Philipp Buhl's assessment of his Kiel Week one day before the final is better than he had imagined. "It was less stressful than I thought, a lot of things went very well. Overall, it was a very good Kiel Week for me." On Sunday, the Laser vice world champion and Olympic hopeful moves into the medal final with a commanding 17-point lead over second-placed Hungarian Jonatan Vadnai. As usual, Buhl formulates his goal for the final sprint openly, clearly and with his characteristic mischievous smile: "The ideal would be a zero start and victory in the final." During this last major regatta before the Olympic Games, Buhl wanted to improve his starts in his home waters. He also managed to do that. "I'm feeling good right now," said the 26-year-old active spokesman for the German Olympic sailors in Kiel at the national team's home match.
"You're a freak!"
The man who has done German sailing so much good with his successes, his refreshing performances, his unbending nature and his fairness is also doing himself good with the recognition at Kiel Week as a final motivational boost on the course for Rio. Buhl registers admiring and enthusiastic comments - without losing his grounding. He is happy to receive praise and recognition on his way to Brazil. Because: "Doubts are the worst thing you could take with you to Rio." Buhl also enjoys appreciation of the funny kind. When he once again crossed the finish line on the final day with outstanding speed, team-mate Nik Aaron Willim, who himself still has a small chance of a podium place on Sunday in fourth place before the final, paid tribute to him afterwards and shouted: "You're a freak!" In the marquee that evening, a British sailor stops by Buhl, grins at him and says: "When we look at the tracker later, it will probably show one knot more speed for you than for everyone else, right?" Buhl is in his element in Kiel and turns up the pace again at the end as the wind picks up. He wants to preserve this good feeling and take it with him when he flies to Rio de Janeiro on 4 July for ten days of intensive training before the starting gun for his Olympic premiere on 8 August.
Burling/Tuke and Kohlhoff/Werner win early
While Buhl aims to win his fourth Kiel Week victory on Sunday, the showdown is also approaching for all the other Olympic sailors, the participants in the Junior World Championship for 470 sailors and the J70 European Championship with 91 participating boats. The Kiel Week organisers are once again expecting a full house at the Kiel-Schilksee Olympic Centre, where fans have been streaming through all week like never before. The New Zealand high-flyers Peter Burling and Blair Tuke were already able to celebrate their early Kiel Week victory and the 3000 euro prize money on Saturday, as were the Kiel local heroes Paul Kohlhoff and Carolina Werner. This is the second victory for the KYC crew since 2015, and a series of further German Kieler Woche victories can be expected on Sunday. Paralympic sailor Heiko Kröger (2.4mR) and the Sonar crew led by Lasse Klötzing will also start "Super Sunday" as frontrunners. All medal races will be broadcast on the big screen in the Audi Sailing Arena.
A helmswoman on course for victory at the J70 European Championships
The fleet of 91 boats taking part in the J70 European Championship continues to be dominated by one helmswoman and her team on "Petite Terrible" ahead of the final. Claudia Rossi's Italian team, which has been well-rehearsed for years, will start the final races, which will be held in two groups at the request of the class, with just 17 points to their name and 14 points ahead of their nearest rivals. Rossi was given the boat by her father as a graduation present and has been sailing the J70 with increasing success ever since. Many other teams had to make dozens of early start disqualifications in the first race of the day.
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
