iQFoil Games: Kördel and Steinlein score points on course for Marseille - Olympic premiere in sight

Sebastian Kördel and Theresa Steinlein have taken a big step closer to their dream of making their Olympic debut. At the iQFoil Games in Cadiz, "Basti" Kördel fought his way to the end despite a crash and injury, finishing sixth and scoring 15 valuable points for his Olympic elimination account. Kördel had crashed into the sail that had fallen into the water in front of him halfway through the series at just under 30 knots of speed at a turning mark and suffered a severe thigh contusion.

Only one more hurdle on course for Marseille

Germany's best iQFoil windsurfer Theresa Steinlein narrowly missed out on victory off Cadiz and even collected 22 points for her personal Olympic qualification account. This means that both top iQFoil athletes from the Norddeutscher Regatta Verein (NRV) have "only" one big task left to solve in the battle for their Olympic ticket at the third and final qualifying regatta (Trofeo Princesa Sofía at the beginning of April): they have to be placed among the top ten nations in the final ranking of all three qualifying regattas.

For Olympic squad member Sebastian Kördel, this task will be somewhat more difficult than for Theresa Steinlein after an unfortunate World Championships 2024 (28th place). However, both iQFoil aces believe that they can overcome this hurdle with good results.

I'm in good spirits for Palma" (Sebastian Kördel)

Sebastian Kördel, who trains under DSV coach Dom Tidey, has so far finished eleventh and fifth at the World Championships and the iQFoil Games in Cadiz. The 33-year-old 2022 World Champion and 2023 World Championship runner-up gave an optimistic interim assessment after two of three qualifying regattas in Cadiz: "My crash here at the iQFoil Games was unfortunate. But I was still able to collect valuable qualifying points and am now looking forward to the Trofeo Princesa Sofía. The area suits me, and we also have our traditional NRV evening there. It will be nice to have everyone there. I'm in good spirits for Palma."

Theresa "Resi" Steinlein, who has worked hard for her advancement in the German Sailing Team's perspective squad and has now entered the Olympic home straight with coach Daniel Slijk, has a similar view. The twin sister of the 49er FX helmswoman, Kiel Week winner and SailGP strategist Sophie Steinlein, who is just one minute younger, can secure her Olympic ticket at the Trofeo Princesa Sofía in the Bay of Palma at the beginning of April, just like Sebastian Kördel. With a view to her 11th and 2nd place finishes so far, she has set herself the goal of reaching the medal race at the Spanish classic.

Steinlein's steep windsurfing career

The windsurfer, who only switched from a sailing dinghy to the iQFoil board in 2020, has completed a steep and successful learning curve. She now has what it takes to be one of the best in the world. "She has made enormous technical progress and always has a very good overview of the course," says DSV coach Daniel Slijk, paying tribute to his top pupil.

Theresa Steinlein herself also knows that her sailing training at the start of her career serves her well today in Olympic windsurfing. Smiling, she says: "The tactics from sailing help me. I make a plan before every race and think that I'm smarter than the others because I come from sailing." Theresa Steinlein, who tends to be rather light, has also worked intensively on her weaknesses in strong and medium winds. "These weaknesses have now become my strengths," she says.

Click here for the results of the iQFoil Games in Cadiz - For Germany's best iQFoil windsurfers, it was the second of three qualifying regattas on course for Paris 2024.

Impressive! This video clip with highlights from the turbulent fourth day of the iQFoil Games in Cadiz gives a very good impression of the skills required of the iQFoil windsurfers: