It is not often that five top athletes from a national team fall ill shortly before the start of a World Cup regatta. But that's exactly what happened in Hyères. The leading 49erFX sailors Vicky Jurczok and Anika Lorenz as well as Tina Lutz and Susann Beucke had contracted a virus in a whirlpool. As a result, the world number one from Berlin and the European champions from southern Germany and Strande went into the series weakened and narrowly missed out on the final of the top ten teams in twelfth and thirteenth place despite a great fighting performance.
Laser vice world champion and active spokesperson Philipp Buhl also had to start the showdown of the best Olympic sailors with a severe cold, chills and a stuffy nose, which meant he was barely able to score points, especially on the first few days. It was only towards the end of the series, which was characterised by unusually light winds this year, that the still ailing 28-year-old returned to his world-class form, showing with a race win, further good placings in the largest World Cup fleet of 68 boats and second place in the medal race that he still belongs to the top group in his discipline.
"The final was really fun," said Buhl, who is travelling on to La Rochelle with the Laser team on Monday, where the European Championships begin in a week's time. "I'll be taking an extra day off before then, I need to recover fully," said the helmsman from the Alpsee Immenstadt Sailing Club, "but then I'm looking forward to the start of the European Championships." Laser national coach Alex Schonski, who was also pleased with Theodor Bauer's 23rd place, said with a view to the upcoming European title fights, Kiel Week and above all the World Championships in Aarhus in August: "Philipp was once again really fast on all courses in the final. Philipp has the level and the self-confidence. He knows that a medal is always in the cards for him."
The Berlin 470 sailors Frederike Loewe and Anna Markfort finished seventh off Hyères and thus achieved the best German result. "We did well," said foresailor Anna Markfort, "the cooperation in our training group with our coach Marek Chocian and the two other women's crews, but also with the men, is very productive. Our goal for this season is to establish ourselves in the top ten. We've already achieved that twice." Fabienne Oster and Anastasiya Winkel, the young crew from the North German Regatta Club, also finished 21st in Hamburg. The most successful nation before Hyères was host nation France with seven medals, including four golds.
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
