Aiming High
Ethan Westera (JP / GA Sails) is one of the youngest slalom sailors on the PWA World Tour. Westera reigns from Aruba and has already showed plenty of potential after his first couple of year’s on your. The now 18 year old has qualified for several quarter and semifinals and has shown he is more than capable of battling it out against his much more experienced competitors and idols. As one of the most promising emerging talents we caught up with Ethan to learn a bit more about him”
PWA: Hey Ethan, firstly can you tell us a little bit about yourself… where your from, how old you are, what you enjoy?
EW: “Hi, I’m from a beautiful island called Aruba and I still live here. I have been windsurfing for 9 years and I still love it. Now I’m 18 years old and I enjoy staying active with sports.”
PWA: What first made you want to get into windsurfing and how long have you been sailing?
EW: “I don’t really know.I tried it once and I didn’t really like it, so I stopped for some years. After a few years my friends were doing it again, so I started windsurfing again and then I got HOOKED! Time goes by really fast. It has been 9 years already that I have been windsurfing.”
PWA: Who has been you biggest influence on your sailing?
EW: “My biggest in my early days of windsurfing was my father. He taught me so much! I wouldn’t be where I am now without him. My father will always be an influence for me on my sailing. Thanks Dad! My biggest influence now is for sure some of the big named windsurfers... Especially some team riders and friends on tour.”
PWA: What would you be doing if you weren’t windsurfing?
EW: “I would be doing something for my studies, hitting the gym, studying windsurfing (If that exists), doing some activities at the beach and of course some relaxing.”
PWA: Where is your favourite place to windsurf and why?
EW: “Favourite place for windsurfing... I need to say my home spot on Aruba Fisherman’s Huts, because this place is always windy. You can ALWAYS windsurf when you’re there. It can be a bit gusty sometimes, but it’s still one of the best places to windsurf in the world.”
PWA: What is your favourite move, or favourite aspect of sailing and why?
EW: “I love windsurfing because it gives me freedom this freedom feeds me with energy to stay positive and work for my dreams. What’s better than cruising over crystal blue water with sun, wind and turtles?”
PWA: What move did you find the hardest to learn, and what aspect of racing do you think is the most difficult and why?
EW: “The hardest move to learn was/is the Kabikuchi. Only landed this move 3 times in my life I will be putting the work in for this move.
Racing is a totally different kind of discipline. I don’t know what would be the most difficult aspect of racing, because everything is pretty damn difficult... Being consistent, trimming your gear, learning strategies, starts, gybing and last but not least having NO fear... What would you choose? hahaha.”
PWA: You are one of the youngest sailors competing on the slalom tour — is it tough mentally or intimidating to compete against the biggest names in the windsurfing?
EW: “This is a good question... Yes I started really competing at the slalom tour when I was 16 years old. Before this I was just a normal kid (still am) watching live stream and reading news of about who the best windsurfers in the world are (My idols of windsurfing). In the beginning of last year’s slalom tour I was still struggling with this. Hearing that Antoine Albeau will be in my heat was something big... This was something that cost me a lot of races because I wasn’t concentrating on my races but then something happened… I started seeing them as normal people and not idols anymore, BAM in Fuerteventura grand slam 19th place in the slalom and 1st youth.”
PWA: You’ve already made several quarterfinals and semifinals — what are your goals for the coming season and the future?
EW: “Yes true. My goals for the upcoming season are to qualify for some more winners’ finals, achieve some top 16 results, and who know maybe also a top 10? Why not..? hahaha. Finishing top 25 by the end of the year. Future? The world title (ASAP).”
PWA: Away from windsurfing… Favourite film?
EW: “Deadpool.”
PWA: Favourite food and drink?
EW: “Pasta and Sprite.”
PWA: Favourite music? And do you listen to certain songs before heats?
EW: “I mostly listen to rap, Reggea, house music, R&B and trap music. Before heats I don’t really listen to any songs, but if I do it would be rap.”
PWA: If you were on a desert island what 3 items would you choose to take with you?
EW: “A device that has Internet, my iPhone and a bottle of water and just relax. (not right.. haha)”
PWA: If you could have dinner with one person, dead or alive, who would you choose and why?
EW: “Michael Jackson, because he’s a legend!”
PWA: If you could pick a super power, what would it be and why?
EW: “A superpower that can give energy to other people and also to myself, so that we can have less lazy people on earth.”
PWA: Any pet hates?
EW: “None.”
PWA: On a closing note you also moved to JP over the winter — How’s the new gear working for you?
EW: “Yes I moved to JP boards for 2016. Really stoked and happy with the decision. I’m sailing with JP Boards and GA Sails a combo that you haven’t seen yet and no one knows if it will be fast... I still got some work to do on my equipment, but I’ll be ready for this years slalom season. You can count on that!
Thanks for the Interview PWA Crew.”
PWA: Thanks Ethan good luck for the new season.