Tamar Steinberg Crowned World Champion in Dominant Israeli Windsurfing Performance
Tamar Steinberg has won the women's iQFoil Olympic class world championship in Weymouth, England, in a remarkable display of Israeli dominance. Steinberg, who recently celebrated her 20th birthday, edged out fellow Israeli Sharon Kantor in a close final race, with Daniela Peleg securing fourth place. This victory adds the world title to Steinberg's European championship title from earlier in the year, capping a dream season.
The strong Israeli showing, with three of the top four spots, highlights the success of the national team built by Shachar Tzuberi. Steinberg's win was particularly poignant as she competed on the same course where Israeli sailing legend Lee Korzits finished sixth in the 2012 Olympics while battling a rare blood disease. Steinberg watched that event as a child and now stood on the podium herself, hearing "Hatikva" played in her honor.
Steinberg, the daughter of renowned Olympic coach Gur Steinberg, who trained Olympic medalists like Gal Fridman and Shachar Tzuberi, is coached by Tzuberi himself. Despite her world-class achievements, she remains a soldier in the Israeli Navy, set to be discharged in two months, and currently lacks an agent or active social media presence. Her primary focus is securing a gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympics.
In an interview, Steinberg downplayed the significance of competing against close friends like Kantor, describing the final race as highly tactical, akin to a training session. She admitted to feeling pressure during the race but ultimately found the winning strategy. She also expressed a desire for internal satisfaction over external fame, noting her modest social media following and lack of interest in reality television.
Steinberg attributes her success to superior physical fitness, technical skill, and a strong mental game, particularly in challenging conditions. She also credits the supportive professional environment and the intense internal competition within the Israeli team, which she believes drives all members to improve. Despite the political climate, she stated that international competitors respect the Israeli team's achievements, and she proudly represents Israel, even using any negativity as motivation.
