Ramona Hofmeister: "It is brutally difficult for us athletes"

Ramona Hofmeister from Bischofswiesen won the overall World Cup in alpine snowboard. In the interview, Hofmeister talks about the World Cup, Olympia and the Corona period.

Bischofswiesen - With six World Cup victories, two mixed wins and two podiums, Ramona Hofmeister was the second German athlete after Amelie Kober in 2009 to win the overall World Cup in alpine snowboarding in the past World Cup season and became the most successful German winter sportswoman of the 2019/20 season.

In the first part of the interview with BGland24.de , the 24-year-old from Bischofswiesen talks about her successes last winter, her experiences during the Corona crisis and the unequal treatment of snowboarders at the Olympic Games.

Ms. Hofmeister, how have you experienced the past few weeks in times of Corona?

Ramona Hofmeister (24): I am in good health, that's the most important thing these days. As usual after a long World Cup winter, I had planned a longer vacation, I wanted to travel to Kenya with my family. Of course we had to cancel the vacation, but health is in the foreground these days. So I can't complain.

How has your day-to-day training changed due to the current situation?

Hofmeister: We had planned a material test, which unfortunately could not take place due to the circumstances. So in the past few weeks my focus has been on the basic endurance that we need for winter. I spend a lot of time in the fresh air, I ride my road bike a lot. In addition, I have set up a small weight room in my basement, where I regularly do workouts with my sister.

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Many athletes became socially active during the Corona crisis. They also?

Hofmeister: Yes, it was very important to me to help out in this difficult time. My mother taught me the art of sewing. After a short start-up I sewed protective masks, which we provided for medical facilities and care facilities of the Bavarian Red Cross in the Berchtesgaden district association.

In contrast to other winter athletes, such as from Austria or Switzerland, members of Snowboard Germany or the German Ski Association currently do not have the opportunity to train on snow. How can this affect the upcoming World Cup winter?

Hofmeister: It depends on when we are allowed to leave and can do the usual preparation for snow. I still don't see any disadvantage, but the restrictions should not last too long. But I am not driving myself crazy and I am optimistic that we can carry out the training block planned for August in Zermatt.

On March 1st in Blue Mountain (Canada) you were the second German after Amelie Kober to win the overall World Cup in snowboarding. What are your feelings about this day?

Hofmeister: It was an overwhelming day with endless emotions. I couldn't believe it at all and had to ask several times whether I had really won the overall World Cup. I focus on my performance over the course of a winter and rarely look at the overall rating. So it came as a surprise even to me that I had the big crystal ball safe that day.

Ramona Hofmeister won the overall World Cup and the discipline World Cup in the parallel giant slalom last season.

© picture alliance / Peter Kneffel / dpa

How can you explain their enormous increase in performance?

Hofmeister: There are many factors involved. We made changes to the team of supervisors, and I also changed my summer preparation. Then we started the season and I won the first PGS race. That gave me a huge boost mentally and enormous self-confidence. It just got everything together before and during the winter.

You often had to deal with injuries, among other things you had two herniated discs at a young age. What are the consequences of this?

Hofmeister: Over the years you get to know the weak points in the body, in my case it is the back, you know and adjust the training accordingly. After the 2018/19 season I had an operation on my shoulder, then I sat down with my trainers, doctors and caregivers and developed targeted training programs that were tailored to me. That was a very important step for my development.

Speaking of development: a lot has happened within the German team in recent years. Above all, you and Selina Jörg have had great success. How important is this internal team competition for you?

Hofmeister: Selina plays a big role in my development. The duels with her are not only a great asset in terms of sport, we also get along very well in private and complement each other at a high level. I'm actually in a room with Cheyenne Loch. As Cheyenne unfortunately had to stay injured last season, I was in a room with Selina. Over the course of the winter, we nicknamed ourselves "podium buddies", which sums up our relationship perfectly (laughs). What applies to Selina applies to the entire team. Our cohesion is great and an important part of our success.

Ramona Hofmeister (right) and her teammate Selina Jörg won bronze and silver at the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang.

© picture alliance / Michael Kappeler / dpa

You mention it: Snowboard Germany has the most successful season in its history behind it. Where does alpine snowboarding stand in comparison to other winter sports?

Hofmeister: We are still a marginal sport in the winter sports area. This is because we are a comparatively young winter sports discipline and do not have a TV presence, such as biathlon, ski jumping or alpine skiing. But along with our success, a lot has already developed positively, public awareness and attention have risen steadily. But there is still room for improvement.

What needs to happen to take the next step?

Hofmeister: We will do everything we can to continue to be successful in sport and thus lay the groundwork for even better development. Away from the slopes, I try to reach people via social media and thus bring our sport to the fore. This is great fun for me and is also well received by users.

In contrast to many other winter sports, there is only one discipline at the Olympic Games for alpine boarders. While in the World Cup and World Championships in parallel slalom, parallel giant slalom and mixed competition, only the parallel giant slalom is on the program at Olympia. How does this affect your sport?

Hofmeister: Certainly not positive. A second competition on the big Olympic stage would be an important step forward for the development of our sport. That is why we try to influence decision-makers through our athletes' spokesmen and trainers. It is not just about the further development of our sport. This constellation is anything but pleasant for us athletes.

Ramona Hofmeister took part in the Olympic Games for the first time in 2018.

© picture alliance / Angelika Warmuth / dpa

What do you mean?

Hofmeister: We have been working very long and hard to be successful at Olympia. If you only have one chance every four years, it is brutally difficult for us athletes from a mental point of view. Then there is the logistical aspect. We are on the road for several weeks and then ultimately drive a single race. A second competition would be sensible and justified.

The 2022 Winter Olympics will take place in Beijing. Does this already play a role in your planning?

Hofmeister: I don't usually look too far into the future, but Olympia 2022 is not that far away and I have it in the back of my mind. I already won a World Cup race in China in 2019 and the World Cup will take place in China in 2021. This will automatically make Olympia 2022 more tangible.

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You mentioned it, the World Cup is to be held in China in 2021. What goals have you set yourself for this?

Hofmeister: First of all, I hope that the World Cup winter can take place as planned. Then I want to build on my performance from last season. If I can do that and I'm in good shape for the World Cup, a World Cup title is very tempting.

Ms. Hofmeister, thank you for the interview - Editor's note: On Sunday you will read the second part of the interview with Ramona Hofmeister

Source: BGland24.de

* BGland24.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network

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