Interview
Hawaii medalist Philipp hopes for cake at the finish
Triathlete Laura Philipp in Hamburg. photo
© Georg Wendt/dpa
Laura Philipp wants to be there when the top favorites go wrong. She is also one of the best in the Ironman herself. She didn’t learn to swim until she was 24. In a dpa interview, she explains why.
Laura Philipp can afford it. A piece of cake a day is a must. She burns plenty of calories.
In Hawaii she will fight for a World Cup medal this Thursday (start: 6:25 p.m. CET/ZDF live stream from 6:15 p.m.) if everything goes well. 3.86 km swim, 180.2 km bike ride and 42.2 km run.
This year, she completed the distance faster than any woman at an Ironman before. In an interview with the German Press Agency, the future TSG 1899 Hoffenheim athlete also talks regarding her passion for cake, football and triathlon.
Question: Your motto is: Faster with cake: where does the daily appetite for a piece come from?Answer: I was born with it. My parents, especially my mother, are also cake lovers. And so it is actually a tradition in our family that there is always a cake. And although there are only four of us, a whole cake, no matter what it is, usually doesn’t last longer than a day. And yes, thankfully none of us have weight issues, so we’re fortunate to be able to treat ourselves every day.Question: Let’s say you win the title. What ideal reward would there be as a cake followingwards?Answer: I’m actually waiting for the race, where I’ll be given a cake if I win on the finish line or behind it. It would definitely be terrific. I would like either a Carrot or a Hummingbird Cake.Question: You’re competing for fourth place in the 2019 edition, world record holder in Ironman and 70.3 Ironman, and many other accomplishments. How realistic is a win in Hawaii? Answer: There’s so much that has to come together that it’s hard to say how realistic that is. I think I’m now one of the best at the Ironman distance. And if everything comes together for me and my body can cope with the heat that day, then that’s okay. But of course, in no other race is the competition as high. And I wouldn’t see myself as the top favorite for victory here. But I’ll be there if one of the top favorites has a bad day. Question: You’re not the only German professional athlete. Can there be synergies along the way and that you can benefit from each other?Answer: Of course it would be nice if synergies were created not only with the German athletes, but also with other athletes in general. For me, that would not only apply to cycling, but also to swimming. Having a good group there would be great to just lose a little time on the top. But that is difficult to plan. There will also be no collusion. So I have to hope that certain things will come up in the race and that I will instinctively react well to the situation. Question: Such a long race always has difficult moments. Added to this are the climatic conditions. Is there anything before the race that you’re really terrified of? Answer: I think everything that can make an Ironman difficult, which is already difficult, comes together here in Hawaii. The heat, the humidity, wind and mountains and of course a top-class starting field. So you can say that the race here is the hardest in the world that we triathletes can conquer. And I try to prepare as best I can, but I also know that a lot can go wrong here on a bad day. Question: Did your cancellation at the World Cup in Utah because of Corona make you greedy – or let’s say a little more moderately – your desire for Hawaii and increased a success once more?Answer: Of course. I think I almost mightn’t have picked a ‘better’ year to miss the race. The chance to compete twice in a World Cup in one year will probably not exist once more in the future. And even though I would have loved to have taken the opportunity to try out a World Championships on a different course, I am extremely happy that I have the chance here in October. Question: Why did you actually only learn to swim when you were 24? At least that’s what it says on their homepage. Answer: Yes, that’s a good question. I would like to pass this on to my parents. They would probably say the kid didn’t want to go in the water. And you had to beat her in the bathtub. No, kidding aside. Where I grew up, there was no swimming pool close by. There was no swimming club, and I didn’t have any friends who swam in any way. That’s why it somehow didn’t work out and that’s why it took a few years before I even had the idea that it would be nice to learn to swim. Question: How do you assess the fact that professional women and Professional men compete separately this year, but also next year?Answer: Basically, I think it’s positive if we women get our own race, that creates a much fairer course of the race. Of course, this also gives us more media attention. Nevertheless, I am very excited to see how this will work out here in Hawaii. Logistically, it is certainly a big challenge to have such a big race in such a small place take place on two consecutive days. I also think it’s courageous to have already set it that way for next year. I would have tried it maybe a year from now.
Question: You sometimes train at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and will also start for the club in the future. Do the footballers look at you strangely when they go through their program?Answer: At first there isn’t really much contact with the professional footballers. The sports are also extremely different. But I have a lot of respect for the performance that the boys bring. I think they think the same of me. It’s something completely different from what I do.
Question: Will there be a piece of cake before the start?Answer: I’d rather eat porridge than a piece of cake. But as I said, I’m hoping for a whole cake at the finish line.
About the person: Laura Philipp is 35 years old and comes from Heidelberg. She had to cancel her start at the catch-up World Cup in May because of a corona infection. In Hamburg she then finished at the European Championships in 8:18:20 hours – a record.
