The Kiel catamaran sailors Paul Kohlhoff and Carolina Werner can hope to be nominated for the Olympic Games. "We have come a huge step closer to our dream for the Olympic Games and are super happy that we were able to perform so well here," said 22-year-old foresailor Carolina Werner.
With second place at the World Cup regatta off Weymouth, the mixed team from Kieler Yacht-Club has already fulfilled the conditions of the German Sailing Association (DSV) for an individual nomination application to the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) before the final medal race of the top ten teams. "When the final results are available, we will submit the application as agreed," said DSV sports director Nadine Stegenwalner, who is on site as an observer with DSV head coach David Howlett.
After their strong performance in the flat and complicated British wind conditions, the 20-year-old helmsman Paul Kohlhoff and his foresailor are even aiming for precious metal in the World Cup medal final on Sunday. If the DOSB follows the DSV's probable request, Kohlhoff/Werner would be the seventh team in the German national sailing team to compete for medals off Rio de Janeiro from 8 to 18 August.
The World Cup regatta with little wind, long waiting times and few races did not go according to plan for the national opponents in the battle for the Rio ticket: Jan Hauke Erichsen and Lea Spitzmann missed out on the medal race in twelfth place and no longer have a chance of being nominated for the Olympic Games. The FSC crew proved to be extremely fair in defeat. Paul Kohlhoff said: "Everything that happened in the past was forgotten today. They behaved very fairly and congratulated us."
The race continues for Kohlhoff/Werner on Sunday. The helmsman said: "We are already happy that we were able to give something back to everyone who fought for us with our performance. We would now like to go one better and ideally win a World Cup medal on Sunday. That would send a good message to our opponents on the way to the Olympic Games and also to those who decide whether we go to the Olympics."
"Flat. Relieved. Happy!" This is how Kohlhoff described his personal state at the end of the long elimination process, which began last year. With a surprising fifth place at the 2015 World Championships and fourth place at the pre-Olympic test regatta in Guanabara Bay off Rio de Janeiro, Germany's newcomers of the year 2015 had catapulted themselves into the limelight. Around the turn of the year, they had to cope with a few setbacks.
Commenting on the factors that led to the outstanding comeback in the former Olympic area off Weymouth, Kohlhoff said: "A number of details came together. A lot of people have supported us and we are very grateful to them. We trained intensively for this elimination final in Weymouth. About three weeks in a row. And we also got better in the process. We went through some tough times in the qualifiers, partly due to illness. The fact that Caro is really fit again played an important role for us. In the end, there was only one thing left to do... Then we had a very nice stay in Weymouth. We were well prepared and went through our routines." Coach Marc Pickel also described Kohlhoff as a great asset: "He has taken part in four Olympic Games - twice as an athlete, twice as a coach. His experience is very valuable for us."
The eagerly awaited second of three DOSB nomination rounds on 28 June could bring the hoped-for decision that Kohlhoff and Werner are now eagerly awaiting: the seventh ticket for the Audi Sailing Team Germany! Paul Kohlhoff and Carolina Werner would then be the youngest team in the DSV fleet. And in this week's form, they would not be without a chance of winning a medal at their premiere.
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
