They had started the 49er World Championship with such high hopes: Justus Schmidt and Max Boehme wanted to defend or even extend their 12-point lead over team-mates Erik Heil and Thomas Plößel at this second of the three qualifying regattas in the battle for just one 49er Olympic ticket. Highly motivated, the reigning European champions Schmidt/Boehme had travelled to the Argentinian World Championship area. But what awaited them there was not a dream, but a nightmare area, in which first the helmsman and then, shortly before the start of the World Championships, foresailor Max Boehme, like many other international sailors, contracted a gastrointestinal infection. The crew from the Kieler Yacht-Club was so weakened that they were unable to perform at their best and even missed the cut for the gold fleet of the best 25 sailors at the end of the three-day World Championship qualification and gave up.
Erik Heil and Thomas Plößel will in all likelihood be able to secure Germany's decisive place in the Nations Cup today. Depending on their overall result, the balance of power in the national elimination for the Rio ticket will change ahead of the third and final elimination regatta in spring 2016 off Mallorca. Heil/Plößel can take the lead today with a good World Championship final day and start next year's elimination showdown with a points advantage. For Justus Schmidt and Max Boehme, the "worst case scenario" has thus materialised in Argentina. However, they have not lost their fighting spirit.
Mr Schmidt, how are you feeling shortly after this setback at the World Cup?
It's all still unbelievable. The emotions are as extreme as after a huge success. Like after winning the European Championships this year. A defeat like that at the World Cup is something you have to realise. We had a brilliant season and ended the World Cup incredibly disappointed.
When did your foresailor catch the wave of infections that is rampant in the World Championship camp, the cause of which is suspected to be contaminated water and which, according to Olympic champion Nathan Outteridge among others, has paralysed more than a third of the fleet?
Two days before the start of the World Cup. After that, he was unwell the whole time. From our point of view, it is an impertinence to organise such an important World Championship in the 49er in such an area. The people welcomed us with open arms. But the area and the water are of central importance. If this poses such a threat, then you have to seriously ask why a regatta that is so important for the Olympics from the point of view of many nations is being held there.
You finished the World Championships without any points for your elimination account and will probably fall behind in the duel with your training partners and friends Heil/Plößel this evening after the World Championship final. Depending on the ranking of your competitors, your deficit will be smaller or larger...
For us, the 'worst case' has materialised under the poor conditions at the World Championships. We can't sail against our direct competitors. That is bitter. Depending on how well Erik and Thomas finish, this could lead to a preliminary decision in their favour. If we don't win a medal, it could come down to a showdown off Palma. Either way, we won't let it get us down. We have uploaded "Pink Panther" to our homepage. With the motto "I'll be back, no question." And we mean it!
Is the atmosphere between the two top German teams in this tense competitive situation still as good as it is made out to be?
It really is. We are training partners and friends. And will remain so. We will be attending a training camp together in Rio den Janeiro from 6 to 20 December. Incidentally, we will be starting there from a harbour where the water quality is not quite as problematic as in the Olympic harbour.
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
