SCHOPF Jacob

General
CHANGING HIS STYLE
In early 2019 his coaches suggested that he needed to change his technique to reach his full potential. "They said to me that my strength and endurance were there, but I wouldn't get much faster if I didn't adjust my technique. Some used to call my old style the 'bicep technique'. Now I'm trying to paddle more on the rotation, with my entire upper body." (archiv.berliner-zeitung.de, 02 Aug 2019; morgenpost.de, 29 May 2019)

K2 PARTNER
He races with Max Hoff in the K2 boat, which German officials have nicknamed the 'Generation Boat' because Hoff is 17 years older than Schopf. "I watched [Hoff] compete at the 2016 Olympic Games and in the same year I was competing in the junior world championships. I never believed that four years later I would be competing with him at the Olympics. The age gap is there theoretically. But in practice, I don't notice it that often. Max is still young in the head, but he has a lot of experience, and he is extremely persistent when we race. I am the young 'wild one', bringing youthful energy and 'lightness' to the boat." (Planet Canoe Facebook page, 25 Aug 2019; tagesspiegel.de, 02 Aug 2019; archiv.berliner-zeitung.de, 02 Aug 2019)

FURTHER EDUCATION
In 2020 he began studying at the University of Potsdam in Germany, having started his courses in geography, sports studies, and teaching at the Humboldt University of Berlin. The move coincided with him switching training bases to Potsdam. (kcpotsdam.de, 20 Nov 2020)