18 years in the same boat. That alone is something the 505 team from Düsseldorf won’t be matched by anyone any time soon. Jan-Philipp Hofmann and Felix Brockerhoff grew up together and were already friends back in their Optimist days. Then came university, careers and children. All factors that usually ensure a team eventually goes their separate ways due to a lack of time, with sailing taking a back seat. Yet for the two newly crowned world champions, sailing – and in particular their love of the 505 – remains a constant in their lives. Is that the secret that has now led to the title? Or was it their mums’ warnings? We congratulated Felix at home and asked him a few questions; Jan-Philipp joined us via mobile.
YACHT: In 2024, you lost the World Championship title by the narrowest of margins. Now you’ve become world champions – and by such a clear margin that you didn’t even have to sail the last two races. What did you do differently?
Felix: Nothing, really. We weren’t any better prepared than in 2024 and didn’t make any revolutionary changes to the boat. But this time, we hardly made any mistakes over the five days. That was perhaps because we’d discussed every race in detail beforehand and then stuck to the plan consistently.
Jan-Philipp: We’ve always given it our all. But this year we were a bit more focused and didn’t let as many opportunities slip by, I’d say.
How did you cope with missing out on the 2024 World Cup title in Sweden – by just one point – back then, or did it actually spur you on in the end?
Felix: I don’t think we’ve ever sat next to each other in silence for quite so long on the way home. And we spend a lot of time sitting next to each other: in the boat, in the car or at the bar. There’s usually always something to talk about. But this time, we both needed a moment to take it all in. I can’t remember who started talking first – if in doubt, it was probably me (laughs). Then we analysed the regatta and it was clear to us: that’s not going to happen to us again.
J-P: It was just tough: it was all in our own hands, we were the best team at one stage, and then we ended up going home with the silver medal by the narrowest of margins. However, the regatta was scheduled to last five days and, due to the weather, we only sailed on two of them. Looking back, we should have taken more risks; then, with our experience, we could have squeezed out those few extra points. That really annoyed me.
Have you been training more intensively for this World Cup this year?
Felix (laughs): No. We’d love to sail together more, but real life doesn’t always allow the time. I became a father in the spring, and Jan-Philipp is expecting his second child next week. We both have jobs that really keep us on our toes. I’d say, apart from the regattas, we manage about 20 days of sailing together a year.
20 days of sailing together a year – how does that make you world champion?
J-P: We’ve been in this together for so long and know each other inside out; everything just clicks. Whilst others are still working on their coordination, we ‘just’ have to remember it. The equipment is also a major factor. We work on the ‘keep it simple’ principle and have always used the same sails. We think through any modifications thoroughly beforehand and then usually decide against them.
You’ve been sailing together in the same boat for 18 years now. What is the secret to such a long and successful sailing partnership?
Felix: Friendship. We were already racing each other on equal terms in the Optimist when we were six years old, and we didn’t give each other an inch. Of course, I wanted to stay at the helm too. But then, at 1.95 metres, I simply became too tall and too heavy. When we finally teamed up in the 420 class in 2008, the roles were clearly defined: Jan-Philipp at the helm, me on the trapeze. I still remember our mums saying back then: “But our friendship must never suffer as a result!”
She obviously didn’t either.
J-P: Yeah, there were definitely moments when we had heated discussions. But they’re just sailing-related disagreements, because we’re both very competitive. Once we’re back on land, everything’s fine again.
Felix: I’d say the secret is that not only have we known each other for a long time and know each other well, but we also complement each other perfectly: Jan-Philipp is more the level-headed type, and I’m the emotional one.
When was the last time you had a proper argument out on the water?
Felix: It’s a trade secret. Arguments start and end on the water. We had to learn that when we were teenagers, but we’ve got it well under control now.
Why did you deliberately decide against an Olympic career in the 470 class and fall in love with the 505 class instead?
Felix: We had a couple of intense seasons in the 420 and the 470. But it soon became clear that, given my weight, we didn’t stand a chance of making it to the Olympics. Jan-Philipp went on to sail the 470 with other bowmen. But at the same time, we discovered our love for the 505. I’m fascinated by the boat’s speed and agility.
Jan-Philipp: Above all, the 505 is a boat where you can finally adjust everything that you’d love to be able to adjust on the 470 whilst racing. And the 505 is also significantly faster! With its carbon fibre hull and larger sail area, it generates considerably more downforce, and the weight distribution required for this simply suits the average Central European man better.
How does the 505 feel when it really picks up speed?
Felix: Imagine winds of over 25 knots. You’re sailing downwind with the spinnaker. I’m right at the bottom. J-P is riding the wind. The weight has shifted to the rear third of the boat. The bow comes out of the water right up to the centreboard. I always shout: “Are you still in control?” If I get no reply, or no clear “Yes, everything’s fine”, then I know: we’re exactly where we want to be. It really is a wild ride – that almost uncontrollable feeling, always on the brink of being torn to pieces. But that’s precisely the point at which the boat is performing at its best. That’s what makes the 505 so special.
You really dominated the field at this World Championship. At what point during the regatta did you realise: ‘This could be our title’?
Felix: Basically, we knew as soon as we saw the weather forecast for the next few days after day three. We were already in first place, and the forecast wind was actually set to work in our favour even more.
J-P: I didn’t really believe it until the very last day out on the water. When I saw the wind, I knew we just had to sail two out of four races cleanly.
You haven’t talked about it?
Felix: I didn’t even look at the list. We just wanted to put in the best performance we could, race by race. We’ve got our eyes on the opponents we need to watch out for out on the water.
And then came that moment of triumph in the decisive race. How did you celebrate it?
Felix: I’d say that was still in the running. We won the final race by a clear margin. That’s when the phrase came out at the last windward mark: ‘The fish is cleaned!’ A phrase we borrowed from Ralf Schumacher and one we usually save until just before the finish line.
J-P: But after the race, we high-fived each other and hugged. After all these years of chasing an international title, it was such a relief.
Where do you see Germany in the future in an international context?
Felix: The fleet is large and we usually provide the most entrants. Even though we’re seeing growing fields in other countries, such as Poland and Sweden, the German fleet has stabilised over the last five years. In fact, we’re managing to get more and more young teams interested in our class. In terms of standard, we can see that the British, but particularly the Americans, get significantly more days on the water than we do. In an international comparison, I’d say we rank third as a fleet, behind the US and the UK.
What is Germany currently lacking in order to consistently produce world champions, rather than just a top-class team every few years?
Felix: The answer is simple: sail more, and do it together. The teams that have made the biggest progress recently, including in Germany, are precisely those that clock up plenty of days on the water. Internationally, we’re up against professional sailors or former professional sailors. You can’t make up for that with theory alone.
At the Düsseldorf Yacht Club, you have now set up a training group comprising four 505 teams. What does this collaboration involve in practical terms, and what are your aims in doing so?
J-P: At the DYC, we have a very active squad in the Sailing Bundesliga. This means that most of these sailors are also involved in class regattas or other sailing projects, and we’re able to keep the entry barrier for the 505s relatively low. As a community, we can also organise logistics and travel to the regattas much more easily and cheaply. But above all, this makes the evening events much more fun.
Was there anything like a world champion’s welcome back home? What did your mums actually say?
Felix: Back home, everyone was absolutely over the moon, of course. We were inundated with congratulations and phone calls. The big celebration will take place in November. Traditionally, we get together every year for a family gathering, and this time we’ve got another good reason to raise a glass. Without our families, sailing would never have been possible for us as a sport. They’re an essential part of it.
J-P: The club also gave us a wonderful reception with a tribute immediately after the World Cup. Everyone was there: our supporters from our youth days, our parents, our own families and all the club members. It was a very successful conclusion to the celebrations.
Book recommendations
Regatta sailing: strategy and tactics covers the fundamentals and practical aspects of preparation, strategy, tactics, racing and post-race analysis. The title reflects the world champions’ comments on thorough preparation, clear procedures and the analysis of past races.
Winning regattas on dinghies and yachts: technique, tactics, trimming explores the interplay between equipment, sail trim, wind, tactics and psychology. The book thus complements the interview by covering the technical and tactical fundamentals that come into play when sailing the 505 at high speed.
How much time together on the water does a team really need to become world champions? Join the discussion.