The 470 World Championship has been running in Vilamoura since this weekend.
There the Tutzingen women Nadine Böhm and Ann-Christine Goliaß fight for the title - and for the Olympic ticket.
Tutzing - The Wind meant it very well with Nadine Böhm and Ann-Christine Goliaß.
Since landing in Vilamoura at the beginning of February, the crew from the German Touring Yacht Club has been out at sea almost every day.
“That helped us to get a good overview of the area and to find out basic patterns,” the team announced.
It was the last fine work before the 470 World Championship, which starts this weekend on the Portuguese Atlantic coast.
The two Tutzinger women not only fight for medals, they also want to secure a ticket for the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
In contrast to the men, the German Sailing Association already has the starting place in the bag for the women.
In the Algarve, the decision will now be made which team will be allowed to represent the German colors in Japan in the summer.
Some regattas canceled: Portugal probably the only chance for Böhm / Goliaß
“We put our entire focus on this regatta,” emphasizes Böhm.
Due to the corona pandemic, the other regattas that were selected as qualification criteria have been canceled.
In January, the Princesa Sofia off Mallorca was deleted from the program at the end of March.
At the beginning of this week, the sailors received the cancellation of the French Olympic Week in early April.
Under the current circumstances, the 28-year-old helmsman Böhm and the 30-year-old crewwoman Goliaß may only have one chance to make their big dream come true.
The crew worked meticulously like never before.
“We have raised our sailing performance to a new level,” says Goliaß.
Together with Simon Diesch and Philipp Autenrieth as well as 18 other international sailing teams, the two first spent the autumn and winter training in Santander before they moved to Lanzarote with the entire entourage.
Almost every day the Tutzing women dueled with their sparring partners and thus had the best conditions to test themselves and their material.
“We pushed each other to a new level,” said Böhm.
Hope through new trainer: Saskia Clark is Olympic and world champion
More important than the practice units was the new trainer whom the DTYC hired for its Olympic aspirants last summer.
Saskia Clark not only competed in three Summer Olympics in the 470s, she won silver for Great Britain in 2012 in London and four years later in Rio de Janeiro gold.
In addition, the Englishwoman raked in precious metals at six world championships.
In 2012, Clark and her then crew member Hannah Mills even won the title.
The Tutzinger duo raved about the 41-year-old instructor, who imparted a lot of specialist knowledge and experience: "We appreciate her not only as an exceptional trainer, but especially as a great, warm-hearted person."
Böhm / Goliaß from the DTYC: Confident before the start of the World Cup
Maybe Clark will become the decisive factor for Böhm / Goliaß, whose ambition and talent have never been out of question.
Only in pressure situations did the two lose confidence again and again.
"A lot is definitely possible," says the crew, "as long as we stay focused on calling up our skills and keeping a cool head when things get difficult".
Good nerves are definitely required at the World Cup.
Germany has the national ticket for Tokyo in its pocket, but whoever gets it, the teams have to work out among themselves.
Requirements are a place in the top twelve in a qualifying regatta and an outstanding overall average.
"We have to concentrate on our own performance," said the Tutzinger women.
“In the end, those of us who can best handle the pressure will win the competition.” For this purpose, Böhm and Goliaß have brought on board Saskia Clark, a world-renowned expert.
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