Finn Dinghy World Championship: Matthias Miller out of the Olympics

He gave it his all, but it wasn't quite enough: Matthias Miller's dream of taking part in this summer's Olympic Games has been dashed. One day before the end of the Finn Dinghy World Championships in Falmouth, Great Britain, the 30-year-old from Laupheim is in 20th place and although he has sailed one of the last six Olympic tickets, he will not be able to clear the national qualification hurdle. In order to fulfil the criteria set by the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) for nomination for the Olympic Games, Miller would have had to sail among the top ten nations.

For Miller, the end is doubly bitter, as he had largely financed the last few months of his Olympic campaign himself in order to preserve his last chance at the World Championships. "Of course I'm very disappointed," said Miller, "but I will remain loyal to the Finn in the Olympics and will probably try again in four years' time. For now, I'm looking forward to Kiel Week!"

Extreme conditions have prevailed over the past few days at the World Championships in England. On Thursday, the fleet of 94 participants had to complete three races in high waves and winds of around 22 knots and even up to 30 knots in gusts. A series of capsizes characterised the scene. Miller, for example, had always held back from the wind under the motto "safety first", but also capsized once.

Not so Great Britain's sailing superstar and Olympic favourite Ben Ainslie, who once again shocked his competitors with an almost flawless record. He won seven of the nine races up to Thursday evening. Twice he "only" finished third. "Big Ben" goes into the final medal race on Friday with a 20-point lead over his second-placed compatriot Ed Wright and can only be prevented from his sixth World Championship triumph if he is disqualified.

Ben Ainslie's performance made up for the setback he suffered at the 2011 World Championships off Perth in December. Back then, he was severely penalised by the jury for a spontaneous protest on the water and boarding a press boat, and as a result lost the World Championship title he had already set his sights on. Now the king of the Olympic sailors is about to ascend his throne again just in time for the Olympic regatta in his home waters off Weymouth. Ainslie's comment: "What a mammoth day! Three races in 25 to 30 knots and very high waves. I'm not sure if I'll be able to do the 200 metres on Saturday morning with the Olympic flame in my hands ..."