World Championship gold for Phillipp Kasüke! After 13 races, the young Finn dinghy helmsman from the Seglerhaus am Wannsee club beat 34 competitors from 15 countries to win the Junior World Championships in the Danish waters off Aarhus. Silver went to Ondrej Teply from the Czech Republic ahead of Facundo Olezza from Argentina. Max Kohlhoff from the Kieler Yacht-Club also sailed an outstanding series, but had to be satisfied with seventh place after two disqualifications in a row despite winning two races.
"I'm delighted," said 21-year-old Phillip Kasüske in Aarhus, "the key to this victory was definitely consistency." Apart from a disqualification, which affected almost all of the top sailors in the field because the leading group - following Kasüske - had overlooked a discard buoy in a race, the Berlin native managed a strong series with two race wins and eleven single-digit results. The next goal for the offshore systems engineering student next year is to at least confirm his place in the B squad. The long-term goal is to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games, which team-mate and training partner Max Kohlhoff is also aiming for. "To be able to compete for Germany at the Olympic Games once, that would be my biggest goal."
Coach Per Baggøe was delighted with the performance of his protégés: "We took off three years ago with our young training group: The goal was always the 2020 Olympic Games. We trained an insane amount of hours in the water. We had to be patient, which young people aren't always. Now the physical requirements are there and I think they will be among the best in the world next year." For all those who were cheering at Kasüsche's home in Kiel: The new world champion will be back this evening and will be thinking about how best to celebrate his success at home on the journey there.
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
