Germany’s Olympic surfer: “The big goal is gold in LA in 2028” – an interview with Theresa Steinlein

Hi Theresa, how are you finding it here at the Windsurfing World Cup on Sylt?

That’s really cool! I’ve never seen such a big windsurfing event before. You can really tell just how big the sport still is, and it’s great to see!

Apart from the size, what is the most striking difference compared to your events at iQFOiL?

We don’t have that many tents, nor that many brands promoting their products at the event. We usually just have one large tent for the equipment – that’s all there is. There’s not much interaction with the spectators either. There’s much more going on here – that’s how it should be!

Would you fancy giving it a go yourself, or is it too far away from the iQFOiL?

I did compete in the PWA in Japan back in 2022, but I much prefer the Olympic format. You have to be a bit more tactical in that, and it’s much more appealing for us girls in particular because the fields are much bigger. I might take part in a World Cup again sometime just for fun, but I don’t see my future here.

What do you like most about the iQFOiL – the equipment or the race formats?

The race formats, definitely! I come from a sailing background, so I’ve got that tactical know-how. I enjoy making tactical decisions and don’t just want to sail straight ahead and jibe round buoys. I reckon I’m better off with us. Our lifestyle is also quite different: we’re closely linked to the federations and organised within their support systems. That does, of course, restrict our freedom. The World Cup competitors can do whatever they like; they have their own private sponsors and organise themselves – they usually don’t have coaches either. It’s a completely different life: they tend to live the surfing lifestyle, whereas we lead a proper athlete’s life, just as you’d imagine it to be.

Would you sometimes like to have that sort of freedom too?

Yes, definitely. It’s really cool that you can design your own training programme from scratch! But I’m actually quite free compared to a lot of other people – I can organise my training sessions with my coach however I like, and I train on my own with Italians most of the time.

You’re based at Lake Garda...

Exactly, I have a pretty good working relationship with the Italians, and especially with Marta (Maggetti, 2024 Olympic champion, Editor’s note.). That’s my sparring partner, who I’ve been training with for the last four or five years. I really value our partnership because I know we can train with great precision, and Marta and I have exactly the same training style.

​Sophia Meyer and Emma Schleicher, the other two DSV surfers, are based in Kiel. How do you keep in touch and exchange ideas?

I’ve only just got to know Emma at the World Championships; Sophia and I are quite good friends. But we have different coaches. It’s not like sailing, where you can give each other lots of tips. In the end, we all compete together anyway, and we end up talking about things other than surfing.

You’re here on Sylt as Citroën’s new brand ambassador. What projects do you have lined up?

Citroën is, of course, Team Germany’s Olympic partner for Los Angeles 2028, just as it was for the 2026 Winter Games. At those Games, the German medallists were driven back to the German House in a gold, silver or bronze-coloured car – I thought that was really cool! I’ll be provided with a car for the next two years – that’s a massive help and a really important part of the campaign. I’m always driving to Lake Garda, so the car is just perfect for that. We took the first photos here on Sylt and did a few interviews. It’s also helping me make lots of connections with other athletes – just for the chance to chat, that’s brilliant!

The iQFOiL World Championships took place in Weymouth in September, and you finished 13th. How do you rate your performance?

It didn’t go as I’d hoped, but then again, the whole year hasn’t gone according to plan at all. I was only able to take part in three events because I had health problems. I missed the European Championships, and I had to pull out of the regatta in Hyères and the Trofeo Princesa Sofia in Palma. I was completely out of action for half a year and had to start from scratch. Of course, my goals were higher than the result I ultimately achieved. But I’m glad that, after such a long time, I managed to make a comeback and return to the world’s elite.

So, that wasn’t a setback for you, then?

No, I had my setback in the summer. For me, this has actually been quite a good comeback.

We’re now roughly halfway through the journey to the 2028 Olympics – where do you see yourself? Have you already got to where you wanted to be?

This summer’s break wasn’t planned, of course. But I know that this recovery phase will definitely help me a great deal in the long run – I can already feel it. The big goal is gold in LA in 2028, and that’s what I’m trying to focus on. My entire training programme is geared towards managing my resources and energy as effectively as possible and preparing my body for it. None of us has an endless supply of energy; at some point, you have to take a break. And I think this was my last chance to take a break, because the next two years are going to be very intense.

What’s your plan? What milestones have you set yourself in the run-up to the 2028 Olympics?

The next World Championship is scheduled for January in Brazil. That’s where we’ll have our first chance to qualify via the Nations Cup, where we can secure a starting place for Germany. That’s incredibly important, but of course it’s also a World Championship, and I’m hoping for more than just a place in the Nations Cup. And then next year we’ve got a major test event in LA. The season is simply pretty packed. But above all else is the big dream of being driven back to the German House in Citroën’s golden car and celebrating there with all the Olympians!

Based on your first impressions, how would you describe the Olympia area and the conditions there?

The area is actually quite cool. We’re in Long Beach, after all, not right in Los Angeles. The facilities are very good; we sail there on flat water behind the breakwater. We were there once before in the summer and always had a speed of about 12 knots. It’s not very complicated to start with.

In 2024, you finished in 6th place at the Olympics – somewhat surprisingly – and last year you won bronze at the World Championships. Do you feel there’s more pressure now and that expectations have risen?

Yes, I do think it does have an effect on you, but at the end of the day I’m still the same Theresa as before. So far, my performance has almost always gone from strength to strength. It’s brilliant to have achieved something like that. The association actually gives me quite a lot of freedom, and I feel that they believe in me. I’m very grateful for that!

"At the end of the day, I’m still the same Theresa as before!”

Do you get mental coaching as well?

At the very top of our sport – and I believe in every other sport too – every athlete has a mental coach. I think that’s how it should be, because mental health is very important and should always be a priority. It plays a major part in my training, because the mental aspect makes such a big difference in our sport. We have to make so many quick decisions, and our mindset has to be right – mental coaching can make all the difference!

After the 2024 Olympics, you introduced the new, slightly smaller sails. How would you sum up your experience after two years with the new sails?

It gave me a huge boost of motivation back then to try something new. Admittedly, the weight we have to hit on the scales to be competitive hasn’t dropped by much, but in my opinion our whole discipline has now become just that bit more technical. You have to be a bit more precise. I’m one of the lightest competitors, and I now have a slightly better chance against the really heavy girls. We can stay a bit closer to our natural state and don’t have to build up huge amounts of muscle mass. That’s a step in the right direction. Above all, I think it’s extremely important that the problem was recognised from an outside perspective.

Do you do a lot of fine-tuning on your kit, or do you have a fixed setup that you’ve set once and don’t change until the matches?

You never stay in the same place and you never use the same trims. It really is a process of constant development; you always have to think ahead and must never get stuck in a rut and think, ‘Now I’ve found my setup’. There are always lots of new, small details that you can tweak. Your riding style changes too; the whole dynamic changes. It’s truly incredible just how much you change as a person.

"It’s a process of constant development; you always have to think ahead and must never stop thinking."

How much of your training is devoted to technical work compared to fitness or tactics?

Technique is absolutely crucial for us. You might be heavy, but you still won’t be fast if you don’t have the technique. Of course, it’s much easier to get into ‘speed mode’ if you’re heavier. But with the right skills and good fitness, you can still reach a good speed. Ultimately, it’s simply a combination of different factors. It’s that combination that makes a good surfer.

In the Tamar Steinberg at the World Championships who has already been crowned European champion. Is she also the clear favourite for the coming years, and how do you see yourself measuring up against her?

Tamar is having a really good season and is one of the best. The Israelis are a really strong team, a strong group, and they also have a very good base in Israel, especially for winter training. But at the end of the day, anyone can be beaten. I know the differences aren’t that big. Anyone can have a good week, but at the same time, you can’t perform at the very top level at every event. It’s only natural and normal to have your ups and downs, and I think that’s how it should be in a sporting career.

At our last conversation You were just on the home straight of your Bachelor’s degree. Are you going to continue along this path?

That’s right, I completed my Bachelor’s degree in International Economics in Rome in March 2025. After that, I took a year out, but I soon realised that I wanted – and needed – to use my brain somehow. I think it’s a very good balance to sport. Now I’m doing a Master’s in sustainable management. Sport is my priority at the moment, but I try to fill my free time – especially when I’m travelling – with something meaningful. That can actually be very relaxing at times. Of course, I won’t be able to complete my degree within the standard period of study, but I’m trying to finish it as efficiently as possible.

You’re a sports soldier in the Bundeswehr; Fabian Wolf followed a similar path, didn’t he? What sort of support is available in that regard?

Yes, Fabi and I did our basic training together and are very good friends. The Bundeswehr supports dual careers, which means my studies are funded and supported by the Bundeswehr. This is particularly important for us athletes, so that we have a second source of income after our sporting careers.

​Whilst this option may also be of interest to young, up-and-coming surfers, what are the requirements for receiving support from the Bundeswehr as an athlete?

You can apply via the relevant federation – in our case, the DSV. To do so, you must meet certain criteria; the federation then nominates a specific number of candidates for funding as elite athletes. If you no longer meet the criteria, you are automatically removed from the elite sport funding scheme. Like all sailors, I’m part of the Hamburg Sports Funding Group; we receive an annual renewal provided we meet the criteria.

What are your obligations in the Bundeswehr?

Everyone has to complete basic training at some point. After that, there are regular courses which last about a month. Beyond that, however, we’re actually free to train as we see fit. Our job is still to be athletes, not soldiers, but of course we have to understand the principles of military life. It’s actually quite interesting to get to know a completely different world. And you also make lots of contacts amongst the athletes there that you would never otherwise have met.

Theresa, thank you very much and good luck!