Interview with John Skye

Newcomer to the PWA freestyle tour, John Skye scored excellent results in Gran Canaria (6th) and Fuerteventura (4th) and as a result is up in the number two slot in the overall rankings.

Newcomer to the PWA freestyle tour, John Skye scored excellent results in Gran Canaria (6th) and Fuerteventura (4th) and as a result is up in the number two slot in the overall rankings. We caught up with him on his way back to the UK for the following short interview:


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Q: How are you feeling after the PWA Canaries tour?



JS: Shocked is the best word to describe it. I totally didn’t expect to do well; my aim when I arrived in Gran Canaria was just try to make the top 16. So after getting 6th there I was stoked. To follow it here in Fuerteventura with a 4th and end up 2nd is just unbelievable.



Q: What does it feel like to be second overall in the world?



JS: I still can’t believe it; I don’t think it has sunk in yet. Every now and again I kind of think about it and a big grin comes on my face, I am very happy.



Q: Did you train hard prior to the event?


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JS: Yes, very hard. I spent a month in Maui in May, living with Kauli and Konan. It was really good, freestyle sailing everyday with them and also Ricardo, we had so much fun on the water. When you sail with people who have as much talent as them it really pushes you to improve. Then the week before Pozo my coach, Jem Hall, came out and we worked hard to improve my sailing particularly for the contests. It seemed to work pretty well!!!!!



Q: What are the key moves which got you through your heats?



JS: The flaka or Swayzie was my best move; I think it pulled me through quite a few heats. Other than that I did well by doing things both ways. There are few people who do everything going out and coming in so this was my biggest advantage.


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Q: So I guess that means you will be competing in Canada?



JS: Yeah I guess I have to!!!!! I wasn’t planning on going as it will be quite an expensive event, but now I will have to. The conditions are very varied so it will be really interesting to see who comes out on top. I will certainly be going there to win, I have never been more motivated!!!



Q: Who would you like to thank?



JS: There are so many people who have been really good to me along the way. White boarders have been supporting me for the last few years with excellent F2, Arrows and North shore equipment and without them I probably wouldn’t be windsurfing. Team Fakefish, Jem Hall, O’Neill wetsuits, Solent sailboards, Chiemsee are also all great to me. And of course my parents and Leila.



The most thanks has to go to all the friends that have made windsurfing so much fun over the last few years. I have sailed with so many cool people and they are the reason for wanting to sail all the time. Without them it would not be the same.



Q: Do you think you can make the number one slot?



It’s going to be very difficult this year. Ricardo is along way ahead and I would have to win at Canada and him to finish worse than 7th I think. That’s pretty unlikely the way he is sailing. Next year, who knows? I will certainly be training very hard and might even hire a hit man to take Ricardo out!!!!

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