Hello Sebastian, where do I catch you?
I'm already on site in Marseille and have just had a rest day. Starting tomorrow, we're organising a five-day coach regatta, the last one before the Games. This means that the coaches are getting together and organising a proper regatta over several days. That's ideal for training.
Are all the other Olympic participants already here?
Australia was still missing, but they also travelled here two days ago. There's always someone travelling, at home, for media appointments or team presentations, but then everyone comes back here and trains. It's important to know the conditions on site really well.
More about iQFoil and Olympia:
What exactly does your preparation look like? Do you have a plan or do you look from day to day to see what the conditions are like and what you are training for?
I am in dialogue with my coach, he does the day-to-day management and plans who we ride with, what we work on, which courses we ride and what is important on that particular day. I leave that to him, it's just more relaxed for me. I come to the harbour in the morning, get my briefing and then I know what to do. The bigger planning is more of a dialogue, we decide together when the last test of the equipment should take place, when you really get to know the bay, i.e. the different winds, currents, waves and so on. And sometimes you concentrate on racing, so that you consistently hit your starts, manoeuvres and so on.
Do you train all aspects equally or do you prioritise them?
Of course, it always depends on the performance and how good you feel in the different areas. If you're happy with your equipment, you don't waste any more time testing it for the tenth time. On the other hand, if you're having problems flying your tack properly, then you might spend a bit more time on it. But of course you always have to be careful not to get carried away. For me personally, it's a good mix, that's what makes up my training at the moment. We make sure we cover everything and give everything a go in training.
Do you also prepare yourself mentally?
Yes, I'm working with a psychologist. We have identified a few things that we still want to deal with. And I'm really happy to have good support, that's new for me. It's already extreme pressure, especially because of our Mode with the Medal Races. The closer the games get, the clearer it becomes that everyone is actually equally fast, they are all top people. And then it just depends on who can call up their form on the day and who wins the race mentally.
It depends on who mentally wins the race."
You have been allocated new equipment for the Olympic Games. How far have you got with the preparation, the running in, the testing?
I tested it for a week after the regatta in Hyeres and then I spent two weeks at Lake Garda. We tested the foils in the south of France and then everything above water on Lake Garda, because there are of course differences in salt water and fresh water. I'm actually done with it, I know which mast, which sail, which backwing and which fuselage I want to use. I still have two candidates for the front wing, but I don't yet know exactly which one will be the racing wing. But that can be tested relatively quickly, so I'm not worried about that. It's not super high on the agenda either, we'll finalise that in July. The wings are on the boat and can be changed relatively quickly. With the foil mast, I'm relatively sure which one it will be and which one will be my second. They had relatively big differences. There are some that are extremely stiff, which is of course great in high winds, and then we have some that are a bit softer and therefore have a bit more upwind performance in medium winds. They are a bit livelier, but then have a few disadvantages when it gets rough. And there's still the question of which one to choose. But we still have time. In any case, I've familiarised myself with all the material and know where I stand.
So you didn't have any bad luck, but you can work well with the material?
Yes, there was a lot of variation, especially with the foil masts. For example, I have one that is so soft that you can't ride it at all. Before we got the material, everything was measured and the outliers were supposedly taken out. We've already made jokes among the riders that they've probably mixed them up because everyone has a very stiff and a very soft foil mast in their selection. But I think it's a very good solution because everyone will definitely find something competitive. And that's the point. It's not about gaining an advantage, but simply avoiding bad luck for the most part.
It's not about gaining an advantage, but about avoiding bad luck with the material."
The start to the year didn't go perfectly. Does that make it more difficult for you than starting the games from a top position?
That remains to be seen. I have no problem with not going in as the absolute top favourite. I'm more pleased that the qualification is over, that I'm no longer mentally focussed on fulfilling any qualification criteria. I can concentrate again on riding a windsurf race and winning a windsurf race - or winning a regatta, which I've already shown. Basically, I'm doing quite well, whether I'm the favourite or not.
Does it make a difference to you that you compete in a rather small field at the Olympics, in contrast to other iQFoil events?
It makes a certain difference in terms of setup, because you can afford to ride faster. There is simply more room for manoeuvre in a small group. If you're travelling with 24 people, it's obviously not so bad if you don't get away at the start. Then you're not stuck behind 60 or 80 people, but only behind 20, which makes it easier to find a clear line and work your way forwards. Mentally, it's easy as long as you look ahead. It's difficult towards the back. At last year's test event we had the same mode, with 24 starters. If you made a mistake and saw 20 people in front of you, you thought "It's not so bad, I'm still somewhere in the top 20, that's fine." And then you look back and realise you're last (laughs). That was difficult. So, there are positive aspects, but there are also negative ones.
Who do you see as your favourite?
I get asked that a lot, and when I list people, it feels like I've still forgotten someone. All the top people are favourites - Italy, Holland, France and me for Germany, we're the ones who took turns on the podium at the World Championships. The Australian is probably the fastest on the water, he's almost 100 kilos, super trained, a bit like a rugby player. But you can't leave out Israel either, America is also one of the favourites.
Do you also have someone who you say is still a totally blank slate?
No, I know all the people racing for the front positions. And I know how they drive and what is important. Of course, you can't say for sure, but it's very, very unlikely that someone will come along who hasn't shown up yet and then suddenly pull out.
Will you be at the opening ceremony or are you watching from Marseille?
I really wanted to go. But my coach advised against it right from the start, he's already been to the games four times. It's pretty exhausting, you stand around a lot, you're not back at the hotel in Paris until four in the morning and you still have to get back to Marseille. We only have one day to recover before we start. He said that it's my decision and if it's important for me to experience it and to experience the hype, then he doesn't want to stand in my way. But he strongly recommends that I don't go and instead attend the graduation ceremony - which is a much cooler party anyway. So I don't think the opening ceremony will work out, if you're realistic. If he's reading this, he's very happy, my coach (laughs). That's certainly an incredible experience too, but I think it's even cooler to have a medal around your neck.
The opening ceremony is definitely an incredible experience, but I think it's even cooler to have a medal around your neck."
You are scheduled for the first week. Do you have plans for the second week?
Even though I'll probably miss the opening ceremony, I'm glad that we're at the beginning. That means we don't have to sit around and wait for it to start. After that, I'll make sure that I can support the team here in Marseille. We're here together as the German Sailing Team and the other classes are still racing in the second week. Maybe I'll pop over to Paris and watch one or two sporting events. But basically I also want to be there for the other German teams. If I can help in any way, then that's an opportunity.
And do you already know what the support will be like from home? Is there public viewing at Lake Constance?
(laughs) That would be pretty cool. I know that some of my family will be here. It's also great that the Olympic Games are so close. You can be here from Lake Constance in an afternoon. A few friends have also announced their attendance. I don't know how much I can look after them, but it's definitely nice to know that a few people will be here.
What's the set-up like in Marseille, are there grandstands in the bay? Can you see anything of the spectators on land while on the water?
Yes, there will be large grandstands on the harbour wall. And one of the courses planned for us is also right there. Of course, it always depends on the wind direction, but you can race there in a normal breeze and in a mistral. And I think it's going to be a really cool atmosphere. My coach always warns me that I have to be used to the helicopter flying over me. So the atmosphere will certainly be different to the other events. But it will be something special. I can definitely prepare myself for something.
