For the first time in 16 years, a German laser sailor will be back in the hunt for a medal at the Olympic Games from today. In 1996, it was Stefan Warkalla who narrowly missed out on a possible bronze medal in a dramatic final and finished fifth. Now Simon Grotelüschen wants to go for it.
After 17 years of sailing, the doctor is approaching the pinnacle of his sporting career and is in impressively good form. The man from Lübeck had confidently decided not to take part in the final training race on Sunday: "That would only prolong the regatta."
Simon Grotelüschen felt completely at ease on Monday morning before his Olympic premiere. In the typically British town house of the German sailors, he shares his beautiful room on the top floor with 470 sailor Ferdinand Gerz from Munich. He brought a poster, a picture of himself and his girlfriend Geeske and a card from his mum. He experienced the opening ceremony "like in a dream".
Unlike the Olympic Laser favourite and multiple world champion Tom Slingsby or the British Olympic champion Paul Goodison, Grotelüschen has not yet won a major title at the World or European Championships, but his performance curve has risen impressively over the last two years.
Grotelüschen, like a handful of other competitors, is up against the "strong wind god" Slingsby, as sparring partner and Kieler Woche conqueror Philipp Buhl once called him. The Australian is the number one laser sailor, the measure of all things in the competition on dinghies just 4.20 metres long. "Slingsby is the top favourite in all conditions," says Grotelüschen, who prefers to talk about his "best possible performance" rather than a possible medal when it comes to his personal Olympic goals.
According to Grotelüschen, he himself is mentally well adjusted and has also overcome his former weakness in light winds. "It used to be unthinkable for me to win a light wind race, but now I can do it without any problems." The self-confident and, at 1.95 metres, the longest top performer among the German sailors does not want to confirm that the battle for Olympic medals is primarily in the head: "Mental fitness is only one component. I'm in a good position there. But the basis for success is speed. You can't win a regatta with tactics alone."
The Laser cries out for athletic sailors. "You have to be able to push yourself," says the long North German. Grotelüschen's height is an advantage as a lever, but his very long legs are not. The longer they are, he says, the more difficult it is to use them economically.
Nevertheless, he is fast, the pride of the Lübeck Yacht Club, who also benefited in his preparation from the cooperation with the Sonthofen sports soldier Philipp Buhl, who lost out to him in the national Olympic qualification. "I am very, very grateful to Philipp. We are very different sailors, but we complement each other well," Grotelüschen attests to the younger Buhl.
Grotelüschen's last World Cup result in the Olympic area was impressive. The 84-kilogram coxswain finished sixth here before Weymouth - an early start disqualification prevented a podium finish, which was a real possibility. Grotelüschen's sporting role models are the German basketball player Dirk Novitzki and the Norwegian biathlete Ole Einar Bjoerndalen - both polished diamonds in their disciplines who share at least two characteristics with Grotelüschen: a love of competition and a penchant for perfectionism.
After five years of shared enjoyment between sailing and hockey as a teenager, Grotelüschen opted for the greater freedom in the wind and waves because he felt more passionate about it. For him, sailing is at its best "when I'm sailing down the waves in six Beaufort winds and still have everything under control". Grotelüschen appreciates the advantages of individual sport, but has now also experienced the disadvantages of being an individual athlete: "There is something to be said for putting up with and enjoying defeats and successes together." This realisation may one day lead him to other boats.
At the moment, however, the laser is the centre of his life. The determined man from Lübeck also takes the freedom to go his own way undisturbed on land. He does not allow himself or his daily routine to be influenced by external circumstances. He needs habit and peace and quiet to concentrate. This applies to training sessions as well as regattas. And so although his whole family, including his four older siblings and girlfriend Geeske, will be in England when their son, brother and friend competes as an Olympian, Simon will not meet them during the regatta. He can't and won't change anything about his competition routine: "Everything has to be subordinate to my preparation."
The fact that Sten Nadolny's novel "The Discovery of Slowness" is one of Grotelüschen's favourite books is somewhat in keeping with the maturing process of the German laser sailors and Simon Grotelüschen. The main character John Franklin, an English captain and polar explorer, struggles to defy the fast pace of his time, but nevertheless becomes a successful explorer thanks to his perseverance. It's all about the right pace. The very personal path. Just like Simon Grotelüschen. He will take on the Olympic challenge in his own way. And he has prominent fans like three-time Olympic champion Jochen Schümann, who says: "Simon will definitely fight for a medal."
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
