20 Questions

Next up in our 20 Questions feature is the UK’s Adam Lewis (Fanatic / Duotone / SWOX), who broke into the world’s overall top 10 for the first time in 2017 - 5th overall - while finishing in an excellent 6th overall this time around. This season saw the Brit earn his first podium on the Wave World Tour with Lewis eventually finishing 3rd in Tenerife - where he almost put together a perfect wave score heat in the Single Elimination semifinal against - Ricardo Campello (Brunotti Boards) - with one 10 point ride and a 8.93, while he was consistently one of the highest scorers in terms of waves throughout the year. You can read the interview with Adam below:

1. Why are you so passionate about windsurfing?

Not sure if I could explain that in one, but I just bloody love it. I guess when I was younger it was an amazing sense of freedom and such a great escapism. I guess that’s still part of why I love it today. It’s also such a challenge, a constantly changing environment, it’s like a bike track or a skate park that is brand new everyday, it impossible to get bored. 

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

Courage but kind

3. What annoys or frustrates you the most?

Probably windsurfing in general haha, I guess professional sports in general give you some of the best highs you could ever imagine but then it doesn’t half snap you sometimes too.

4. What do you most like in yourself?

I think I’m pretty good not staying bummed out for long, normally whatever the problem I’d like to think I could put my head down and overcome it. I’m pretty stubborn too. I would say that helps a lot with windsurfing. 

5. What do you dislike in yourself?

Always hard to judge yourself, I’ve got a horrific attention span and I am terrible at putting off things I’m not to keen on.

6. What has been your best moment on tour?

Winning that semifinal in Tenerife this year, I knew that put me in to the winners final and I’d be on the podium whatever… Hard to describe what that feels like, incredible.

7. What has been your worst moment on tour?

I’m not sure, in hindsight there doesn’t feel like any real bad moments. Losing feels like the end of the world at the time, but after some time you remember its just windsurfing. I guess that would be my least favourite thing about being on tour is how self absorbed you have to become to win.

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

Well I guess it would be more life advice in general but simply if you want to do something don’t wait for anyone else just get on with it.

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

For my career would be from John Hibbard and Nik Baker I believe when I attended a youth camp, they basically said if you want it to be your job treat it like one. I would say the same to any would be pros.

10. What would be your perfect day?

Wake up earlyish to glassy pumping surf, maybe over head, surf till you cant paddle, come in big buffet lunch, cheeky lie down just for the wind to pick up for some side/side off as walled up and bowly as possible. Couple of sunset beers and bed, do the same again the next day.

11. Do you have any superstitions?

Umm not really… I get a bit hung up when a few things don’t go my way the day of competing, but normally I sort of forget all that as I get all my gear ready! 

12. What is your greatest fear? 

Hmmm tricky one, I would say not being able to be active and in the water.

13. What is your most treasured possession?

Would have to say answering the question above, my health…. Or a surfboard ;)

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

Well, I wanted to be a marine biologist when I was younger but I really don’t know. I started a plumbing apprenticeship just as I join the tour and then the tour took over. 

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

I really couldn’t say. There are so many places that I love, they all have there own plus and minus points. Maybe North West Aus or Indonesia I love the back to basics you get from places like that, no internet just the wild and the sea, I love coming home to Cornwall. (I’m not sure I could say it’s the best place I’ve been though)

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

I’ve just watched the Windsurf Project clip from Skeleton Bay, right now I would say there haha.

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

Ernest Hemmingway, my favourite book is ‘The Old Man and the Sea.’ 

18. First App you open in the morning?

Normally WhatsApp if I’m traveling and away from my Girlfriend, pretty bad at browsing on Instagram in bed with a coffee in the morning.

19. Most visited website?

Stab Mag I think 

20. A phrase you live by?

Dunno all those phrases sound a bit cringy,.. Do what you love?

Thanks, Adam. You can stay up to date with all of Adam Lewis' latest news and adventures via his Social Media Networks:

- Facebook: @AdamLewisK516 
- Instagram: @adamk516