06 Oct 2013 at 19:31 | Published by: Hans | Views: 19649 | News search

Dennis Kapke playing the final in match play in Bad Münder  (Photo by Hans Bergström 2013)

Interview with Dennis Kapke (DK), Germany and SG Arheilgen

This interview was done the 6th of October 2013. Interviewer is Hans Bergström (HB).

HB: First of all congratulations to a great season of 2013 and especially the World Championship titles in Bad Münder in team and match play. Can you first of all describe how it felt standing on top of the podium as gold medalist in match play?

DK: Thank you very much Hans! It felt great, but in this moment it was unbelievable.

HB: So, can you tell our readers who is Dennis Kapke?

DK: I’ m 24 years old and I live in Frankfurt… I’m a cook who works for a private insurance company. I have played minigolf now for 10 years in the same club.

HB: How was the feeling to play at home on a big Championship?

DK: It was one of the best feelings I ever had in my “minigolf career”. Not everybody get a chance to play such a big Championship in his home country. I really appreciate it.

HB: Looking back on the team play in Bad Münder. The German was behind Sweden after the first day. Then on the second day you managed to turn this around and take the gold, what is your explanation on this comeback on day two?

DK: There is a simple explanation for. On the second day, we played the results which we played in our practice time. The first day was very disappointing.

HB: And even though you were one of the best in the team you were playing as substitute all the time in the match play. How did that feel?

DK: That was no problem for me. I didn’t feel as a substitute. We are a team who fights together, win or loose together.

HB: This was the first time that the Swedish men did not win the team gold in a Championship played on felt-eternit. Was this something that you focused on wanting to change in the German team?

DK: I want to win every year, so it’s unimportant if we play on felt- eternit or concrete- eternit. But for me it’s the second time to win on felt-eternit against the Swedish team. In 2005 in Pombal we won the Youth European Championship.

HB: And then over to the stroke play final. It was in the end a really thriller with Achim Braungart Zink, Filiph Svensson, Ulf Kristiansson and yourself in the main battle for the medals. But on the last felt lap you fell behind the others and ended up in a fourth place. Was this a big disappointment for you?

DK: Sure I was a little bit disappointed. But the pleasure about the title of my friend Achim Braungart Zink was so big that I forgot for this moment that I miss the medal places.

HB: Then in the match play finals you played some really well played matches on your way to the final. By your opinion which one of these games were the toughest?

DK: All my matches were very tough and difficult. In the match play modus you get no easy matches, everybody can win. On this day I had a good performance and a little bit of luck you need to win the title.

HB: What were your feelings in front of the final against Filiph Svensson?

DK: I didn’t think really much about the final was against Filiph. I wanted to play my best minigolf, nothing else.

HB: Can you tell us about the final with your own wordings?

DK: The final started not good for me. I lost the first lane. That was a little bit disappointing for me. But I won lane two. The rest of the final was a great fight with fewer mistakes.

On the bridge of felt I knew it would be a very important shot for me to play an ace, because this was the lane which Filiph won the matches before. After Filiph played no ace on lane 17 I couldn’t believe it that I won the Championship. It was unbelievable.

HB: Looking back on Bad Münder and your success. Which is the moment you remember the most now a month later?

DK: There are two moments I remember the whole time. The first moment is after my last shot in the team final. It was great and the first time for me to win a world championship with my team.

The second moment is after the match play final when my grandfather came to me and hugged me. He is very important for me, because he is the reason why I started playing minigolf. It was a special moment for me and also for him.

HB: Have your gold been noticed in Germany after the tournament?

DK: Yes, my friends, my colleagues and some other minigolf players in Germany were very happy about my title.

HB: Then your team mate in Arheilgen, Achim Braungart Zink won the gold in stroke play. I guess you had some celebrations coming back to the club, or?

DK: Yes, of course. Our first practice day for the first game in the Bundesliga ended with some beer ;)

HB: You had some big success as debut player in Stockholm in 2011, ending up in amongst all a individual bronze medal in stroke play. Then last year in Porto, even though the team took gold it was some disappointing results for you. Then again really great success for you this year. Do you have any explanation of this ups and downs?

DK: There is no special explanation for it. Sometimes you have good days and sometimes not. I hope I’ll have good days in the next years.

HB: Will we be seeing equally much of you in the 2014 season?

DK: I hope so. I give my best and hope to get nominated.

HB: Again a big congratulation to the World Championship titles and good luck in the future.

DK: Thank you very much.

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