Training Camp Reunion & Olympic Spot for Germany

Just like in the past 4 years, I was once again at the training camp on La Réunion with the German team this year. While in previous years I stayed there for about three weeks, this year it was a relatively long training camp of 5 weeks. The plan was to train hard for 2 weeks, then have a quiet regeneration week, and then train hard again for 2 weeks. Since I have two young children, I decided to bring my family along for the first 3 weeks. This had the advantage that during the regeneration week, I was able to take some trips with my family.

We were very lucky with the training conditions this year. In previous years, we often had problems with wind, high water, and pump failures. This year, only 2 training sessions had to be interrupted in the entire 5 weeks, one due to a thunderstorm, and the other due to pump failure. After the first training sessions on the canal, the first small highlight of the training camp was the World Ranking Race. For me, these were the first full runs since the World Cup final in Paris 2023. With a 2nd place in the heats, a 2nd place in the semi-final, and a 4th place in the final, I am satisfied.

A big motivation in the coming weeks is the Olympic qualification in April. In Germany, we initially failed to secure a quota place for the Olympics in Paris in canoe slalom. However, after the Oceania Championship, we were able to move up and eventually get a spot. This means that I now have the opportunity to qualify for the Olympic Games in Paris and compete. When I return to Augsburg in a few days, I will continue to work hard to achieve my dream of participating in my fourth Olympic Games. And I hope that my new PeakPS paddle gear has arrived so that I can compete with the best equipment on the market.

Best regards, Hannes