World Championship Laser Standard: Bitter for Buhl: Fourth after premature cancellation of the World Championship

The final day was to be his. Philipp Buhl was ready to attack and was aiming for medals or even the title in fourth place ahead of the final two World Championship races on Tuesday in the forecast medium to fresh winds. Everything still seemed possible. But the weather and the decisions of the race committee dashed any hopes the Sonthofener from the Alpsee-Immenstadt Sailing Club had shortly before 2 pm: No race on the final day, cancellation and end of the title fights! After the expected thunderstorm passed through, the race committee made this decision shortly before 2 p.m., just over an hour before the official last chance to start. To the regret of the hunters, there was no attempt to send the sailors onto the water in time for a start attempt after the thunderstorm.

"I have to take it as it is," said fair player Buhl, whose disappointment and pride in what he had achieved went hand in hand, "I tried everything and would have liked to have had the chance to fight for a medal or the title. There was still a lot possible. On the other hand, I'm very happy with my performance. For a title, which I have always defined as my goal from the start this year, everything has to come together. Two races were missing here. But I will go for the title again."

"Two things remain to be said," said national coach Alex Schlonski, taking stock with one crying and one laughing eye, "the race committee didn't act quite happily, could have started the regatta day earlier today and managed the two races. On the other hand, Philipp put in a world-class performance in a very strong and consistent year." Buhl considers his work with Schlonski to be valuable and successful. "As a person, Alex brings a lot of passion to his work. That's the best thing you can have if you want to achieve something together. Alex is down-to-earth, pleasantly reserved and humorous, a super coach who thinks ahead in all areas!"

The Laser World Champion in his training area off Split was the Cypriot Pavlos Kontides, who, like the Olympic silver medallist Tonci Stipanovic (29th), is trained by a Croatian coach and won the historic first World Championship gold in an Olympic sailing class for his country. Australian Olympic champion Tom Burton secured silver ahead of his compatriot Matthew Wearn. Fourth-placed Buhl relegated the Swede Jesper Stalheim and the British double world champion Nick Thompson to fifth and sixth place. And has already turned his attention to the next regatta with his coach Schlonski: "The European Championships begin in Barcelona in a fortnight' time. I am supported by strong and loyal partners and fortunately I don't have to worry about that. That's important, because money doesn't directly make you better, but it's much harder to be successful if you can't make ends meet, or only with great difficulty. I feel fit and am very motivated."