13 Oct 2013 at 18:01 | Published by: Hans | Views: 20076 | News search

Bianca Zodrow playing in Bad Münder.  (Photo by Hans Bergström 2013)

Interview with Bianca Zodrow (BZ), Germany and Göttingen

This interview was done the 13th of October 2013. Interviewer is Hans Bergström (HB).

HB: First of all congratulations to a great season of 2013 and the World Championship title in Bad Münder in team and stroke play.

Maybe you can start to tell us about your thoughts of playing in front of the home audience again after ten years in Bad Münder?

BZ: It was really an unbelievable great feeling playing in front of our audience, a lot of minigolf players itself, friends and family. I absolutely enjoyed it and it gave me a good feeling. I appreciated it.

HB: If you compare the 2003 and 2013 tournaments what can you say as was the major differences between them?

BZ: The age of all of us :-). Much more determination in our behavior, the strong will to win again (woman) and to get a great revenge (men). Unfortunately two very important lovely people of mine were not there anymore. My lovely grandma, died on 01.01.2013 and Potter :-(.

HB: Looking back on the team play in Bad Münder. The German team had a not so good first day (on silver position 6 strokes behind Austria). What was the feeling in the team after the first day and how did you managed to find the next level of play for the final day?

BZ: On our last training day we played very bad, so it was not any big surprise for me that we need some time to acclimatize. Nevertheless I don't like the feeling being not on top ;-).

So I try to give my very best the next day by motivating my teammates and furthermore play good minigolf to give them safety. In addition we have a fabulous men team, who helped us.

HB: This year it was almost a new German ladies team compared to the last years. How was it to be the by far most experienced member of the team playing with quite much younger girls?

BZ: They call me "mum", sometimes. Unbelievable for me, I mean, hey, I'm 33. It is not so old, is it? Sometimes this was not so easy to handle. But most of the time funny and...I often got lots of authority, :-). But serious, I have often thought about my first year playing for the adult national team in Porto 1998.

HB: And then Friday came and the stroke play finals. This time it was a close battle and in the end you won with only one stroke. Can you tell us about your feelings from this Friday?

BZ: I just want to play good minigolf. The first time I thought about the opportunity to win was in the last round.

And at that moment I directly thought about my bad play one year ago in Porto, where I, leading, have "lost" the stroke play final. This lasted until lane 13 before I got rid of these bad thoughts.

The rest is history ;-).

HB: You are one of the most merited female players in the Minigolf World Championships history, probably the most merited of all. If I checked correctly you have gold 99, 03 and 13 in stroke play and 11 in Match play. Also you have silver in stroke play from 05 and 11 and silver in match play 07. On top of that many team gold’s. Do you have any favourite moment of all this merits?

BZ: Every title is unique and unforgettable for me. But the most wonderful thoughts I have on my first title in 1999 and the team title, after sudden death with the Netherlands.

And, also unforgettable as well, is the title in 2011 after a great fight with Eva.

HB: Then you lost in the first match in the match play against Evelyn Haberl, who then went on to win the gold. Can you tell us your feelings from this match?

BZ: Totally empty in mind and disappointed. Of course I want to win and thought that I will do, of course. But Evelyn played good, so I had to accept that.

HB: Last week was the European Cup where your club Göttingen was defend the title from last year, but this time without you in the line-up. How was this feeling not being part for a change?

BZ: The EC is one of the most important tournaments for me. It is not for granted that you can participate in the EC because we have strong opposing teams in Germany. Playing there with my home team makes me happy and very proud.

The fact that I could not play due to a course I have to participate in was a horror trip for me. You cannot imagine how often I updated the online results.

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

BZ: I hope even more ;-). I'm really looking forward to Neutraubling and, perhaps, Schriesheim :-)

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

BZ: Thanks a lot. Wish you the same. All the best to all readers and a merry Christmas, a happy New Year and lots of health!

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