Team Coastal Rowing Germany is well prepared for the World Championships in Italy. According to Sina Burmeister, coach of the German junior team, the team is well prepared. She is confident that the German team will do well in Barletta. Read here about Beach Sprint trainings and what coaches can do to prepare successful international events.

2022 was a good year for Sina’s team. At both the European Championships and the World Championships, the team was able to climb onto the podium and win medals. That should be the case again in 2023. Preparations started early, they had looked for a boat sponsor early 2023. Www.Coastal-Boats.eu provided the squad with Kanghua and RS boats.

Team Coastal Germany: Intensive preparation

The German Team decided to have an early start. First, they went to the Lake Ammersee in Bavaria with some members of the team. Focus were basic trainings, boat entry, boat exit trainings. A second camp was performed in Portugal: One week. In cooperation with the Portuguese Rowing Federation, the team trained at the beach of Oeiras. Right next to the 2021 World Cup beach.

Beach Sprint Training sessions:

Sina has split the race in several elements and did dedicated trainings with the crew. According our experience and the know how of other coastal rowing coaches, we can summerise Beach Sprint trainings in the following elements:

• Running in sandy conditions
• How to run in water
• Optimising entry and exit. There are various ways to get from the sprint into the boat and row off as quickly as possible.
• Individualisation of the boarding technique. Here everyone could find and rehearse the technique that suits them.
• Buoy trainings, slingshot trainings, 90/180 degree
• Exit techniques: It is also important to practise the right timing for the exit. 
• Beach arrival, swell and navigation trainings
• Orientation training
• Boat handler training
• Boat placement at the beach
• Wake and swell determination
• other..

Beach Sprint trainings: Team work needed

Teamwork is crucial in Beach Sprints. In addition to the people on board, the boat handlers are very important. The boat crew watches the instructions of the handlers very closely. They need to make clear, precise instructions. All instructions coming from the beach.

In addition to their function as “boat and boarding helpers”, the handlers navigate the boat through the course. They train to take the shortest possible route through the buoy course on the water.

Sina says: “The boat handlers must have the confidence to guide the rowers as close as possible to the buoys without missing them.” At the last international championships, it was easy to observe that other nations are very good at this part of the game.”

“At the European Championships in France we had good coastal conditions with a good surf wave. Anna Fischbach and Johannes were at the start in the single. The mixed double with Elisa Romer and Colin Gaugler had to re-register shortly before the start due to illness, so Mikel Mardaras Peters jumped into the boat for Colin. Unfortunately, none of the three boats was able to achieve a top ranking. We still lacked training in the right handling of the wave,” Sina continues. Like other coaches, Sina loves to plan the training in bumpy conditions. Countries like Germany, Switzerland, Austria and mainly non coastal countries do have a disadvantage. Extensive travel to coastal rowing sites are necessary.

Beach Sprint trainings in Italy: Fine tuning Team Coastal Rowing Germany:

Sina and her team are taking a lot of positive things from the races in France to the World Championships. Above all, a lot of motivation and the will to win. A defined part of the team travels to a three-day camp in Donoratico before the World Championships. Together with teams from New Zealand, the USA and Spain, they will train the finer points of the beach sprint.