Only the principle of hope remains for the former German flagship
The future? For the time being, it is only a blur in front of the Germany eight. An early international position determination is due at the end of May at the European Championships in Bled
Quelle: Bongarts/Getty Images/Christof Koepsel
In the previous year, the Germany eight said goodbye to the top of the world. Without an increase, the Olympic ticket is in danger. A few things have been reassigned in the German parade boat so that the horror scenario doesn’t come true. First and foremost it depends on Sabine Tschäge.
EA new trainer, a new batsman and two changes in the line-up – the Germany eight is facing what is probably the trickiest mission in years. After the disappointing seventh place in the World Championships last September, there are concerns that the parade boat of the German Rowing Association (DRV), which has been used to success for years, could miss the qualification for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Sabine Tschäge, who has been active since March, wants to avert such a bleak scenario for the sport at all costs. “We are all looking forward to the new season. We will fight and not only want to go to Paris, we also want to reestablish contact with the medal places,” said the 52-year-old eights coach, full of hope that the crew from the Dortmund base would return to their former strength.
After winning the Olympic silver medal with the lightweight men’s doubles in Tokyo, Tschäge, who was named DOSB trainer of the year 2021, is the first woman to take on this exposed task in rowing. A lot of hopes are attached to the successor of Uwe Bender, who had successfully coached the big boat since 2017 and is no longer available as a coach for health reasons.
Only two new rowers are added in the aft
Tschäge is not deterred by the high expectations: “I like challenges like this. In general, it made me proud that I was allowed to train the eight – regardless of the fact that I was the first woman to do it.”
In the search for a crew that could achieve the fifth place required for direct Olympic qualification at the World Championships in September, Tschäge made moderate changes to the team that had been extensively restructured the previous year. With Marc Kammann (Hamburg) and Max John (Rostock) there are only two new rowers. It is surprising, however, that Kammann, one of the two newcomers, is allowed to prove himself as a batsman. Helmsman Jonas Wiesen (Treis-Karden) rated the first few weeks in the new boat positively: “The construct is more solid than in 2022. Many things are now automated.”
Sabine Tschäge
Those: pa/dpa/Federico Gambarini
An early international determination of position is due at the end of May at the European Championships in Bled (Slovenia), where there will be a showdown with world champion Great Britain and the World Cup runner-up from the Netherlands. Further starts before the World Championships are planned for the World Cups in Varese (June 16th to 18th) and Lucerne (July 7th to 9th). “The Olympic qualification has top priority,” said Tschäge and asked for patience for the crew, who were on average 24.7 years old.
National coach Brigitte Bielig not only sees progress in the eights, but also in the rest of the DRV fleet. After the historically poor performance at the World Championships last year, she is hoping for as many Paris tickets as possible in the 14 Olympic boat classes.
“2022 was a very difficult year for all of us. But my impression is that we have made steps forward. A lot happened in autumn and winter,” said the woman from Dresden. For the time after the Olympic Games in Paris, the longest-serving trainer who has worked for the DRV since 1990 held out the prospect of retiring: “I think it will be over after 2024.”
