FUNNEMARK Endre

General
TRAINING WITH THE DUTCH TEAM
Since December 2020 he has been training with the Dutch national team. "It has been extremely educational and interesting to gain insight into the Dutch ideology. It has given me several new experiences, and it has been a very cool journey. I have become much better technically, but I have also learned a lot about what it takes and how to think to be the best. Being able to train with those who are actually the very best has been fantastic, and it undoubtedly gives me self-confidence knowing I can sail fast among the best. Then you know that what you are doing is world class. The training collaboration with the Dutch has given me a new view on how to work smarter." He says world champion Kiran Badloe has been a particular source of inspiration. "Training with Kiran has been an incredibly educational and exciting journey, and being able to follow him in training and preparations for what will in all probability end in Olympic gold will improve my learning curve further." (seilmagasinet.no, 24 Feb 2021; seilmagasinet.no, 28 Apr 2021)

NEW CLASS
He has said he is happy to see the RS:X class being replaced by a windfoil class, the IQFoil, for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. "I think we are at the tipping point of a new era in windsurfing, both in Norway and internationally. Windsurfing has been given new life, and has received the same buzz that existed in the 1980s and 90s. We also have a major generational change in the Norwegian racing community, and we are already in the process of planning and building a strong Norwegian IQ environment, as well as international cooperation, so this seems promising." (foilsport.no, 18 Apr 2021)