Olympia: Kite premiere with Germany's best - Maus and Meyer win Olympic tickets

Germany's best kiters will be there when their sport celebrates its Olympic premiere this summer in the bay of Marseille under the umbrella of sailing: Jannis Maus from Oldenburg and Leonie Meyer from Kiel have fulfilled all the conditions for their nomination at the end of the World Championships in Hyères, France, which is expected to be officially announced by the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) in June at the suggestion of the German Sailing Association (DSV).

At the third and final elimination regatta of the Formula Kite World Championship off Hyères, Jannis Maus once again presented himself in top form, narrowly missing out on a medal. After crashing in the semi-final, the top athlete from the Cuxkiters club finished the world championships in a strong fifth place. In a three-part duel with his long-time companion Florian Gruber from Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Maus came out on top with 44:17 points in a battle for just one Olympic ticket.

Mouse increasingly powerful, Gruber unlucky with injuries

While Jannis Maus' form continued to improve over the course of the three-part elimination with places 8 (European Championship), 6 (Trofeo Princesa Sofía) and 5 (World Championship), Florian Gruber (Norddeutscher Regatta Verein) suffered from unfortunate injury luck at two of the three regattas. With his 17th, 10th and 19th places, he was unable to provide the expected exciting duel with Jannis Maus.

At the World Championships in France, which ended on Whitsunday, Gruber was hit twice as hard: on the first day of the World Championships, he suffered a slight concussion in a crash with a piece of wood. On day two, a competitor crashed into his heel. For the rest of the World Championships, 30-year-old Flo Gruber was in pain and on painkillers with a deep cut that required five stitches. "I really tried, but luck wasn't on my side in this pandemic year," said Gruber. And this too: "If I had been fit and had good events, it would certainly have been close. I am convinced that I could have beaten him. But then everything has to be right."

It's a good feeling that after so much sweat, blood and tears I can now drive in the front" (Jannis Maus)

Jannis Maus also knows: "Flo had a lot of bad luck this year. He congratulated me very fairly." But Maus didn't just win the elimination because eight-time world champion Gruber had a particularly painful year. The man from Cuxhaven was able to consistently improve over the course of the elimination and catapult himself into the wider circle of Olympic medal candidates. In Hyères, Jannis Maus said: "It's absolutely phenomenal to know that you're going to be part of the biggest sporting event in the world. What I'm most happy about is my personal development. It's a good feeling that after so much sweat, blood and tears I can now ride in the front."

The eternal battle to lose weight

Flo Gruber attests to his national conqueror's "top three performance in the downwind speed area" and said: "Jannis rode a super solid elimination, came through well and without any crashes. If he can go one better upwind, then he could also finish in the top five at the Olympics." Jannis Maus has already put on seven kilograms since autumn 2023 in collaboration with sports scientist and athletics coach Philipp Pukowski in the eternal battle to gain the extra body weight that kiters need to turn into speed.

It's great to be able to work with an athlete like Jannis at this high level" (Jan-Hauke Erichsen)

"I'm mega, mega happy that I was able to turn my goodness into normality in the top group here in Hyères," said Jannis Maus, summarising the World Championships. This was largely down to the training partners with whom he had worked hard over the winter. This has borne fruit. As has the co-operation with athletics coach and DSV coach Jan-Hauke Erichsen, who is now looking forward to his first Olympic appearance as a coach like his protégé.

Jan-Hauke Erichsen said in Hyères: "I haven't been to the Olympic Games yet, but I was at the test event where we learnt a lot. It's great to be able to work with an athlete like Jannis at this high level. My big goal is to give him the best possible conditions so that he can perform at his best at the Olympic Games." Maus and Erichsen value the fact that they will be able to work together on an equal footing, both as athletes and as people. According to Erichsen, his athlete "is becoming more and more complete in the overall picture".

Dominator Max Maeder is the role model

The duo still have some work ahead of them on the Marseille course in terms of equipment, where intensive tests with new kites are due before decisions are made about the Olympic equipment. "We might still be able to get one or two per cent ahead of the others. In the end, that could make the difference between reaching a final or not," says Jan-Hauke Erichsen. Jannis Maus wants to work in the direction of Max Maeder's skills.

Max Maeder is the old and new world champion from Singapore. Only 17 years old, highly intelligent and top favourite in the battle for the first Olympic gold medal for kiters, Maeder dominates the Formula kite fields almost at will. "If the rest of us make kitesurfing look easy, then he makes it look like a walk in the park. He controls the races from every position and can overtake anyone at any time. I'm working on this control," says the equally clever physicist Jannis Maus.

Maus is referring to control "not only over myself, my riding style and my race, but also over the competition". At the Formula Kite World Championships in Hyères, the young Italian Riccardo Pianosi secured silver ahead of Valentin Bontus from the Podersdorf Yacht Club. The Austrian started the final in fourth place and was able to work his way up one place onto the World Championship podium.

Until five years ago, the Olympics meant to me: it couldn't get any worse, it couldn't get any better, I'll never get there" (Jannis Maus)

Like Bontus, Jannis Maus can now live his Olympic dream. Maus says: "At the age of 12, 13, 14, you grow up thinking that the Olympics are the competition of all competitions. Until five years ago, the Olympics meant to me: it couldn't get any worse, it couldn't get any better, I'd never get there. Now to be here two months before the Games and have the Olympics in sight is incredible, unbelievable, every athlete's dream."

Leonie Meyer on course for Marseille

Along with Jannis Maus, Leonie Meyer from the Norddeutscher Regatta Verein (North German Regatta Club) also bought her Olympic ticket. The 31-year-old mother of a young son, medical doctor and sports soldier said: "This is a big dream come true." As the undisputed national number one, Leonie Meyer already had one hand on the Olympic ticket before the World Championships. Nevertheless, she had to overcome the final hurdle and despite a crash at the start of the World Championships and an unfortunate collision with a British competitor, she made it through in 15th place. "This is a big dream come true, but it still has to sink in."

Former 49er FX helmswoman Leonie Meyer added with a smile: "I think my parents, who are so strongly by my side, have already realised it more than I have. I'm just really happy that it's working out now. It's something I can give back to those around me and all my supporters for their backing," she said in Hyères. At the same time, the kiter was not satisfied with her 15th place at the World Championships and said: "We have uncovered a few areas that we will now work on."

Frenchwoman Lauriane Nolot won gold in the women's event. Only Britain's Eleanor Aldridge in second place was able to prevent the strong French trio from taking the podium on their home turf. France's Jessie Kampman secured bronze ahead of her compatriot Poema Newland.

Click here for the results of the Formula Kite World Championship.

Replay of the World Championship final - watch the kite aces from Hyères here: