Dortmund. With three new team members, two returnees and four silver medallists from Rio, the German Eight starts the post-Olympic year and therefore the new Olympic cycle with a long-term goal of competing in Tokyo 2020. But for now, everybody is focused on Račice in the Czech Republic, where the European Championships will be held in one week’s time (26th to 28th May).
“Of course we’re competing to defend our title. But the competition is fierce. We mustn’t underestimate anyone”, says Hannes Ocik, who will continue to lead the boat as stroke. After all, just two weeks after the victory at the Huegel Regatta in Essen, the flagship of the German Rowing Association will now be facing the younger teams from the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, who won gold and bronze in Rio.
Along with Ocik, Malte Jakschik, Richard Schmidt and Martin Sauer, who have been permanent team members since 2009, will also keep their places from Rio. Felix Wimberger and Maximilian Planer have made their way back into the flagship. After 2014, this is the second calling for the German Eight for both of them. For Torben Johannesen (22 years old), Johannes Weißenfeld (22) and Jakob Schneider (23), it is the first time they managed to get hold of a sliding seat in Germany’s leading boat.
“We could definitely speak of a transformation in our team. There are five new athletes in the boat – and the team also has a new trainer”, says Uwe Bender with a smile. The 58-year-old national coach took over Germany’s Eight this year because Ralf Holtmeyer, the long-standing success coach of the team, will be supporting the under 23 juniors for one year.
The rejuvenation process of the German Eight is clearly visible in the completely re-formed coxless four, where a very young team is about to face an international performance test. Paul Gebauer (21 years old), Christopher Reinhardt (19), Finn Schröder (23) and Wolf-Niclas Schröder (20) will be representing Germany at the European Championship. After recovering from his injury, Laurits Follert (21) will reinforce the team of four in a few weeks. “They have proven themselves with their small boat performance and the four in Essen and shown that they deserve this chance”, says national coach Christian Viedt.
Felix Drahotta and Anton Braun, who have gained a lot of experience in small boats throughout their rowing careers, will compete in the coxless pair. Vocational training will be their priority after the Olympics, but having come seventh in London, they also wanted to prove their strength in pairs at the European Championship in Račice.
