The first Olympic starting shot will be fired in five days: Olympic summit assault against a volcanic backdrop

Enoshima's sailing area in Sagami Bay is showing its best side a week before the start of the Olympic summit race. The 350 sailors from 63 nations who have been training there for days are delighted with the conditions and their freedom at sea, where they don't have to wear masks and enjoy a certain degree of regatta normality. As the anticipation grows, so does the tension. DSV Sports Director Nadine Stegenwalner, who, like physiotherapist Johanna "Jojo" Wichelmann, is staying with the sailing team in the Olympic Sailing Village, while coaches and support staff are staying in an additional hotel with their international colleagues, said before the first starting shots: "The whole team is working calmly, focussed and concentrated, the positive tension is rising. Olympic Games are always something very special. The fact that these Games are taking place under these exceptional circumstances and that we are allowed to be here is a privilege that everyone in our team is very aware of."

At the same time, the conductor of the sailors in Team D underlined the ambition with which the six women (all competing at the Olympics for the first time) and four men (all competing for the second time) in six crews will be competing at these Games of the XXXII Olympiad from 25 July to 4 August: "When the Olympic regatta begins, our sailors will be fighting for medals and their dreams. Despite their personal goals, none of them have forgotten that many people have contributed to them being able to do this: Parents, clubs, the association, sponsors and personal supporters, the German Armed Forces, the DOSB, Sporthilfe, the BMI and many more. It is therefore very important for all of us to say thank you before we kick off. We have come to be successful. So let's get started."

It's quite possible that things will get off to a stormy start. The forecasts after the moderate training week point to possibly more wind. Sailing is currently still taking place in daytime temperatures of 27 degrees, around 87 per cent humidity and five to ten knots of wind. It could rain in the afternoon at the start of the Olympic regatta on 25 July. The forecasts also show possible thunderstorms for the following day. The sailors will know more precisely shortly before their first starts. From a German perspective, the scenarios at the start are relevant for Laser ace Philipp Buhl and Laser Radial helmswoman Svenja Weger, who are the first starters for the German Sailing Team. And they are ready. Svenja Weger reported from the marina in Enoshima ahead of her Olympic premiere: "We have sailed various courses with my training group over the past few days so that we can get to know the area as well as possible. The handover of the Olympic boat, fully branded, with my name on the sail and the German flag, was particularly special for me. That was my goosebump moment. You can see the gennaker and spinnaker in the national colours on the water - a cool feeling. I'm really looking forward to finally getting started."

Philipp Buhl is also very much looking forward to his appearance. The reigning world champion, who finished 14th in his first Olympic appearance in Rio de Janeiro and was very angry with himself, wants to fight for a medal. Experts believe he is capable of it.In YACHT 16 (on newsstands next week) you can read how three-time Olympic champion Jochen Schümann and sailing idol Willy Kuhweide assess the performance of Philipp Buhl and his team-mates. This much from Schümann in advance: "Philipp has all the possibilities and the best chances, but he is also drilling the board at the thickest point." In other words: in none of the ten Olympic disciplines are there as many potential gold and medal candidates with up to ten helmsmen as in the one-man dinghy Laser. Buhl is in top form, as are his opponents. A hot "dance" is to be expected - not on the volcano, but at least against the backdrop of Mount Fuji.