Youth World Champion

Nicole Bandini sets her sights on breaking into the top 5 after best season so far

Nicole Bandini (Fanatic / NorthSails) made her debut on the PWA Wave World Tour in 2014 and has steadily improved her results on the world tour. This year the young Italian recorded her best result so far after finishing seventh in Tenerife. Bandini completes 2016 in eleventh place overall, but more importantly her hard work and training continue to pay off as she also ends the year a the Women’s PWA Youth Wave World Champion. Now the 18-year-old harbours aspirations of breaking into the overall top five and we recently caught up with her for an interview.

PWA: Hey Nicole, firstly congratulations on being crowned the PWA Youth Wave World Champion. How does that feel?

NB: “Yeah thanks! It's amazing to be the youth champion, and this year was super because finally another young girl was competing on the tour, now I just have to be focused for my next goals in the women’s competitions, where the level is increasing every year.”

PWA: How long have you been windsurfing? And when did you start wavesailing?

NB: “I’ve been windsurfing since I was 6 years old, just sometimes during the summer like a game; each summer it fascinated me more. I’ve always loved the waves, although being in Italy it was hard to find the right conditions. South Africa was the place that made me understand I wanted to be a waverider.” 

PWA: Who do you look up to in the sport?

NB: “My dad, I grew up watching him windsurfing and that’s where my passion for windsurfing comes from.”

PWA: Favourite move?

NB: “I really like all the moves, but I love to try to land a stalled forward loop.”

PWA: Moves you are currently working on? And what move would you like to be able to land the most?

NB: “I still have to work on stalled forwards but I’m also quite focused on learning pushloops and backloops. At the moment I can land some backloops but I would like to land them without a problem and in full control.”

PWA: Move that you found most difficult to learn?

NB:  “Uff.. I think forward loops, but also backloops are challenging for me.”

PWA: What are your winter plans?

NB: “First I’m going to South Africa in 1 week and I stay there for 1 month like every year; when I come back I’ll have to be focused on my last year of studying; All my travels depend on my school schedule but I’ll keep training here in Tenerife.”  

PWA: Aims for next season and in the future?

NB: “My aims are to be able to compete at all the PWA competitions. Regarding my training, I would like to land moves in the waves and to land backloops and stalled forward loops during my heats, which will hopefully help me break into the top 5. 


I would like to thank all my sponsors for supporting me, my coach Marco Basilli (MEP).”

PWA: Thanks, Nicole.