How Olympic Sailor Line Flem Høst Turned Team Rejection into Olympic Glory
An Interview with Line Flem Høst By Ollimono Magazine | 15th August 2025
Sailing has been in the life of the Olympic sailor, Line Flem Høst, quite literally from the very beginning: her parents spent their maternity leave on an old wooden sailboat in the Mediterranean.
She grew up on boats and raced in the Optimist class at the age of eight! “I still remember the first time I was alone in the small dingy, … the feeling of handling the boat all by myself. It felt natural” she says. That sense of freedom has stayed with her through world championships, Olympic campaigns, and the quiet moments in between.
Even after winning bronze in the ILCA 6 class at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Line is still learning, still curious, still finding ways to grow, both on the water and off it. She recently completed her master’s degree in marine hydrodynamics, a challenge she juggled alongside two Olympic cycles. “The academic side has given me a different understanding of the ocean,” she reflects, “but it hasn’t changed the fact that being in a dinghy, feeling the waves and wind, still brings me a lot of joy.”
“Solitude is something I can carry, not something I have to carry alone”
Sailing can look solitary from the shore. Line is the picture of control and focus on the water, but she doesn’t see herself as entirely alone. “When you’re out there alone, there’s no one to lean on and no one to blame. You have to take full responsibility,” she explains. Yet the hours spent solo are supported by years of collaboration. Her coach and training partners provide challenge, insight, and encouragement. The result is a paradox: the sport is both intensely individual and deeply collaborative.
“The Norwegian sports model focuses on sharing knowledge rather than keeping it to yourself. We’re encouraged to support each other, even when we’re direct competitors. I grew up in a system where helping others improve is seen as a way to raise the whole level. That mindset has stayed with me, both on and off the water.”
That duality is something she’s come to embrace. “Even if the racing is individual, the process is very much a team effort,” she says. “That support system makes the solitude on the water something I can carry, not something I have to carry alone.”
Winning mindset, routine & preparation
Olympic sailor, Line, doesn’t go after pressure, but she admits that she thrives in it. “When the stakes are high, I often get sharper and more present”. Race day focus is both practical and ritualized. She listens to a “championship” playlist she has carried since 2013. Six songs, four the same every time, are enough to set the tone. After that, she keeps things light, joking with friends and teammates before heading onto the water. “I perform best when I’m relaxed and having fun,” she says.
“Sailing has taught me that you cannot control everything, and that trying to, often does more harm than good. I have learned to focus on what I can control, like my mindset, my preparation and my decisions, and let go of the rest.”
Her approach extends to everyday life. She isn’t a morning person. Coffee first, then movement, then focus. She jokes that her morning routine is the least “high-performance thing” about her. She reserves energy for the moments that demand it, whether on the water or in the gym, in biking (her training routine has a lot of cycling involved), skiing, or mobility sessions.
“I was taken off the national team”
High-level Olympic sailing is physically and mentally demanding. Line Flem Høst describes racing as a full-body effort: hiking out, controlling the boat, reading the environment, making split-second decisions. She’s faced setbacks, too. In 2017, she was removed from the national team. The federation didn’t want to prioritize her class anymore. “It felt like the ground disappeared under me,” she recalls. But support from key people helped her persevere. Less than a year later, she proved her place once more. “That experience taught me a lot about persistence, and about how important it is to have people around you who see your potential,” she says.
Even with triumphs like her Olympic bronze, Line remains grounded. She never feels mentally afraid on the water, though nature’s raw power can spark physical fear. Between seasons and goals, she finds space to reconnect with herself and the world beyond sailing. Skiing, hiking, hosting friends, cooking (her secret power) and quiet evenings at home are all part of her rhythm.
Balancing an Olympic campaign and a master’s degree
Balancing an Olympic campaign with a master’s degree in naval engineering is a personal achievement Line Flem Høst cherishes deeply. She recently completed her thesis, Quay-Based Heavy Maintenance on a Floating Offshore Wind Turbine, a technical project exploring how floating wind platforms behave when brought close to shore for quayside maintenance. Managing rigorous training, international competitions, and academic deadlines required discipline, focus, and careful time management. “It took a lot of support from the people around me, and I’m really proud that I managed to stay true to both goals,” she reflects.
Like Lara Vadlau, another Olympic sailor that we’ve covered at OLLIMONO, who balanced an Olympic medal with completing her doctoral studies, Line has shown that dedication to sport and academics can go hand in hand.
For now, she’s putting full-time academia aside, but she plans to continue contributing to the field as a naval engineer, alongside coaching and preparing for the next Olympic cycle. This balance, she says, is one of her proudest achievements because it proves she can pursue multiple passions without compromising either.
Her high-performance life is intentional. “It is about being intentional with your time and energy. Knowing what you are working toward and building your days around that. Doing things for a reason, and giving it your all. But also knowing when to rest, laugh and reset,” she says.
“Because I love sailing”
Even with all she has achieved, the draw of the water remains. Line wants to continue sailing, sometimes for pleasure, sometimes for fun racing. The sport isn’t just about medals; it is where she feels present, free, and most herself.
Her values are clear. Honesty, openness, energy, and laughter matter more than results. Her mother, a doctor, remains her role model, embodying strength, kindness, and balance in everyday life.
Line wants to be remembered not for taking herself too seriously, but for the energy she brought, the connections she fostered, and the joy she shared along the way. And above all, she hopes her story shows that pursuing excellence doesn’t mean losing yourself, that it’s possible to chase ambition while staying grounded, curious, and fully alive.