A sailing sensation at the age of 15, visiting Kaiser student Magnus Frohamm is already an international sports star with first place titles in the youth division of two World Cups.
Frohamm grew up in a small town in Germany. He entered the world of competitive sailing at 10, crediting his family who encouraged him to take up the sport. “Everyone in my family is a sailor, so when I was 10, they would take me out sailing every week,” Frohamm said. From there, he traveled all over the world for sailing regattas (competitions).
Frohamm made his mark on the world of competitive sailing in 2015 with his first place win at the European World Open Bic Championship. He cites this competition as his proudest accomplishment. “My [13-year-old] brother and I sailed together. We currently are the youngest team in Europe and in the whole world, in fact. Most people who win regattas are 18 or 19, but we managed to keep up with the others, so it’s kind of nice seeing that you can win even when you’re younger,” Frohamm said. Two years later, the brothers went on to win 2017’s Vice World Champion Open Bic.
In order to keep up with his older competition, Frohamm trains every weekend. “We travel two hours to the Netherlands to train: one session in the morning and one in the afternoon. Each is about three hours on the water,” he said. In his free time, Frohamm trains for triathlons and practices karate. “Sailing is very demanding. You have to be mentally and physically strong. You always have to think about where the wind is coming from and its intensity. Then, you have to push back against the wind with your sail to make sure you stay on course,” he said.
Although Frohamm’s training is rigorous, he still dedicates a large part of his day to his studies. His favorite subject to study is physics. However, Frohamm aspires to become an international diplomat. Through his sailing regattas, he has met people from almost every country. “That’s the main reason why I do these competitions. I love the sport too, but I like experiencing all of the different cultures just as much,” Frohamm said. Because of his travels, he is able to speak four different languages, including Dutch, English, German, and French.
With two international titles to his name, Frohamm sets his sights on becoming an Olympic sailor. “I feel at home on the water, so it would be amazing to represent my country and show everyone that this is what I was meant to do,” he said.
As an aspiring Olympian, Frohamm is always looking for places to train. When a fellow sailor invited him to stay in Hawaii, he eagerly accepted. “Here is actually one of the best places I’ve visited. The climate is nice. The wind is really good and you can sail whenever you want to,” Frohamm said.
Although his two-and-a-half month stay at Kaiser is nearing its end, the young sailor is always looking towards the future. He spends most of his time on the water, preparing for this year’s World Cup in Italy. “It’s pretty cool,” he said.
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