Philipp Buhl finishes eighth at the Ilca 7 World Championship in Mexico: "Hugely disappointed"

Jean-Baptiste Bernaz and Philipp Buhl hugged each other warmly for five seconds just before the award ceremony and jumped up and down together enthusiastically. One of them had just won the Ilca 7 World Championship (formerly Laser). Reason enough for the two new training partners to celebrate. Frenchman Jean-Baptiste Bernaz then climbed to the top spot on the World Championship podium for the first time in his two-decade-long Laser and Ilca-7 career and was celebrated as the new champion. Philipp Buhl, the outstanding 2020 World Champion, had to remain standing next to the podium as overall eighth, but was genuinely happy for his sparring partner: "It's JB's first World Championship title. I'm glad he did it. I have a very strong training partner who is fun to work and sail with." Together, the Frenchman and the German are preparing for the 2024 Olympics. A medal is the declared goal for both of them. Click here for the interview with the new world champion and Buhl training partner "JB" Bernaz (please click!).

After winning gold once (2020), silver once (2015) and bronze twice (2013, 2018), Philipp Buhl did not win a medal at these world championships. As at the 2016 World Championships in the same Mexican sailing area off the Riviera Nayarit, Buhl finished the six-day series with twelve gruelling races in hot temperatures and with a wind range of nine to 17 knots in an underrated eighth place. "I'm extremely disappointed," said the 32-year-old from Sonthofen, summarising his dissatisfaction with himself briefly and honestly. It is true that he had his starts excellently under control during the World Championship week and was very pleased about this, even gaining "a new piece of the puzzle" with promising potential. On the course side of the start line, however, Buhl was unable to find a way to seriously intervene in the battle for the medals. Buhl said: "It just didn't go smoothly. I will analyse it thoroughly, I still have question marks on my face when I look in the mirror."

The dynamo from the Alpsee-Immenstadt Sailing Club repeatedly had speed problems and was also wrong too often when choosing a side. The mix of minor mistakes manifested itself as a "gnawing feeling" over the course of the World Championship and led to a whole series of serious double-digit individual results, even though a race win in the qualifying round had given hope for more. When asked whether he might have been a little unlucky with the draw of the boats provided by the organisers, Buhl said after a brief hesitation: "I would be embarrassed to put the blame in this area, but yes, I will take another very close look at the boat. I already know that it was half a kilo heavier than JB's and the mast was a bit crooked." After months of intensive training and racing, Buhl will now take a break to recharge his batteries and get going again.

For Buhl's team-mate Nik Aaron Willim, on the other hand, the battle continues. For the helmsman from the Norddeutscher Regatta Verein, who started the season so conspicuously well, the final day of the World Championships, which ended in 40th and 58th place, was a serious blow. Willim had got off to a fabulous start to the World Championships in third place overall after the first day and was still in 13th place before the two final races - which, after many setbacks due to illness in recent years, could have finally given him the squad place in the national sailing team that he so desperately hoped for. Instead, the black Saturday and 21st place in the final classification brought the realisation that he would have to continue fighting for his place in the German Sailing Team and the associated promotion.

The beaten man said: "I just didn't have the strength on the last day. I'm disappointed that I didn't make it. Fitness is and remains a recognised focus for me. I have already proven this season with good places that I have the potential. So I don't doubt the big picture, but I would have liked to have had the liberating feeling of qualifying for the national team. That's what I'm working for now."

Ilca 7 coach Alex Schlonski felt for his athletes in Mexico. The German Sailing Team coach had also expected more after his two protégés' convincing start to the season: "We had hoped to end up here with two top ten finishes and a medal if everything went well. The boys were in good form and have already sailed very well in Palma and Hyères this year. Philipp missed out on too many small points on two or three days here, but was then able to end the World Championship on a positive note with a solid day. Nik's first five days went according to plan before the disappointing final. Athletics training remains a priority for him. Now it's time for home training."