World Championship Laser Standard: Buhl sets an exclamation mark at the start of the World Championship

Germany's best laser sailor has big plans for these world championships in Croatian waters: Philipp Buhl wants to be on the podium! "I've never been as well prepared as I am today," said Buhl before the first start. After World Championship bronze in 2013 and World Championship silver in 2015, the Sonthofen native wants to fight for a third medal and preferably break the spell - never before has a German Laser sailor won a World Championship in the Olympic Laser Standard. In addition to Philipp Buhl, Andreas John from Hamburg (1985) and Stefan Warkalla from Möhnesee (1991) can call themselves runner-up world champions.

As world number one ahead of Pavlos Kontides (Cyprus) and Jean Baptiste Bernaz (France), Buhl is one of the co-favourites in the world championship area off Split. But there are quite a few of them in the star-studded largest Olympic sailing fleet. "They're all here, the only one missing is Robert Scheidt," says Buhl with a smile. The nine-time Laser world champion and double Olympic champion from Brazil switched from the Laser to the Olympic 49er after finishing fourth in Rio.

Two-time world champion Nick Thompson from Great Britain, Australian Olympic champion Tom Burton, his often equal compatriot Matthew Wearn, Rio's silver medallist Tonci Stipanovic from Croatia, bronze medallist Sam Meech from New Zealand as well as Kontides and Bernaz also have medal and title hopes at the Laser World Championships.

After the World Championship opening ceremony on Wednesday evening, the fleet of 147 participants from 52 nations started the first two qualifying races on Thursday. They will initially sail in three groups. Buhl's group was the first to come back ashore - and with it a satisfied Sonthofener: Buhl opened the World Championships strongly with 10th place and a convincing win on the day. Although he had to make up some ground in the first race, he was able to overtake six boats after finishing 16th and cross the finish line in tenth place. "I was very happy about the victory in the second race of the day because it wasn't the result of an extreme decision, a single extreme stroke, but the sum of many small, unspectacular but good decisions. That gives me a lot of self-confidence for the coming days," said the 27-year-old from Segelclub Alpsee-Immenstadt, who is being coached by national coach Alex Schlonski on the Tokyo 2020 course.

Buhl's training partner Theo Bauer (Röbeler Segler-Verein/Plauer Wassersportverein) and Maximilian Müller (SC Eich), who was the youngest member of the team to carry the German flag at the opening ceremony, are in 44th and 94th place after the first two World Championship races.