RETURNING WITH A BANG

From the event that inspired him to wavesail, to being crowned the champion of one of the most prestigious events in windsurfing history

Having not competed on the PWA World Tour since 2007, Levi Siver (Quatro / Goya Windsurfing / MFC) made the perfect return during the JP Aloha Classic. The American, who has long been considered one of the best sailors in the world due to his free flowing, radical wave riding style blew the rest of the competition away to storm his first ever victory on the PWA World Tour. Siver’s victory also ensures that his name will go down in windsurfing history as one of the few prestigious winners of an Aloha Classic, whilst also proving that he is the true King of his own backyard - Ho’okipa Beach Park. After capturing the title of one of the most prestigious events in windsurfing history, we caught up with Levi. Read the interview below:

PWA: Hi Levi, Congratulations on your victory again. You had to wait a long time on the beach during the double elimination, how were you feeling ahead of your heat?

LS: “There's good points and there's some pressure points sitting in that hot seat. The advantage of having two chances to win the final is huge but then you don't have the momentum that you have going through heats warming up and getting tuned in.  They gave us 12 minutes before they started that final heat and I'm happy I took advantage of that time to feel through a few waves.”  

PWA: You are now one of the few sailors who have claimed an Aloha Classic, how are you feeling?

LS: “That's the event that got me into wavesailing and to finally win it feels amazing!  You never know when you'll get another chance at something like that and I know deep down I really needed this.”  

PWA: Sailing looked very tricky during the final, how did you find it? And what gear were you on?

LS: I was tempted to take some different gear, but I knew that set up I had in the first elimination was working really good for me and I just stuck with it. (Quatro thruster Pyramind and 5.0 Banzai)”.

PWA: Did you have a set plan for the final?

LS: “I wanted to flow with the ride and do turns and tweaked airs and if some sections opened up right I was gonna try and put a 360 or something in there but there was only a few nice waves that came through in that heat.  I saw the wind going more off shore and I wasn't gonna force any tricks unless the section allowed it.  That was the approach I had in the first elimination and I didn't want to deviate from it.”  

PWA: How did you celebrate your victory?

LS: “We all went out to Caitlin's dad's house in Haiku and had a nice gathering.  It was just a nice Hawaii style BBQ with friends but there was some champagne antics inside the house for sure lol.”  

PWA: This was your first PWA event for a number of years…could the taste of victory tempt you to sail in more events in the future?

LS: “I know what Brawzino did to win that world title and it was pure dedication. Not taking away from the onshore events I just don't have that passion to try and go against guys like Koester.  I love traveling and filming in new locations and picking select events that would be my perfect world!”

PWA: Finally, how will you be spending your winter?

LS: “Home base here on Maui then Marshall Islands and Cape Verde.  I get goosebumps thinking of that lineup.  If you can justify a windsurf trip while getting some barrels surfing on the side that's bliss!”

PWA: Thanks for your time Levi and congratulations once more. We hope you have a great winter.

To keep up to date with all of Levi Siver’s incredible latest adventures be sure to ‘like’ his Facebook Fan page here. Alternatively also follow him via his website here.