Future Stars

New kid on the block and one to watch - Marc Paré

Marc Paré (99NoveNove / Simmer / Maui Ultra Fins) began the 2014 season competing in the junior’s division - where he was able to win a couple of eliminations. However, fast forward just a couple of months and the sixteen was already setting his sights much higher by attending the trials in both Klitmøller, Denmark and La Torche, France. Paré had showed plenty of potential during the junior competitions - impressing with fully planing forward and backloops, as well as takas on the wave. But was he ready for the step up into the pro division? Simply put. Yes. Paré again excelled as he advanced through the trials on both occasions and after showing such rapid progression - over a short few months - looks set for a bright future. As a potential star in the making we caught up with him for an interview, which you can read below:

PWA: At what age did you start windsurfing and what made you want to get into the sport in the first place?

MP: “I started windsurfing when I was 5 years old in Costa Brava because we were spending my childhood summers there and I saw people practicing it and I asked my parents to have some lessons. My first 5 years of windsurfing I was only sailing on my summer holidays but when I was 11 years old my father bought a van and we started windsurfing all the year and started to do some competitions. Since then windsurfing has become my life and I really want to keep training, pushing hard and travelling.”

PWA: Your home spot is near Costa Brava? But you excel in the waves... that can't be the easiest place to learn to wave sail, so where do you normally sail?

MP: “For me it’s really hard to train wave sailing as there are just a few days at home with wind and waves (in a spot called Pals) and I nearly always train slalom. I’ve been spending some time in Pozo the last summers and this has helped me a lot, but after watching my progression during the last summer and how the PWA competitions worked out I have decided to focus on my wave riding and start travelling and training hard.”

PWA: You managed to win a round of the junior contests in both Pozo and Tenerife, how did that feel?

MP: “I felt really happy as I hadn’t trained my wave sailing much and this motivated me a lot.”

PWA: You then attended the events in Klitmoller and La Torche and successfully qualified through to the main draw... Has that given you even more motivation to train and push your level?

MP: “For sure this has been a big motivation! I went through the trials in Klitmoller and La Torche and that gave me “the push” to start travelling and training a lot.”

PWA: What moves are you currently working on?

MP: “I’m currently working on the tweaked pushloops, stalled forwards, some double forwards (but still a long journey to go hahaha), goiter, backside 360 and wave 360. I think it’s really important to have all those moves to do good in the competitions.”

PWA: Do you enjoy the competition side of windsurfing?

MP: “Yes, for sure! I like a lot to compete otherwise I wouldn’t do it. I love the adrenaline and the pressure that I have when I’m competing and the great feeling I have when things work out well!”

PWA: You recently went to Cape Town, how did you find it?

MP: “It was absolutely amazing! For me it was like a dream to go to SA, as I always wanted to go there. Training there helped me a lot to improve my wave riding and a bit of jumping too. I really loved it and for sure will come back next year.”  

PWA: Whilst, you were there you won a slalom event - are you also focused on slalom?

MP: “I’m also focused on Slalom (as I have trained slalom since I started) and I’m the u17 Slalom World Champion for 2014. I love wave and slalom, and I’m planning to do the full PWA Wave World Tour and some slalom events too.”

PWA: How are you finding your new boards from 99NoveNove?

MP: “I’m really happy with my transfer to 99! The boards are working really good: they’re fast, easy and have a lot of control. Gianni Valdambrini is a really good shaper and knows how to do super boards; I’m really excited to have the opportunity to work with him!”

PWA: Outside of windsurfing what do you like to get up to?

MP: “I like to go cycling, running and training in my free time to feel good and be ready. I also like to hook up with my friends and go to the cinema (I love movies).”

PWA: Over the coming years what are your goals? 

MP: “I want to keep training super hard to be a top rider and reach the top 10 in PWA Wave and have great results in slalom and more important than that, to be happy, to enjoy the life and to be dedicated to what I’m doing!!!”

PWA: Great, thanks Marc and good luck over the coming year.

If you’d like to keep track of Marc Pare’s progress and latest news then be sure to ‘like’ his Facebook Fan page, which can be found here.