Olympic sailing: Back in his element: Buhl sixth at the start of the season

"I am satisfied. Actually very satisfied," said Laser helmsman Philipp Buhl at the first World Cup of the season off Miami on Sunday. An early start disqualification in the seventh of ten races up to the final was the main reason why the Sonthofen native missed out on a possible podium finish. At the start of the season, Buhl had not expected to be able to make a direct return to the absolute top of the world, but he succeeded with sixth place. Frenchman Jean Baptiste Bernaz secured victory in the Laser ahead of Cypriot Pavlos Kontides and Brit Lorenzo Brando Chiavarini, who beat double world champion and compatriot Nick Thompson into fourth place.

Buhl's new coach Alex Schlonski attested to his 27-year-old athlete's good early form: "Philipp sailed quite strongly. He was able to make up for the lack of training due to the long 'post-Olympic break' with his great experience and strong technique. Nevertheless, we are working very intensively here. On the one hand on the analyses of the individual races, but also on our annual planning with our training partners this year, the Norwegians." Schlonski was also positive about the start of the collaboration with Buhl: "Basically, the collaboration is going very well. I'm particularly impressed by how Philipp, despite his athletic level, spends the whole day thinking about which details can be improved and how."

In the 470, the 2015 Junior Vice European Champions Malte Winkel and Matti Cipra finished in 19th place, while Laser Radial helmswoman Pauline Liebig finished the World Cup regatta in 29th place. The strongest nations were once again the British (five podium places) and the French (four podium places). Other German top performers were not at the start before Miami and, like the 49er bronze medallists Erik Heil and Thomas Plößel, will not be competing in the World Cup until the end of April off Hyères in France.