Welcome to our new feature, "We Talk Weed," where we introduce inspiring personalities who enrich the worlds of sports, medicine, science, and culture. From cannabis industry pioneers and music icons to inspiring athletes, we talk to people who are redefining boundaries and discuss their relationship with cannabis. To kick things off, we welcome Christoph and Florian Lechner: two brothers and professional snowboarders who consider the slopes their second home. As both team and competitors, they offer fascinating insights into their lives on and off the slopes—and share their perspectives on the role of cannabis in sports.
How did the Tegernsee mountains inspire your sporting career?
We are both incredibly lucky to have grown up in a region with excellent opportunities for winter and summer sports. Thanks to our sports-loving parents, we were introduced to snowboarding, skiing, and biking at a very young age. Even back then, we traveled extensively to competitions in various sports; we were always competitive.
What values and motivation do you share as brothers in sports?
We both have a similar riding style and are working on similar tricks. Seeing each other's progress is definitely motivating. We always have a good time during our training sessions and celebrate our successes together.
In sports, is it more brotherly hatred or brotherly love? Is there a sporting rivalry between you, or do you support each other?
In sports, we have more of a brotherly bond. We always get along great on the mountain. We often film each other and love giving each other tips. Of course, in competitions, our goal is to achieve a good result and perform better than the other. But that actually motivates us both even more for the competition.
Which moment in your career is particularly important to you? Was there a point when you realized you had arrived in professional sports?
Flo: For me, the most important moment was winning the overall European Cup. That's when I realized I had arrived in professional sports and that my biggest dream is to participate in the Olympic Games.
Christoph: For me, one of the most formative moments was when I was able to go to the Youth Olympic Games in Lillehammer in 2016. At 15, I was the youngest participant in the entire event. I competed in the halfpipe and slopestyle disciplines. It was a really cool experience to compete with the best young athletes. From then on, it was my biggest dream to participate in the Olympic Games.
What motivates you to continue year after year?
The biggest motivation for daily training is, of course, the Olympic Games. Another important aspect is progressing in riding the halfpipe and learning new tricks.
When did you first come into contact with cannabis?
We actually only came into contact with cannabis for the first time this spring through the company Marry Jane. Their warming and cooling gels are simply significantly different, better than anything else on the market, and it was the first time we had the opportunity to use the positive effects of cannabis for our post-workout recovery.
Is cannabis compatible with your sport?
Traditional consumption remains problematic. During competition phases, the NADA (National Anti-Doping Agency) prohibits all types of cannabis products.
However, in our opinion and experience, CBD gels and oils are very beneficial for regeneration after a hard training session. They ensure faster muscle recovery and also promote the healing process in case of injuries.
What is your opinion on the legalization of cannabis?
We see the legalization of cannabis as positive, especially for us because it will make it much easier and more efficient to work with cannabis products in sports in the future.
