Philipp Buhl's rollercoaster ride into the Olympic final: First on the brink, then a victory

The thoughts that went through Philipp Buhl's head on the water after the ninth of ten races in the Olympic Laser field are not fit to print. "Too many curses," says the Allgäu native at the end of the exciting final day in his discipline. It was hardly to be expected that the Laser world champion would later be able to make this day his own on the unloved coastal course "Enoshima". Having started the last two decisive races before the medal final in seventh place, Buhl messed up the first race so badly with 32nd place that it hurt. He was not alone in his unfortunate behaviour in the light winds. Medal hunter Robert Scheidt also had to make too many sacrifices with 24th place and later said in an interview with YACHT online in Enoshima harbour: "I had a bad day. My strategy wasn't good, my speed wasn't good, I just feel more comfortable in a bit more wind. It was a huge challenge out there today. On one side was the wind, on the other the current. It was incredibly difficult to find the right approach."

Philipp Buhl and the ninth race did not fit together like a racehorse in a circus arena. But instead of despairing at the abyss of his Olympic hopes and medal dreams, now in eleventh place, he pulled himself together. "I just wanted to sail another good race. But I knew, and I said it beforehand: you need a bit of luck on this crazy course." In fact, it wasn't luck, but his good gut feeling and the flash analysis after the disastrous race that made Buhl choose the left-hand side again in the second race, which had previously given him the low blow. He took the lead on the very first cross and - with some anger in him and a great desire to make amends - never gave it up. The race marked the resurrection of the badly stumbled upon sailor in his second Olympic outing, which seemed to be as good as over after the first heat and not only reminded Buhl himself of his 14th place in the Olympic regatta five years ago in Rio de Janeiro. "Now I'm in my first medal race at the Olympic Games. I'm looking forward to it," said the 31-year-old that evening in Japan. Race ten was one for Buhl's self-confidence.

Buhl can no longer become Olympic champion - Matthew Wearn has already secured the gold medal ahead of time as the third Australian in a row with just 49 points to his name. The 25-year-old helmsman from Down Under made fewer mistakes overall and successfully gained revenge for the defeat he suffered against Buhl at the 2020 World Championships in Down Under. "I've won World Championship silver three times," mused the laser sailor from Perth, "so it's wonderful to be standing on the summit here now." Philipp Buhl has already congratulated the winner. For him, however, silver or bronze are within reach again after Friday's rollercoaster ride. Buhl's Norwegian sparring partner Hermann Tomasgaard (71 points), the Croatian Tonci Stipanovic (74 points) and the Cypriot Pavlos Kontides (76 points) have the better starting position. However, precisely because there are still many mathematical possibilities, Buhl (85 points), the Laser king and double Olympic champion Robert Scheidt, who is behind him with 86 points, and the following players could also still be in the fight for the precious metal. The line between a medal and a place in the back third of the top ten will be as thin as a Japanese sushi knife in the final. The Laser medal race promises to be highly exciting. It will once again take place on the "Enoshima" course. Buhl's announcement: "I will take full risk and attack. A lot of people will be watching and a few people will have to perform. Everything is possible. In plain language: I have to sail a great race and then have a bit of luck. It's not just up to me to achieve that." This is also the coach's view ahead of the final. Alex Schlonski: "Of course, we wanted Philipp to secure the medal in the end with his match racing skills. We're not in that situation now. He needs a very good race and mistakes from the others. So the motto is clear: the only way forward is to escape."

"The only way forward is to flee"

Erik Heil and Thomas Plößel from the Norddeutscher Regatta Verein will be keeping their fingers crossed for their team-mate, who also competes for the Alpsee-Immenstadt sailing club. "He deserved the medal so much," said Erik Heil. He and his co-skipper opened their three 49er races on Friday in the same way that Buhl ended the day: with a victory. The German skiff sailors made a confident start to their three races with strong speed, but then suffered a few annoying setbacks with seventh and twelfth place. "We acted too nicely in one or two situations, but that will be over tomorrow," announced Erik Heil with an aggressive attitude.

A voluntary penalty curl after a too close start duel with the leading Brits Dylan Fletcher and Stuart Bithell had set the German skiff duo back further in race nine. Dylan Fletcher later revealed: "The Germans started very well twice. We wanted to get there in the third race of the day and were close to them." Heil and Plößel will start Saturday's final three races from fifth place with confidence. "Our speed is still good, everything is in the green for us. It will be an exciting final. The decisions will probably only be made in the medal race," said the helmsman. Erik Heil also set the objective for his crew: "We have to gain and maintain control over our opponents early on Saturday."

The 49erFX sailors Tina Lutz and Susann Beucke (Chiemsee Yacht-Club/Norddeutscher Regatta Verein) would also like to have more control over their opponents for their final sprint alongside the 49er men. With eleventh, 13th and third place, the Bavarian-North German team worked their way up to fifth place in the intermediate classification. The skiff sailors thus kept their medal chances alive ahead of their last three races of the main round. Foresailor Susann Beucke talked about the challenges on the "Kamakura" course: "We were extremely tense all day and focussed on making good starts. We managed that well in all three races. Unfortunately, we weren't able to finish the first two races. The conditions were incredibly difficult. In the second race we unfortunately had to curl because I raised the gennaker too quickly and our gennaker pole touched the stern of the boat from Singapore. The race would have ended differently if we had been able to maintain our position at the first windward mark. But in the Games you have to cringe. It was a nerve-wracking day for us because we were so full on, so in the tunnel. Third place in the last race was good. We did a lot of things right today. And we want to continue like this tomorrow."

The 470 sailors Luise Wanser and Anastasiya Winkel returned from the "Zushi" course disappointed. The duo from the Norddeutscher Regatta Verein did not make it past 16th and 8th place after good Olympic days and are in 14th place ahead of the remaining four races of the main round. "I never thought I would say that sailing in the light and unstable winds is difficult for us. Perhaps we lack some experience," said the 23-year-old helmswoman from Hamburg.

Laser Radial helmswoman Svenja Weger said goodbye to her Olympic premiere on Friday. Like Philipp Buhl, she too would have liked a little more wind and clarity on the "Enoshima" course on Friday. In 16th place overall, the sailor from the Potsdam Yacht Club, who had started her Olympic premiere as the front runner, was unable to qualify for the medal race of the top ten Laser Radial competitors. However, Svenja Weger ended her stint with a smile on her face: "Unfortunately it wasn't enough today. The conditions were very complicated. But I will never forget my start at these Olympic Games for the rest of my life."

Danish leader Anne-Marie Rindom, on the other hand, will never forget the biggest mishap of her sailing career. Like Matt Wearn, the Dane, who was in a dominant lead after eight races, could have secured an early Olympic victory on Friday. Instead, she came to the mixed zone in the Olympic harbour in tears and reported what had happened to her in the last two races: perhaps the most expensive mistake of her sailing career. The likeable Laser Radial helmswoman from Aarhus had collected a yellow flag in the first race of the day for unauthorised wrecking in the light winds. Rindom was able to get out of this with a 720-degree penalty. Rindum then experienced her nightmare in the final race of the main radial round: "I got a second yellow flag at the start of the second race of the day. Which means you have to retire from the race. That's what I did. But then there was a general recall. I didn't have enough time to talk to my coach about whether I could start or not. I simply didn't know the rule that I was allowed to start the race. I decided to start but then decided to abandon the race because I wasn't sure and didn't want to risk a DNE (non-cancellable disqualification). That was obviously wrong and I can only blame myself for that. I think I should have known the rule. But I've never been in this situation in my entire career." The Dane is still defending a seven-point lead over arch-rival and Rio Olympic champion Marit Bouwmeester ahead of Sunday's final. But that is notoriously dangerous. "I'm devastated," said Rindom, "but I have to get back up and be ready for Sunday, because nothing has been decided yet."

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