Sophie Steinlein: Between Foils and Design Language

​Sophie Steinlein is pursuing her goals with remarkable determination. The DSV squad sailor is focusing all her sporting efforts on the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. In the 49erFX class, she is battling as a helmswoman to catch up with the world’s best, whilst with the German SailGP team she has gained an insight into the fast-paced and uncompromising world of F50 catamarans. At the same time, the aspiring architect is about to complete her bachelor’s degree. This juggling act is made possible by support from Deutsche Sporthilfe and the Deutsche Bank Sports Scholarship. We met the determined athlete on the sidelines of the Rolex SailGP event in Sassnitz.

​YACHT: You’ve been part of the German SailGP team since 2023 and have now experienced the F50 at first hand. What has fascinated and made the biggest impression on you about the format and these extremely fast catamarans?

Sophie Steinlein: First and foremost, of course, the pace – and how quickly you have to make decisions on board. But I also found working with the people in the team particularly exciting. Many of them have a wealth of experience, are very successful and, in some cases, twice my age. I can learn an incredible amount from them. Incidentally, this doesn’t just apply to sailing. I’ve also learnt a great deal on shore about how such a professional project works and all the organisational, financial and legal aspects involved.

What distinguishes your work as a strategist at SailGP from your role as a helmswoman in the 49erFX? Are there any skills that you can directly apply?

There are significant synergies. In our 49erFX campaign, I also act as strategist and tactician, coordinating closely with my bowwoman, Catherine Bartelheimer. Fundamentally, I believe that every day on the water is valuable. Whether I’m wing foiling, training on my Motte or sailing an F50: every experience helps me in other boat classes too.

And what are the differences?

Communication is different. In the 49erFX, there are just the two of us; my sailing partner knows me very well and we’re able to coordinate directly as a result. That means I feel more confident in that boat. On the F50, the team is larger, the procedures are more complex and communication has to be even more precise.

In SailGP, decisions are made in a fraction of a second at speeds of over 50 knots. What did you learn there about communication and decision-making?

All communication takes place via the radio system. In doing so, I’ve learnt to pay very close attention to my tone of voice. It makes a huge difference whether I pass on information in a neutral way or speak in a deliberately alarming tone because immediate action is required. The crew must be able to tell from my voice just how urgent a situation is. Learning to use this technique effectively was an important part of my development. In addition, we analysed many situations in depth. Some of these were new to me, but similar scenarios can also be found in the 49erFX class. Reviewing the theory helps me make quicker and clearer decisions out on the water.

You competed in the fourth SailGP season, racing in San Francisco and New York, amongst other places. How did you manage to juggle that with your 49erFX campaign and other projects?

Anna Barth and I took turns back then. Care was taken to ensure that I could compete in my regattas and the important qualifying competitions in the 49erFX at the same time. At the same time, I was also part of the Women’s America’s Cup campaign and was in the middle of my architecture degree. At some point, the whole workload simply became too much. That’s why I decided to focus entirely on the 49erFX and the goal of winning an Olympic medal. I’m very happy with that decision.

Is there a particular moment in SailGP that you’d say was a decisive step forward for you as a sailor?

It’s not so much about any one particular moment. What has really helped me progress are, above all, the professional structures, the thorough analysis and the collaboration with very experienced sailors. For me, these many individual experiences are more important than any single event.

Since early 2025, you have been receiving funding through the Deutsche Bank Sports Scholarship, in collaboration with Deutsche Sporthilfe. How important is this support in enabling you to combine competitive sport with your architecture studies?

This funding is very important to me because it makes up a significant part of my monthly income. Other athletes, for example, are employed by the German Armed Forces. Thanks to Deutsche Sporthilfe and the Deutsche Bank Sports Scholarship, I have far fewer worries about making ends meet. This gives me the freedom to concentrate on my sport and my studies at the same time. What’s more, Deutsche Sporthilfe works with strong partners, which regularly open up further opportunities for support.

How do you balance sailing and your studies?

Sport is definitely my priority at the moment. I still have three major modules or projects left to complete for my bachelor’s degree. I’ll be finishing these off bit by bit. My degree course is therefore likely to take me until 2028. When an exam is coming up, I try to set aside specific time for studying. At the same time, architecture is a very creative course of study. That’s why I keep my eyes open even when I’m out and about, chat to people and take in lots of impressions. In a way, this can also be combined with travelling and sailing.

The funding is also intended to provide athletes with career prospects for when they retire from competitive sport. Why is it important to you to study architecture at the same time?

Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve wanted to be an architect. I’m absolutely determined to continue down this path. I don’t yet know exactly which area I’ll end up working in, but one thing is clear: I’m heading in the right direction. For me, it’s important to have something alongside sport that I’m also passionate about. Architecture isn’t just a fallback plan for when I’ve finished sailing. It’s a career aspiration in its own right.

​“We’re on the right track, but we’ve still got a long way to go.”
Sophie Steinlein

You want to encourage young women to pursue a career in sport. What role do female role models play in a sport that remains heavily male-dominated?

In my opinion, it is extremely important for young women to see other women in positions of responsibility and in the spotlight. In SailGP, the teams rely on their female sailors. This means it is also in the interests of the men and the teams as a whole to train us properly. The aim must be for women to receive the same sailing training and the same opportunities as men. We are on the right track in this regard. However, in professional sailing, we have not yet reached our goal. Women are still often perceived and treated differently from men. I would like to do my bit to help change that.

How do your involvement in SailGP and your Olympic campaign in the 49erFX class influence each other?

My initial aim is to succeed in Olympic sailing and to establish a higher sporting standing there. When I joined SailGP, I was the very young, talented girl. In future, I don’t want to be seen merely as a young sailor, but as an experienced and successful athlete who brings even greater value to the team. Success in the 49erFX class and, ideally, at the Olympic Games would, of course, be a strong stepping stone towards that. The experience gained in both areas can complement each other.

What role do you envisage SailGP playing on your journey to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles?

Until 2028, my focus will clearly be on the 49erFX and the Games. After that, however, I’d very much like to return to SailGP – ideally in a more prominent role on board. As a strategist, you eventually reach a point where you’re limited in the day-to-day operations. You provide information and are involved in the decision-making, but you don’t, for example, carry out the manoeuvres yourself. In the long term, I’d like to take on a role where I’m actively sailing the boat myself, rather than just preparing strategic decisions.

What would you like to see from Sporthilfe and in terms of support for young female athletes?

I’m very happy with Sporthilfe. There, I don’t experience any difference between men and women. The people in charge believe in me and give me the confidence to pursue my sporting career without having to constantly worry about my financial security. Above all, young female sailors need clear prospects. When I was little, there were no female strategists in SailGP whom I could have looked up to. If a girl doesn’t see any women in such roles, she’ll eventually start to wonder why she should put so many other things on hold for years – and perhaps even put her studies on the back burner for the sake of sport. We need to show that women can be successful in sailing, compete alongside men at the very highest level and, in the long term, make a living from the sport. Then more girls will stick with it, the standard of competition will rise – and this, in turn, will create new role models.

Are SailGP and sailing on the incredibly fast F50s well suited to raising the profile of women in the sport of sailing?

Absolutely. Sailing is physically demanding and the speeds are extreme, but women are just as capable of carrying out many of the tasks on board. In the long term, the aim should be to fill more than just the one prescribed place – the ‘quota woman’. Women must become a natural part of the entire crew.

Sophie, thank you very much for the interview, and I wish you every success on your journey to Los Angeles.