Interview: Carol Scheunemann

A twist of fate? Carol Scheunemann was born in the USA with the maiden name "Sup". Her path was actually predetermined, but she only really found it much later.

In 2014, you won every long-distance race in the "German SUP Trophy" as well as the Alps Trophy and SUP Tour Switzerland series. You don't do that just like that. What is your sporting history like? Carol: As a child, I played football, softball, volleyball, tennis, water skiing and especially archery. I was in the national youth team and then also made the Olympic standard for 1976 when I was 17. I think that's when I really discovered my love of sport.

For competitive sport? Yes, for competitive sport and, above all, I had a fantastic coach back then, she was also nominated as a coach for the US team. She taught us this focus. That you concentrate on the essentials in sport. Archery is also a sport that isn't really exciting for spectators, but you have to concentrate on it, form is everything. I used to train three times a day, even for five or six hours if I had to, to get that far at a young age. After that I did athletics and swimming again, then when I came to Germany I played football. You grew up in the USA? Yes, exactly. I came to Germany in 1984. I first played football, then the children came. So I started running because it was one of the few sports where you were so flexible. I could train whenever I wanted. Right up to the marathon, I ran almost 20 marathons in total, a few half marathons and several 10 km races. That's where the endurance comes from.

What is your best 10,000 metre time? 39:42 or so, marathon at 3:10

Did you have sports-loving parents? No.You weren't pushed? No, that was my priority. On the one hand, to feel fit. That was partly a problem with archery. You had the feeling that you weren't doing much. I've always enjoyed running.

You say that endurance comes from running, don't you need strong arms for paddling? That's right. When I was training for the Barcelona Marathon in 2011, I got an Achilles tendon injury and couldn't run for three quarters of a year. During that time, I started going to the gym. I trained really intensively for almost six months, as usual (laughs), about five times a week, and started to build up my strength. It all came together. I still had the endurance, had built up strength and then discovered paddling.

How did that happen? A friend, Dagmar Taylor, dragged me out to the Ammersee. She had just bought a board herself from Steinlechner and I started paddling with a hire board. But three or four times a week. My first SUP trip was to Venice at the end of 2012. It was a fun competition on inflatables over 2 kilometres on the Grand Canal.

Do you also follow the SUP scene in the USA? It's not really my world, with the waves. I can't surf, I never learnt that. I'm not really a water sportsman either. Many SUPers are water sports enthusiasts, they have a love of the water. With waves, surfing... But you're also doing well internationally, for example in the Lost Mills Race 2015. yes, that surprised me myself. i do look at what the others are doing, how it's developing. But the international stuff is very much about the waves. You have to be able to surf. It's too late for that at my age. It's difficult here in Central Europe. There are some people who spend a few months on Fuerte in winter, but it's not something you can just learn at the weekend and then be good at. I'm a shallow water specialist. I wouldn't have any international ambitions because that's on the oceans off California or Australia.

Which conditions do you enjoy the most? Flat water, but with a headwind. You don't need mirror-smooth water and sunshine? No, I don't like it too hot. 10 degrees, cloudy, a bit of wind, that's fine. You're also good at sprinting. Does it suit you that the SUP sprints always last at least two or three minutes? I also really like the sprint competitions. I don't think my strength lies in sprinting, but I've just got better. I've also got better through many races. What else could organisers do to encourage more women to take part? Unfortunately, it's almost a deterrent now. People have an inflatable and see the pros with the carbon boards and how to throw themselves into it. It's almost too much competition. It should have more of an everyman, everywoman character. Shorter races, but not necessarily this elbow-to-elbow competition like in the sprint races. Maybe something like once across the lake and back. Maybe three kilometres or four. So that you can ride well with an inflatable. The problem with women in competitions is that many women "take themselves out of the race" before the race. They don't even dare to start. "I'm not fit enough", and, and, and... That's why there are women-only races in running. There should also be a truly equal inflatable class, because many people are travelling on inflatables but say, "I'm not paddling behind." That wouldn't be fun for anyone. This Malibu or fun class is good, but it's still devalued if it's just on the side. It needs to be its own event, like a fun run. Thousands of people come. At club races where it's about the "best", only a few come. You also give SUP seminars. What is your top tip? I'm amazed that nobody can actually turn. When people buy their own board straight away without much instruction, they often don't learn. They don't get round the bend at all. SUP can be done at almost any age, even performance-orientated. Do you have any special tips for "women over 40"? Do you have to train differently than when you're 15? Training is independent of age. The most important thing is regularity. That's the be-all and end-all. You can't just SUP "once" to get fit. To get fit, you have to train regularly and combine SUP with other sports. SUP is great for the whole body. You need five things to ride well: you need endurance, strength, technique, balance and, to race well, a certain amount of racing practice. You need to cycle or run or do strength training at least a few times a week. You need time for that. That was it for me. I've always done sport, but I could only do SUP now because the kids are already out of the house. You have to drive there, load and unload equipment - that's also time-consuming. Plus the weekends you spend travelling to the races.

What is the scope of training then? I train more in winter than in summer, because that's when all the competitions are. But basically I train something every day. I usually have seven to 10 sessions a week. Usually three to four paddles, three runs and three gym sessions. That's a lot for amateur sport. Do sponsors cover that? My sponsors, Steinlechner and JP, cover the equipment. That's a big step forward if you don't have to invest a few thousand. But it's still a hobby. I worked as an agent for SUPSKIN this year and got to know so many people. Lots of newcomers. Some come from kitesurfing or windsurfing, or they're consultants who aren't dropping out but are switching over and now prioritising the sport. With SUP stations, for example. You meet a lot of very interesting people with very interesting CVs in the scene. You can really learn something there. And that makes you very optimistic about the sport when so many people believe in it. From this different perspective, what would you have advised a young driver looking for sponsorship? Commitment is important. You notice the training effort and whether someone has put their heart into it. It doesn't have to be a rider who is already at the front. But I think others notice who is training hard and who wants to achieve something for themselves. There are not only racers, but also adventurers who attract a lot of attention. Do they also have a place alongside those who do their endless laps in silence? Basically, I would almost have completely different role models. People who don't necessarily do something crazy, but people who simply do a lot for the sport. That could simply be courses, for example. Someone who promotes the sport. Publicity yes - but not everyone can do much with someone travelling for weeks. Even I can't do that much with it. Running a marathon was long enough. I can't imagine travelling across the whole country for days on end, and I don't need "borderline experiences" at all ... I'm just a city kid (laughs). You live in the city but have a long raceboard, how do you do that? Actually three, they hang under the ceiling in the garage. Or it's stored at Steinlechner by the lake. Is this the tip for city dwellers? Yes, there are also clubs, for example Peter and Sarah Weidert store the boards at the canoe club in Hanau. Renting out SUP storage space is perhaps the next gap in the market. To what extent is your time commitment compatible with a partnership? Is your husband a companion and coach, but doesn't paddle that much? He tried it a few times. He liked it, but he's very tall and heavy. So he's more of a coach and companion - everything I've achieved is only possible with a partner who supports me and he does more than just support me. He is also a great motivator and drives me on when I don't feel like it. If my partner didn't support me, it would be a stress factor. He likes to ride, likes to go with me, likes competitions and is interested in training development, even if he doesn't come from the sport himself.

Do you ever paddle a trip or is it always training? Occasionally I go on a tour, but that's mostly training. Are you doing all this on your own, or do you have training partners? It varies. I usually train with the Steinlechner SUP women's race team and at the moment I'm training a lot with Armin Zeitler, who is now attacking. It also helps when you have a training partner. You motivate each other. Almost more than a group You have it firmly planned in your calendar. It was virtual last weekend. He did his training sessions there and I basically did the same thing, just somewhere else. I knew what was on the schedule so I could compare it later. You're held accountable that way. Do you have a vision for SUP? I do believe that the sport is still growing a bit. Very few people have tried it out or thought about it yet. I also think it's because you can do a lot in Central Europe, on the river, on the lakes, yoga is possible, and in northern Germany SUP in the waves is also possible. Individuals almost have to specialise because the boards for different disciplines are also expensive. That is perhaps a bit of a problem. But you also spend a lot of money on mountain biking or snowboarding. Carol, thank you for the interview and good luck and have fun!

Carol Scheunemann runs the website " borntosup.de ", because she was - in fact - born under the maiden name Sup. You'll find lots of tips, a training diary and much more. It's worth a look!