any race column
+     */
+    public LeaderboardSettings createNewSettingsForPlayMode(PlayModes playMode, String nameOfRaceToSort) {
         LeaderboardSettings settings = null;
         switch (playMode) {
             case Live:  
@@ -37,7 +40,7 @@ public class LeaderboardSettingsFactory {
                 settings = new LeaderboardSettings(maneuverDetails, legDetails, raceDetails,
                         /* don't change raceColumns */ null, true,
                         /* refresh interval */ null, /* delay to live */ null,
-                        /* sort by column */ null, /* ascending */ true);
+                        /* name of race to sort*/ nameOfRaceToSort, /* ascending */ true);
                 break;
             case Replay:
                 settings = createNewDefaultSettings(true);
diff --git a/java/com.sap.sailing.gwt.ui/src/main/java/com/sap/sailing/gwt/ui/raceboard/RaceBoardPanel.java b/java/com.sap.sailing.gwt.ui/src/main/java/com/sap/sailing/gwt/ui/raceboard/RaceBoardPanel.java
index 8802a8c5d1c..ba804bfdd72 100644
--- a/java/com.sap.sailing.gwt.ui/src/main/java/com/sap/sailing/gwt/ui/raceboard/RaceBoardPanel.java
+++ b/java/com.sap.sailing.gwt.ui/src/main/java/com/sap/sailing/gwt/ui/raceboard/RaceBoardPanel.java
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ public class RaceBoardPanel extends FormPanel implements EventDisplayer, RaceSel
         componentsNavigationPanel.addStyleName("raceBoardNavigation");
 
         // create the default leaderboard and select the right race
-        LeaderboardSettings leaderBoardSettings = LeaderboardSettingsFactory.getInstance().createNewSettingsForPlayMode(timer.getPlayMode());
+        LeaderboardSettings leaderBoardSettings = LeaderboardSettingsFactory.getInstance().createNewSettingsForPlayMode(timer.getPlayMode(), /* columnToSort */ null);
         LeaderboardPanel leaderboardPanel = new LeaderboardPanel(sailingService, leaderBoardSettings, selectedRaceIdentifier, competitorSelectionModel,
                 timer, leaderboardName, leaderboardGroupName, errorReporter, stringMessages, userAgentType);
         RaceMap raceMap = new RaceMap(sailingService, errorReporter, timer, competitorSelectionModel, stringMessages);
@@ -200,10 +200,11 @@ public class RaceBoardPanel extends FormPanel implements EventDisplayer, RaceSel
         boolean showCompetitorCharts = true;
         // create the default leaderboard and select the right race
         if(showLeaderboard) {
-            LeaderboardSettings leaderBoardSettings = LeaderboardSettingsFactory.getInstance().createNewSettingsForPlayMode(timer.getPlayMode());
-            LeaderboardPanel leaderboardPanel = new LeaderboardPanel(sailingService, leaderBoardSettings, selectedRaceIdentifier, competitorSelectionModel,
-                    timer, leaderboardName, leaderboardGroupName, errorReporter, stringMessages, userAgentType);
-
+            LeaderboardSettings leaderBoardSettings = LeaderboardSettingsFactory.getInstance()
+                    .createNewSettingsForPlayMode(timer.getPlayMode(), /* nameOfRaceToSort */null);
+            LeaderboardPanel leaderboardPanel = new LeaderboardPanel(sailingService, leaderBoardSettings,
+                    selectedRaceIdentifier, competitorSelectionModel, timer, leaderboardName, leaderboardGroupName,
+                    errorReporter, stringMessages, userAgentType);
             CollapsableComponentViewer<LeaderboardSettings> leaderboardViewer = new CollapsableComponentViewer<LeaderboardSettings>(
                     leaderboardPanel, "100%", "100%", stringMessages, ViewerPanelTypes.SCROLL_PANEL);
             componentViewers.add(leaderboardViewer);