Wearing a white Bogner ski suit with black stripes, the young skier from Württemberg embarked on her first sporting career on two boards. She also played tennis and football in the summer - and had been sailing from an early age anyway: Alisa grew up in Kressbronn on Lake Constance and sailed with her parents in the family boat around "Lake Constance" for as long as she can remember. After starting out in the Opti, she eventually dedicated herself entirely to sailing, moving on from the 420 to the 49er FX with her brother, where she continued her career. After great successes in this sailing class, she separated from her helmsman and switched to the Olympic windsurfing class. After all, even as a little Alisa she dreamed of competing in the Olympic Games. What to do? Full risk! As evidenced by her confident switch from sailing to foilboarding.
Skiing, tennis, football, sailing and now surfing: Are you an all-rounder for whom every sport falls into your lap?
I wouldn't necessarily say all-round talent. I simply discovered my love of sport at an early age. As a result, I tried out lots of different sports and found my home in fast and technical sports. Together with my brother in the same sports, we developed the ambition to always want to be better than the other. This created a competitiveness that made us always push ourselves to our peak performance - and motivated us to get into competitive sport.
From starting out in windsurfing to competing in the Olympics in three years: your endeavour sounds pretty bold to many observersg.
Yes, that's true. For me, it was also a huge step out of the supposedly safe sport of sailing. Out of the 49er FX with the existing training structure and equipment, and into Olympic windsurfing, which was completely unknown to me, without all the training structures and equipment. It's a big step at first, but I've been able to manage it well so far with the help of my personal environment and my club and association.
You started windsurfing from scratch. Why don't you tell us about your stages?
It all started with the decision to switch from sailing to the iQFOiL in autumn 2020. My first stage was at the end of October, when I took my first steps on a beginner board with a 4.7 wave sail. I learnt the basic steps for the various manoeuvres. I didn't continue with the second stage until mid-December in Portugal. After practising on the beginner board for two days in October, I got straight onto the iQFOiL equipment and went out on the water. After a lot of crashes, swallowing a lot of water and learning the handling, I was back in Kiel in mid-March and had already completed my first foiled jibe. The third leg was my first iQFOiL regatta, which was also my first real regatta in windsurfing. With the 2021 World Championship on Lake Silvaplana, it was the most difficult championship to start with. Over 70 women on the regatta field, limited space on the lake and lots of manoeuvres: the first acid test in my new discipline. This was followed in winter 2021/22 by two months in Cape Town, iQFOiL training and my first time in the waves with a short board.
How was the transition from the 49er FX to the iQFOiL? Both are very technical devices.
Well, they are both completely different sports. Probably the biggest difference is that in sailing I was travelling as part of a team. That means forming a unit together on the boat and making decisions. As a team, you have to be perfectly harmonised, all movements have to fit together perfectly. With iQFOiL, I'm alone on the board and make my own decisions. I also fly over the water and only keep in contact with the water with the foil. For me, it was learning a completely new sport. Different materials, different movements and also different sporting requirements characterised my transition from 49er FX to windsurfing. For me, the new class is even faster, more intense and more challenging. Everything that I particularly like and enjoy.
The Olympic campaign is hardly possible without support. Who is supporting you?
The biggest support I currently receive - and have received my whole life - is from my family. My parents have spent a lot of their time encouraging and looking after my brother and me during training and competitions. They also provide as much financial support as possible. With Patrick Böhmer as my coach and friend, I have another sponsor who has supported me with training opportunities, advice and organisation ever since I started windsurfing. The Württemberg Yacht Club and the Baden-Württemberg State Sailing Association make another important contribution to my project, which is what makes the high level of training possible in the first place. Since this year, I have another co-operation with XCEL in Kiel, who provide me with neoprene.
In skiing and tennis, you were supported at a high performance level in the national squads. What about iQFOiL surfing?
In iQFOiL, I am a member of the Baden-Württemberg state squad.
The German Sailing Association is not yet involved. Is that still to come?
If I meet the squad criteria at the World Championships in autumn 2022, I might be called up to the squad and thus also be supported by the DSV according to the current possibilities.
Which German women will be your fiercest rivals in the battle for the only Olympic starting place?
My strongest rivals are the DSV athletes Lena Erdil and Theresa Steinlein. But for us, the battle for a starting place is much more about the other competitors from the many different nations. For the Olympic Games, we first have to qualify Germany against the other nations, only then do we have a starting place. I think that's the biggest hurdle for now.
What is the relationship like? Do you also train together?
At the moment, I mainly train alone with my coach Patrick Böhmer. With this training, we can optimise the content to suit me in order to make rapid progress. It also gives me one hundred per cent attention from my coach during races and training. My relationship with the other German riders is currently on the level of a friendly acquaintance. As we haven't trained together much yet, we don't really know each other that well personally. More from seeing each other at events. For water sessions, the DSV coach (editor: Olga Maslivets) offers me the opportunity to train with the other Germans from time to time. I also take advantage of this on certain days, especially to do a lot more training races.
You have published a clear roadmap on your website for the 2024 Games in Paris and Marseille. What are the stages over the next three years?
This year, I want to catch up with the world's best and surf into the top 25, get a taste of the top 15 at a few regattas. In 2023, I want to make it into the top 8 in the world and secure my ticket to the Olympics in the German qualifiers.
If it doesn't work, what then?
Then my campaign for 2024 is the best preparation for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Facts about Alisa Engelmann
- Age: 22 years
- Born:17.6.1999
- Place of residence: Keel
- Profession:Sports management student
- Size/weight: 170 cm/68 kg
- Sails since:/Surfs since: 2009/2020
- Regatta debut sailing/surfing:2010/2021
- Sail number: GER 369
- Club:Württemberg Yacht Club
- Successes sailing 49er FX:German Champion 2017; German Junior Champion 2019; Vice Junior European Champion 2019
- Successful surfing iQFOiL:52nd place World Championship Silvaplana 2021; 3rd place Intern. German Championship Kiel 2021; 9th place iQFOiL Games Cadiz 2022; 15th place French Olympic Week Hyères 2022
- Favourite spots: Grönwohld, South Africa
- Hobbies: Skiing, water sports, tennis, football, music
- Supporter: Parents, Württemberg Yacht Club, Baden-Württemberg Sailing Association, Grönwohld Sailing Club
Social: Alisa Engelmann
