The pictures of Christian Buck's accident in the mast during the pre-regattas in
Malmö went around the world. Now the 27-year-old German foreshipman is back with his team in Trapani after being hospitalised and undergoing an operation in Rostock. His first goal: "Up the mast - ashore for now - and back to normal."
Christian Buck is not yet fit for action. His back is causing problems,
hurts a little when he exerts himself too much. But the blond Rostock native's face looks as if the terrible accident, in which Buck lost his footing while working in a rush and was thrown against the rig several times, never happened.
What does he remember about the accident? "The conditions were very difficult and atypical. The passing wave was strong and we were hanging on to the tender and the mast was moving like spaghetti. I remember losing my grip. Then I was thrown against the mast a few times. At some point my head hit it too. I don't remember anything after that."
After a six-day hospitalisation in Malmö, subsequent transport to Rostock and cheekbone surgery in the hospital there, Buck is doing well again. When he sees the pictures of the accident today, he says: "They look worse than they were."
The Rostock native has the greatest respect for his skipper Jesper Bank: "Jesper immediately took full responsibility at the time. We later discussed as a team what went wrong and how we want to deal with such situations in future."
Buck would not wear a helmet and chest strap in every situation in the future, but in some: "In difficult weather conditions, that would certainly not be a bad idea."
Buck is currently trying to support his team with light work on land and to build on his previous form with initial fitness training.
