The German toboggan team is stronger than it has been in a long time.
Legend Georg Hackl predicts many places on the podium for the home World Cup.
Munich
-
Georg Hackl
won
ten gold World Cup medals
while he was active, today he's working on the material of the toboggan champions next to the track.
At the
home World Cup
, which is due to start on Friday at Königssee, the 54-year-old would like to
crown
Dominator
Felix Loch's
perfect season
.
He has every reason to be optimistic - as he reveals in the interview.
Mr. Hackl, you said before the season: “Felix Loch is almost never.” Are you the one who can predict everything on the ice channel?
Hackl:
(laughs) To predict everything would be a bit too much.
But I'm an
expert
if you will.
And you have to say: It
was obvious
with
Felix
this year.
Then why don't you say: How many World Cup medals does the German team win?
Hackl:
I hope for five.
In all three competitions I calculate with at least one - preferably
gold
.
The 2016 World Cup is still in my head, when the “Sunshine Training Group” cleared everything.
Back then you spoke of a golden generation.
Hackl:
... and I was right about that.
The
Olympic Games in Sochi
alone
showed that.
And in
Pyeongchang
the result would have been repeated without the failed fourth run by Felix.
Interview with Georg Hackl: In sport but also in society there is a lot of competitive thinking
What was different for this generation?
Hackl:
Everything has to fit together for such a success story - and it does.
Since must
athletic talents
come together in a training group.
And then the social behavior must also be right.
You have to support each other, get along, nobody is allowed to work against the other - as is unfortunately often the case in sport.
In our society there is also a lot of
competitive
thinking, sport is just a mirror.
In the
training group sunshine
all support.
Was there a moment when you thought the mood might change?
Hackl:
Yes, these moments have happened several times.
Even now.
People develop, they get older.
And especially with athletes, success leads to the
pursuit of personal advantage
.
Let me put it this way: How it was in 2016 - that was ideal.
Did you already suspect at the time that Loch, Natalie Geisenberger and the duo Tobias Wendl / Tobias Arlt would still be World Cup favorites five years later?
Hackl:
There are
ups and downs
in every athlete's
life
, which I also expected with the then outstanding athletes.
And no matter how successful an athlete is: They will be overtaken or overtaken again in two or three years.
You have seen that at
Felix
over the past few years.
We just had to do our homework.
But that was successful.
Interview with Georg Hackl: World Cup at home is something very special
Now the World Cup is on the "home track".
You yourself were only allowed to experience it once - and fell at the Königssee in 1999, of all places.
Is it a privilege for athletes to be able to drive “at home” twice in a career?
Hackl:
Definitely.
Being able to present your performance on your doorstep is something very special.
I didn't succeed then - but it was my own fault.
Do tell!
Hackl:
Put simply: I wanted too much.
I had
new ideas in sledding
.
The material was very, very fast - but not manageable for me that day.
How hard was the day then?
Hackl:
It was a big disappointment, that's for sure!
But as an athlete you grow with every
defeat
.
It was the same with me.
I quickly said: Sponge over it!
And it went on.
Interview with Georg Hackl: "We can feel privileged"
That was in 1999, the next home World Cup at Königssee followed in 2016. Can it still be topped this year?
Hackl:
To be honest: no.
Just because it's something completely different this year, because there are no fans because of Corona *.
We are very happy that we are allowed to practice our sport, even if we know that it
does not meet with broad approval from
the
public
.
Just looking at normal life - children are only allowed to play to a limited extent, people are not allowed to participate in recreational sports, many have to fear for their existence - is enough
to make us feel privileged
.
We are happy to be able to
choose
world champions
despite all the circumstances
.
This World Cup is not about anything else.
The top favorite is hole.
How did he become that again?
Hackl:
We have meticulously evaluated the last few years,
questioning
every
detail to see
if
there was any
need for optimization
.
Above all, it was about the driving position and the starting power.
And I'll tell you honestly: I didn't think that
Felix would be
capable of what he was showing at the start and also on the sled.
He grabbed his own head there.
With the result that I now say: I've never seen him so strong!
What part does the material have?
Hackl:
A big one.
We even got scientific support to
better
understand
the
sliding behavior of a racing sled
.
We work together with BMW, among others, where an ex-colleague of
Felix's
in Julian von Schleinitz is
scientifically active and therefore speaks both languages.
He is an ideal link, paired with my technical expertise, Felix's experience from the sled tests, an outstanding workshop master, that was a
perfect recipe for success
.
I call what we founded a little academy.
... which has reduced the gap to Russia and Austria in record time.
Hackl:
That was the goal - but when I look at the results now, I have to say:
Felix
is far over.
We know that the others will follow suit, that this is just a
snapshot
.
But you can already say that this overtaking process went very, very quickly.
Interview with Georg Hackl: After the World Cup in Russia, a rethink began
Was the 2020 World Cup - without a medal - an aha effect?
Hackl:
The debacle was announced.
It
was clear beforehand
that the
Russians would
dominate their home track.
We could only look jealously over the fence, including the
Austrians
.
At the latest then we knew: We have to put our heads together.
And quickly.
Missing the world title for the perfect season of Loch?
Hackl:
Of course.
I do not hope that the series will end after eight wins at the
World Cup
.
Please do not!
Natalie Geisenberger also starts as a favorite - although her son is not even a year old.
Hackl:
That's really impressive.
And we all learned this year that
pregnancy is not a disease
.
Natalie and Dajana Eitberger show that week after week.
Did you have any doubts?
Hackl:
Not really.
But you couldn't necessarily expect the comeback to be so structured and successful.
The two are a great example,
role models for young mothers
.
Interview with Georg Hackl: Natalie Geisenberger deserves World Cup gold
How do you notice your new maturity in everyday life?
Hackl:
The implementation alone - the
World Cup with a baby in tow
- requires an enormous amount of effort.
And if you operate this, everything has to be optimally organized in terms of the environment.
Both can do it.
You use every second.
If all athletes worked so conscientiously, you'd be happy.
The wages earned would be World Cup gold, right?
Hackl:
Definitely.
And I trust Natalie too.
There won't be a party - the one at the Olympic Games in Beijing 2022 will be even bigger, right?
Hackl:
I don't think so far yet.
Because I have no idea what this corona pandemic * will bring with it.
At the moment I do not see that vaccination is taking place across the board, all of this will continue.
To the suffering of people - to the
suffering of sport
.
Does that mean you are trembling about the 2022 games?
Hackl:
What
if you hear about
new mutations *
?
I hope for the best.
But a guarantee for the 2022 Games cannot yet be given.
My feeling: if it goes on like this for much longer, we won't have to talk about sport anymore.
Then other things are in the foreground.
And that scares me!
The interview was conducted by Hanna Raif. * Merkur.de is part of the Ippen-Digital network.
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