20 Questions

A Candid Interview with 19-year-old Loïck Lesauvage

In 2015 it quickly became apparent that Loïck Lesauvage (Goya Windsurfing) had a natural talent for wave sailing. The then 15-year-old rocked up in Pozo Izquierdo and won the Youth division ahead of Noah Vocker (Fanatic / Duotone), but then also went one better by navigating his way into the main event by successfully qualifying through the trials. The 19-year-olds best result to date remains a joint 17th finish in Tenerife in 2016, but there is no doubt he has the potential to go much further. Although Lesauvage is still relatively young, it seems as the Frenchman is mature beyond his years and possesses an open mind and perspective with regards to the World and not just windsurfing. We recently caught up with Loïck for the latest in our 20 Questions feature which you can read below:

1. Why are you so passionate about windsurfing?

Windsurfing is for me, first and foremost, a synonym of freedom, which enables you to grow, evolve and be more in tune with yourself.

2. What quality do you like most in other people?

I like people who are avid and eager to discover other things, things that are different from what they are used too. With people like this, you can have rich and interesting conversations.  

3. What annoys or frustrates you the most?

I get annoyed by  stupidity, wickedness, and hypocrisy as well as the lack of wind and waves

4. What do you most like in yourself?

I don’t really know what to answer to this question, I am generally curious. I like questioning and understanding what surrounds me such as the human body, the importance of biodiversity, the climate, pollution and how I too could contribute in this world as well as the politics and the different cultures.

5. What do you dislike in yourself?

Many things.

6. What has been your best moment on tour?

My best moment on tour, so far, was in 2015, during the trials, when I qualified for the first time for one of the event of the PWA in Pozo. It was my dream.

7. What has been your worst moment on tour?

The defeats are always painful moments, especially when your performances were not the best, but it makes you stronger and it’s part of the process.

8. Knowing what you know now, what advice would you have given yourself when your career started?

To be honest, I had a lot of chances that Goya Windsurfing started to offer me their help very soon (it has been eight years now). My gear was adapted, which helped me a lot. I was also able to travel and participate in the PWA junior and then the main PWA events. No matter what, to make progress and reach a high level, you need to train hard, be consistent and dedicated.

9. What is the best advice you have ever been given?

Have fun and enjoy yourself first.

10. What would be your perfect day?

My perfect day would be to wake up in front of a dream spot (side, side offshore, starboard tack), and have a great waveriding session. In my daily life, my perfect day would simply be to have a great time. 

11. Which living person do you most admire?

Without a doubt my father.

12. What is your greatest fear? 

I don’t know myself enough to know it yet.

13. What is your most treasured possession?

My health.

14. If you weren’t a professional windsurfer, what would you like to be?

But what really is a professional windsurfer? A rider that can correctly live from their high-level performance in sport. At the moment, it is not my case; that is why I have started to study osteopathy, a fascinating field. I am fortunate to have the ability to pursue studies in an area that I enjoy, but I have to find a way to make everything work.

15. Where is the best place you’ve been?

All the spots are good, but in the end it will depend on what you want to work on. 

If you want to improve your jumping skills in port tack, then you need to go to Pozo. If you want to work on your wave riding technique at a world-class spot, Ho’okipa is the spot, otherwise, I like my home spot, even if it would clearly be more interesting to travel the world looking for waves, but with the current environmental problems happening, the future does not look too good, we need to remain simple.

16. Where would you most like to go to that you haven’t been to yet?

Without a doubt, I would love to go to Chile and Australia even though they are port tack.

17. Who would you most like to have as a dinner guest, dead or alive?

If God exists, I would like to meet him, to tell him that here on Earth, things are not going well, even though I am part of the privileged.

18. First App you open in the morning?

Instagram, even though I try to reduce the amount of time spend on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram as they are very superficial, and our society becomes more and more addicted to them.

19. Most visited website?

WindGuru to check on the wind every weekend.

20. A phrase you live by?

Follow your interests, challenge yourself , get out there and learn by JJF

Thanks, Loïck. Good luck with your Osteopathy studies and see you on the water soon.

You can see Loïck Lesauvage’s latest video @ https://vimeo.com/324616878