Please select your home edition
Edition
Rooster 2025

U23 Finn World Championship – Preview

by Robert Deaves on 14 Aug 2017
U23 Finn World Championship Robert Deaves
The 2017 U23 Finn World Championship, for the Jorg Bruder Silver Cup, begins in just over a week, at Balatonfured in Hungary. Last year’s winner, Phillip Kasüske reflects on his Finn campaign since then and his experience at the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup.

Kasüske, from Berlin, comes from a tight group of young German Finn sailors that first emerged in 2014 and have gradually progressed each year. He missed selection for Rio 2016 but was close enough to know he was on the right path if he wanted to qualify for Tokyo in 2020.

“Last year I was on very good run. After a tenth place at the Finn Gold Cup and winning at Kieler Woche, I felt pretty confident about the Silver Cup. I had very good speed and that, together with high confidence, makes sailing very easy.”



After the successful 2016 season he took on a new challenge as the wing trimmer for SVB Team Germany in the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup.

“As soon as the Notice of Race for the Red Bull Youth AC was published, we [Max and Paul Kohlhoff and Kasüske] sat together and started making plans. We organised everything by ourselves, so that was a very big job to pull off.”

Max Kohlhoff is arguably Kasüske’s biggest rival for the German Olympic Finn berth. Kohlhoff is a year older, and finished sixth in last year’s U23 Finn Worlds after an up and down week that left him counting a DSQ.

“Sailing with Max as my skipper had its ups and downs. Having his younger brother, Paul, on the helm didn't make it easier. But we found ways to make it work and in the end we did a really good job.”

The team made it into the eight boat final.



“A big lesson I learned was about sailing in a team. Leading a team and really working together was not easy in the beginning and we surely made mistakes, but there are a lots of things I will take forward for my Finn campaign.”

“Just being part of the America’s Cup, meeting the sailors, getting some insights behind the scenes, and just watching them work and sail on the highest level was a huge experience. That really gave me some good motivation to try to step up my game and the way I sail and work.”

But now the focus turns to the Finn U23 Worlds, and at 23 years old, his last. Next year he will be too old.

“This year I'm trying to defend the title, but not having sailed the Finn as much as the others during the season it is going to be a very hard task.”



“My time in the Finn was limited by our Youth America’s Cup Campaign. Planning, organising and training for the Cup took alot time and concentration away from my Finn sailing. I also had to lose 10 kg of weight because of the crew-weight limit rules and I'm still working on rebuilding myself and gaining weight. I will still sail on different boats from time to time, but the Finn will be the number one priority for the next years.”

“The main focus now is Tokyo 2020. Next year’s big challenge will be to secure a place for Germany at the Olympics at the 2018 Sailing World Championships in Aarhus.Then of course there is the national selection to win and make it to the Games.”

“The goal for the next years is to work myself into the top 10 Finn sailors, so I have a chance for a medal at upcoming World Championships and the Olympics.”


Rooster 2025Allen Dynamic 40 FooterZhik 2024 December

Related Articles

52 Super Series 2025 Porto Cervo day 3
Sled lead in Porto Cervo and have slashed American Magic's circuit lead in chase for the title The strong Mistral breeze on Sardinia's Costa Smeralda dropped away nicely today and three good, highly competitive races were completed, bringing the 52 SUPER SERIES - Porto Cervo - Range Rover regatta back to schedule.
Posted on 25 Sep
Melges 24 Worlds 2025 at Trieste, Italy Day 3
Light winds compress the standings in Trieste The 2025 Melges 24 World Championship, organized by Yacht Club Adriaco in collaboration with the International Melges 24 Class Association and with the support of the Italian Melges 24 Class, continues in something of a slow-motion rhythm.
Posted on 25 Sep
A true attraction for non-French skippers
Hard work, training, and perseverance in the 56th La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec The excellence of the French solo racing pathway is increasingly attracting non-French skippers who want to come, learn, and train in a discipline that, for now, remains very French.
Posted on 25 Sep
Last Chance to Complete 2x25 Survey
As Early Results Highlight Inequities Early responses to The Magenta Project's 2x25 survey reveal encouraging signs of progress on representation alongside systemic barriers that continue to hold sailing and the wider marine industry back.
Posted on 25 Sep
RS21 Worlds 2025 at Porto Rotondo, Sardinia Day 1
49 boats and over 200 sailors from 13 nations are taking part The RS21 World Championship is back at Yacht Club Porto Rotondo, with 49 boats and over 200 sailors from 13 nations ready to battle it out for one of the most competitive titles in one-design keelboat racing.
Posted on 25 Sep
2025 Six Metre World Championship Day 3
Bribon and Momo II rise to the top at Long Island A lack of sunshine didn't detract from the sparkle of the International Six Metre fleet on day three of their 2025 World Championships at the Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club on Long Island.
Posted on 25 Sep
America's Cup: Ray Davies scouts Naples
Ray Davies of Emirates Team New Zealand recently made a vibrant stop in Naples, Italy Ray Davies of Emirates Team New Zealand recently made a "vibrant" stop in Naples, Italy, ahead of the upcoming Louis Vuitton 38th America's Cup, and was left in awe of both the city and its sailing conditions.
Posted on 25 Sep
46th Cannes Royal Regatta day 3
When the planets are aligned... It was a phenomenal day in the bay of Cannes on Wednesday 24 September in a beautiful breeze from the south-west to the west.
Posted on 24 Sep
Melges 24 Worlds 2025 at Trieste, Italy Day 2
Epic conditions give Nika the first lead The 2025 Melges 24 World Championship delivered its first results on Day 2.
Posted on 24 Sep
2025 J/70 Corinthian Worlds at Massachusetts day 1
The regatta has moved to the United States for the first time Eastern Yacht Club in Marblehead, Massachusetts USA welcomed 29 all-amateur teams to the third annual J/70 Corinthian World Championship.
Posted on 24 Sep