{"id":68115,"date":"2026-04-24T11:33:50","date_gmt":"2026-04-24T09:33:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sea-help.eu\/news-general\/erik-kosegarten-heil-sailing-regatta\/"},"modified":"2026-04-24T11:33:50","modified_gmt":"2026-04-24T09:33:50","slug":"erik-kosegarten-heil-sailing-regatta","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sea-help.eu\/en\/this-that\/erik-kosegarten-heil-sailing-regatta\/","title":{"rendered":"Fit for the upcoming sailing season: <\/span><\/span>How SailGP athlete Erik Kosegarten-Heil prepares for sailing regattas"},"content":{"rendered":"

When boats come out of winter storage in spring, the season begins for water sports enthusiasts. But while decks are still being scrubbed in local waters, the Germany SailGP Team<\/a> is already preparing for the fifth event of the season in Hamilton, Bermuda (May 9\u201310). For driver Erik Kosegarten-Heil, Rio (Enel Rio Sail Grand Prix, 4th event of the 2026 season in April) was a special place: in 2016 he won Olympic bronze here in the 49er \u2013 ten years later he returned with the Germany SailGP Team, secured a race win in Race 4 and finished 6th in Rio. The team currently sits in 8th place overall. With this momentum, they now move on to Hamilton, Bermuda.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Currently, SailGP in Bermuda is all about maximum precision at high speed. To safely steer the F50 catamaran through the Great Sound at speeds of up to 100 km\/h, Kosegarten-Heil relies on a holistic training approach that goes beyond strength training.<\/p>\n

\u201cSince my bronze medal in 2016, the sport has evolved tremendously in terms of technology,\u201d<\/em> explains Erik Kosegarten-Heil. \u201cYou can compare it to skiing. Anyone who hits the slopes untrained risks injury. Anyone who steps onto an F50 untrained loses control. We need top-level coordination, communication and concentration that don\u2019t fade even under maximum stress.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Erik\u2019s personal top 4 tips for experienced sailors and ambitious racing crews alike to start the new racing season fit and focused:<\/p>\n

1. Cold shock for focus<\/h2>\n

Erik often starts the day with an ice bath. What is part of recovery for professional athletes is the ultimate wake-up call in lifestyle terms. Erik Kosegarten-Heil: \u201cAn ice bath resets your focus. It\u2019s about teaching your body to breathe calmly even under extreme stress. That helps me later in races when things get hectic on the water.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

2. \u201cNeuro-drills\u201d instead of just weights<\/h2>\n

Sailing at this level is like playing chess at 100 km\/h: the team uses exercises that combine reaction and coordination, such as catching balls in unstable positions. Erik Kosegarten-Heil: \u201cPure muscle building is useless to us if the brain doesn\u2019t react fast enough. We train hand-eye coordination under load. Anyone can integrate that\u2014brushing their teeth on one leg or juggling, for example.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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\"SailGP<\/a>
\u00a9 Sail GP Germany<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n