If you were reborn in a new life, would you rather be alive in the past or future?

Hard to say but I guess more in the past, I always found it interesting and curious the rock scene and all that movement, it would be really cool to live those experiences yourself and to see how it really was. If I should pick one or two precise moments I would like to experience “Woodstock” and the live concert from the Rolling Stones in “Hyde Park” in 1969.

Would you rather be free or be totally safe?

I would be tempted to say totally safe, but I would prefer to live my life at its fullest being free, even if this means not being totally safe.

Would you rather have free Wi-Fi wherever you go or have free coffee where/whenever you want?

It’s kind of sad to say but nowadays not having wi-fi feels like being disconnected to the world in a way. We’re all dependent on phones and so on wi-fi, and even if I’m always trying to moderate its use I’d rather have wi-fi instead of coffee… even if I’m Italian :)
 
Would you rather lose the ability to read or lose the ability to speak?

Without any doubt I’d “prefer” to lose the ability to read. Human’s relations are so important in our life and being able to speak to each other is just great… probably if we wouldn’t be able to speak we would realise how good and important it is.

Would you rather spend the rest of your life with a sailboat as your home or an RV as your home?

I quite like the idea of living on a sailboat but not for such a long time ahaha. If I should pick one of the two I would choose to live on a RV. I love the ocean and I’m always up to go for a surf and spend some time in it, but I guess that living on a sailboat can get pretty tough after a while. 

Would you rather have unlimited international first-class tickets or never have to pay for food at restaurants?

Flying first-class is for sure amazing, but I’d choose the second one, especially in the case that I could choose the restaurants where to eat myself.

Would you rather be forced to dance every time you heard music or be forced to sing along to any song you heard?

I like singing especially when I’m in the shower and when I’m driving ahaha, so I’d choose singing instead of dancing. Both singing and dancing every time you hear a song could be awkward but maybe singing a bit less… well maybe that depends on the situation. 

Would you rather travel the world for a year on a shoestring budget or stay in only one country for a year but live in luxury?

Mmm, that would really depend on the place where I should live one year in luxury. If I could choose the place I want I would go for the second one and live one year in luxury, I can still travel the world after that :)

Would you rather have a horrible job, but be able to retire comfortably in 10 years or have your dream job, but have to work until the day you die?

For sure I would prefer to work all my life but to do something I love. 10 years is such a long time and no one will give them back to you. Who knows what could happen in 10 years … Steve Jobs said “the only way to do great work is to love what you do” and I totally agree with that. 

Would you rather be able to land every move in the world right now and never crash again or still be able to still learn new moves, but crash 10 times more frequently than it usually takes you to land a new move?

I’d for sure love to be able to land all the possible moves, but I would be more worried to lose that motivation that keeps my passion for windsurfing alive. For this reason I’d choose the second option. 

Thanks, Riccardo!

Hey SQ, can you take us back to the memory of your very first windsurf experience - Where were you?

In Aruba at the Fishermen’s Huts.

When was it? 

I was three years old, so that must have been 1994.

Who were you with?

With the owner of the windsurf school JP.  He was holding up my sail.

What do you remember from that very first ‘session’? 

So I was really young, and I just remember I was holding on to the boom while JP was holding the sail.
I just remember really blue water.

Who was your local hero? And why? 

When I really started sailing around 9-10 years old. My local heroes were Javier Sint Jago who was learning all the new school freestyle super quickly, Wim eelens who was giving us freestyle lessons and had the best forward loops around and Janet ziekenoppasser was one of the older girls that was a total badass windsurfing far out in the deep water!

What gear were you using? 

My first own sail and board was an F2 Air 85L and a Neilpryde Zone 4.7.

Describe your feeling when you were planing for the first time…

That’s when I was still using these dacron sails. I wouldn’t get in the straps yet, but at least I would harness the wind and the speed I generated was insane! For a while I think I was just trying to plane on port tack, so I was doing that same run over and over again. Excitement levels were through the roof.

How did you realise you were becoming a professional windsurfer?

Am I a professional windsurfer?? I’m having too much fun haha. I guess when I started spending my birthdays and whole summers in the Canary Islands for PWA contests.

Give a tip for the next generation!

Windsurfing has treated me to some of the greatest adventures and fun times I’ve ever had. Get on the board, grab the sail and hold on for the ride :-).

Thanks, SQ!

The PWA

Jamie Hancock:”This winter I took a day trip on a promising forecast to the spot, Ile Aux Vaches (Cow Island) in France. We had been there the previous winter for The Windsurf Project, this time it was just me and a one day trip. Thomas has the place totally dialled and is always a joy to film as he tears apart 20ft+ waves.

We left in the evening to take the Euro Tunnel, picked up JC in Calais, drove through the night without any sleep to Brittany and arrived with Thomas rigging. I then shot from the land, flew the drone for a few waves in between the rain squalls and then finished off the day on the back of Pierre's ski. A couple of voiceover recordings later and we were off to the ferry, exhausted.

Film | Drone | Edit | Jamie Hancock
Voiceover | Timo Mullen / Thomas Traversa / Robin Goffinet
Featuring | Thomas Traversa / Robin Goffinet / Pierre Bouras
Image | Pierre Bouras

Shot with Lumix S1H / DJI Mavic Pro 2 / DJI Osmo Action”

You can see Cow Island @ vimeo.com/421003703

Hi Betti, take us back to the memory of your very first windsurf experience - Where were you?

In Estonia, Haapsalu - Holm beach.

When was it?

It might have been in 2008 or 2007, when I tried for the very first time. But it was not the time I started windsurfing properly.

Who were you with?

I was with my family as we have a country house there.

What do you remember from that very first ‘session’?

As I started off with some freestyle gear and I was quite small I remember it was quite a lot of fun. It was more playful as freestyle gear might not be the best gear to start with :D  But it was enough to get the feeling and a bit later I knew I had to learn how to do it properly.

Who was your local hero? And why? 

Penny - Ain Härmson, was my local hero, because he was the one who got me into windsurfing and during the time he did some cool freestyle tricks.

What gear were you using? 

Fanatic skate 2007 LTD and Gaastra Manic 2008 which was also Penny’s gear.

Describe your feeling when you were planing for the first time…

When I was properly planing for the first time I had a Techno293 board and it was also the same time when I first got my feet into the footstraps. It took me a few seconds to enjoy the feeling until I crashed into a rock and destroyed my board and my fin. I was a bit scared at the time, but it did not stop me :D 

How did you realise you were becoming a professional windsurfer? 

I feel like I still haven’t realised that…

Give a tip for the next generation…

My tip is just to enjoy it, to have fun… find some friends to do it together with and push each other if needed. 

Thanks, Betti.

The PWA

If you were reborn in a new life, would you prefer to be alive in the past or the future?

In the past, I would like to stay small like 7/10 years [years old]. I was making my first plans.

Do you prefer to be free or totally safe?

I prefer to be free, so I can make my own choices. Let no one dictate to me what I should do or think. I can travel where I want and how I want.

Do you prefer to have free Wi-Fi wherever you go or have a free coffee where / when you want?

Free coffee - like this we can meet new people!

Do you prefer to lose the ability to read or lose the ability to speak?

Oulala! that's hard! I think I would rather lose the ability to speak because I could always write to communicate. but it is above all that I want to keep my ability to read, to be able to see everything around me, because the world is full of beautiful things.

Do you prefer to spend the rest of your life with a sailboat as your home or a motorhome as your home?

A sailboat - what a question! So I can move with the wind.

Prefer to have unlimited first class international tickets or never have to pay for food in restaurants?

Having international tickets for sure! I love the food but I still prefer to move. I still have lots of places to see in the world.

Do you prefer to be forced to dance every time you've heard music or to be forced to sing along with any song you've heard?

I'm thinking of dancing because if I sing it would rain every time!

Do you prefer to travel the world for a year on a shoestring budget or stay in one country for a year but live in luxury?

Travel the world on a shoestring budget.

Would you rather have a horrible job, but be able to retire comfortably in 10 years or have your dream job, but have to work until the day of your death?

Heuuuuuu there I don't know. I'm too young to think about it and I don't have enough experience to take this idea. Haha!

Thanks, Maëlle!

Hi Svetlana, take us back to the memory of your very first windsurf experience - Where were you? 

I took my first classes in Oropesa del mar, a small town on the Eastern coast of Spain, Mediterranean. I was living in Benicassim, Castellon. I think this is one of the less windy places on Earth to do windsurfing :)))) It was not a long time since I divorced then. All the life went upside down and I was sort of rebuilding all my personality.
 
When was it? 

It was in summer of 2008 if I am not mistaken.

With who were you? 

With my best friend Alina. She came to visit me and give me some emotional support and I was trying to entertain her as much as I could. It occurred to me that we could try windsurfing. We paid the class and gave it a go. When she left back to Russia, I continued with my classes and that’s how everything started.
 
What do you remember from that very first ‘session’? 

Falling down all the time. We had low wind and some waves as the classes were on the Mediterranean Sea. But I had a lot of fun. This is something that I think is very important: though sometimes windsurfing may bring you huge frustrations, you still enjoy it at all the levels and stages, from slow cruising when you begin, to jumps and wave riding.
 
Who was your local hero? And why? 

Well, I think my teacher Sami. He was incredibly keen on sailing and he looked like a Marvel Superhero doing tricks :))) Then we had these freestyle videos that looked stunning. I never tried any freestyling though. When my vision of windsurfing got a bit wider, I knew about Moreno Twins and they (especially Daida) became and still are my personal heroes.
 
What gear were you using? 

I did a normal progression any student in a windsurfing school does. My first own equipment was a 5.6 Gaastra Manic sail and a Fanatic Hawk 126l board for all kind of conditions. When I started going to Riumar to Delta del Ebro and started sailing with 30 knots, I bought a 4.4 Triboard sail… You can imagine that it was tough. Then little by little I made up my “pro” gear: a 100l RRD free-wave board, the 5.6 for “stronger” winds, 6.2 Poison for “normal” conditions, and thank god I could change the Triboard sail for a 4.4 Goya Eclipse. It was not until my first trip to Pozo Izquierdo 8 years ago when I first tried a ‘small’ 72l board and a 3.2 sail. This changed my perspective on windsurfing completely. I can say that I started windsurfing properly in Pozo.
 
Describe your feeling when you were planing for the first time...

It was a feeling of complete joy and happiness. It took me a lot of time and effort to achieve it, as there were not a lot of windy days in the place where I was windsurfing for years. So it was like having all the Christmas presents you ever wished concentrated in minutes. However, due to my personal “history” and lots of days of floating, I don’t think that planing changes your perspective in windsurfing that much.
 
How did you realise you were becoming a professional windsurfer? 

I think I never realised this. I still do not consider myself “professional” I think one can call him/herself professional of something when this is your profession and it feeds you, and I never stopped working. I just love sailing. Competing and being a part of this small world gives me impulse to keep improving. Almost nobody knows that one day in that “not windy” past, after my first trip to Pozo, a good friend of mine Pepe gave me a small wave board to try in Riumar. I was playing with chop in the shore break trying to “carve” the board in the clumsiest way you can imagine. And I don’t know what happened then, but I came out to the shore and said “I will compete in waves”. This was the most stupid thing I could say then! I didn’t even know how the proper waves looked like, I didn’t jump, I could hardly water start… But this must be something that I always had in my mind since then, and here I am.

Give a tip for the next generation...

Take it easy, enjoy and follow your dreams. Be humble and respectful with others. This is just how we have fun. And enjoy knowing people cause somehow they all form part of your history.

Thanks, Svetlana. 

Pons classes the backloop as one of the most difficult wave moves there is, but with his top tips you will at least have a fighting chance of unlocking the backloop! 

You can see Pons’ top tips @ youtu.be/cFs3dbLemCc

Mathieu Pelikan: "This is it, a small documentary about the preparation of a shoot in magic Portuguese conditions.

I can't describe the feeling of now seeing this video completed, I've been dreaming for ten years about this wave next to Lisbon and I'm now watching my video. What an amazing adventure, looking forward for more action with these legends (is it god talking?) in Portugal and abroad.

This would not have been possible without the help of Pierre Bourras, thanks bro. Thanks for watching and looking forward to sharing a session all together!

Mathieu.”

You can see Portuguese Freedom @ vimeo.com/418518433

The PWA

Dieter van der Eyken: “Like nearly every winter I spent a fair bit of my time on the shores of W.A., being the home of Severne and one of the better places to train over the European winter it has become my winter retreat for nearly 7 years now.

Each season is different but every year the trip ends up being one of the highlights of the year. The consistent conditions, the laid-back vibe of the Australian people & the beers at sunset never get old. Living the van life to chase forecast around the coast gets people together who are likeminded in putting quality sailing above comfortable living.

Working part time for Severne I spent most of my time traveling between Perth - Geraldton & Margaret River. This past season was a particularly windy one when it was on, with lots of days sailing on 4.0 or even 3.6 in Geraldton and only a few classic evening sessions in Margaret River with light winds.

The video might not show all the best sessions there were this season, but it gives a glimpse of how sailing in W.A. was this winter.

Let's hope we can all enjoy the water time soon again!”

You can see Dieter van der Eyken’s latest video @ https://youtu.be/qIUK_1bJ8TY

Photo Credit: Nicolass Hess

If you were reborn in a new life, would you rather be alive in the past or future?

In the past, I would like to see how it was before . For sure not easier than now, but maybe more simple… 

Would you rather be free or be totally safe?

Free as we are locked down since more than a month already, I realise that being free is simply the best thing in the world ! 

Would you rather have free Wi-Fi wherever you go or have free coffee where/whenever you want?

A coffee to refuel whenever it’s needed! 

Would you rather lose the ability to read or lose the ability to speak?

Lose speaking and keep the view ;) 

Would you rather spend the rest of your life with a sailboat as your home or an RV as your home?

Sailboat to cruise around the world and discover new places! 

Would you rather have unlimited international first-class tickets or never have to pay for food at restaurants?

1st class ticket to discover even more new places!

Would you rather be forced to dance every time you heard music or be forced to sing along to any song you heard?

Joker*

Would you rather travel the world for a year on a shoestring budget or stay in only one country for a year but live in luxury?

One more time I would say > Travel around.

Would you rather have a horrible job, but be able to retire comfortably in 10 years or have your dream job, but have to work until the day you die?

Horrible job for 10 years, but just if I am sure I can enjoy for the rest of my life! 

Would you rather be able to land every move in the world right now and never crash again or still be able to still learn new moves, but crash 10 times more frequently than it usually takes you to land a new move?

Just continue to gybe like now…

Thanks, Pierre. 

Hi Rytis, take us back to the memory of your very first windsurf experience - Where were you?

Torbole, Lago di Garda, Italy.

When was it?

2003, when I was 9 years old.

With who were you?

My parents took me ta Vasco Renna windsurfing school.

What do you remember from that very first ‘session’? 

That the teacher (a super cute girl) was really fun and made the whole experience a fun game for the 6 or 8 kids that were in her class.

Who was your local hero? And why? 

So during the first week, this super cute teacher whose name I unfortunately forgot was my hero for sure hahaha  - she was sailing so effortlessly and I was super impressed.

What gear were you using? 

I think a 2.5 meter learning sail.

Describe your feeling when you were planing for the first time…

I thought the board lit up, and was exploding - I was fucking flying like a rocket across my lake 10x faster than anybody else, I felt like I was about to spritz superman himself. In reality I was on a Starboard Go 155, 3.5m sail with an aluminium mast that was bent and shifting left and right unable to go straight, but I felt like a King of the lake. And when I got out of course I said 'Mom, did you see that?' hahaha.

How did you realise you were becoming a professional windsurfer?

When I catapulted for like 6 times in one hour while trying to learn to foil, I was like - this is amazing - I wanna do this for the rest of my life.

Give a tip for the next generation! 

Windsurfing is the sickest sport ever - if you started it - never stop and if you are thinking of stopping because of the everyday problems, just think of the last session when you were planing across your lake/sea/bay and the feeling you had then - you'll realise the feeling of freedom, being one with nature, the speed, the wind, sun and water in your face is irreplaceable!!

Thanks, Rytis.

You can see Youp’s latest quarantine session @ youtu.be/A7KpP1QsiEw

Ricardo Campello: “To succeed you have to fall many times, but falling isn't always as 
 "simple" as it  sounds! :)

I’ve had many crashes in my life and I actually enjoy watching them so I prepared some of my best wipeouts during my Ho’okipa sessions this year, I hope you enjoy it, but make sure you put the sound on!”

You can see Ricardo Campello’s wipeout reel @ youtu.be/M6fT7wT17fg

It was in La Baule, France. My parents have a holiday flat in the area and we used to be there for almost every vacation. We learnt to sail on Optimists when we were kids, then small catamarans, a Hobie Cat 16 (soooooooo much fun!) and I wanted to learn something else. 

When was it? 

It was during summer vacations, when I was 16 I think.

Who were you with?

My brother taught me the basics, he had followed a RYA instructor course and gave me really good tips. 

What do you remember from that very first ‘session’? 

I was hooked from the start! I remember being really focussed and a great sense of accomplishment I had never felt before.

Who was your local hero? And why? 

My brother first of all, I wanted to do everything he did. After that one of my windsurfing instructors who was sending front loops during the courses... I have a couple of local heroes everywhere now, I find everybody inspiring in their own way!

What gear were you using? 

Beginner gear: big board with a dagger bosard, small sail... Classic beginner stuff.

Describe your feeling when you were planing for the first time…

Something more or less like WAHOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!! It was a very short moment with an old Sioux cam sail on a beginner board, but I still remember the feeling of moving into a different space-time.

How did you realise you were becoming a professional windsurfer?

When I realised I wanted to aim at becoming one. To me it's a state of mind more than a matter of fact, a status, really. When I started to own that thought, something shifted in me. But when I look back, nothing's changed much, actually. I windsurf because I sincerely need it and love it. Trying to be a little bit more reliable and knowing what I want can only help.

Give a tip for the next generation…

Get good advice and follow your heart, you're doing great already ;) 

Thanks, Marine.

If you were reborn in a new life, would you rather be alive in the past or future?

I  think a future where we have solved our pollution problem would be awesome.  I wouldn’t really want to live in the past, as if you are looking for a more simple life you can simply choose to have that wherever you are, just look at the aimish.. Because of the fights generations before us have had we  have much more wealth, freedom and opportunities then the generations before us. I wouldn’t want to not have that.  

Would you rather be free or be totally safe?

Free for sure, it’s the moments when you are scared and overcome your fear that makes you feel most alive.
 
Would you rather have free Wi-Fi wherever you go or have free coffee where/whenever you want?

Free Wifi, even though I love coffee I think free WiFi is more handy to have especially when you are travelling a lot of remote places and want to keep in touch with friends and family.
 
Would you rather lose the ability to read or lose the ability to speak?

Read, with modern technology it’s quite easy to get audio versions of most texts. Not being able to speak would pose a real problem for communicating with people.
 
Would you rather spend the rest of your life with a sailboat as your home or an RV as your home?

Sailboat for sure, that is actually my biggest dream!
 
Would you rather have unlimited international first-class tickets or never have to pay for food at restaurants?

Food at a restaurant, I would not mind not having to cook all the time!
 
Would you rather be forced to dance every time you heard music or be forced to sing along to any song you heard?

Dance, that’s way more funny!
 
Would you rather travel the world for a year on a shoestring budget or stay in only one country for a year but live in luxury?

Hmmm it kind of depends on the country, a year is not that long when you’re in a big beautiful country. I did some travelling after university just with a backpack and a small budget and  had some amazing experiences. I’m not so interested in luxury but travelling with windsurfing equipment on a shoestring budget is almost impossible…
 
Would you rather have a horrible job, but be able to retire comfortably in 10 years or have your dream job, but have to work until the day you die?

Dream job for sure, when you have a dream job you’ll love what you do and will want to be doing it till you die anyway!
 
Would you rather be able to land every move in the world right now and never crash again or still be able to still learn new moves, but crash 10 times more frequently than it usually takes you to land a new move?
 
Landing every move sounds pretty darn good to me!!! I am sure I would still manage to find new challenges and really enjoy windsurfing landing my double forward ankle dry every time :).

Thanks, Lena. Have a good weekend!

Hey Lennart, can you take us back to the memory of your very first windsurf experience… Where were you? 

I was at my home spot in Naxos, Greece at Flisvos Sportclub.

When was it? 

That was 2014 when I was 10 years old.

Who were you with?

I was with my first windsurfing teacher, a Greek guy called Kostas Pichinas @kostrelos
 
Who was your local hero? And why? 

My local here was Stamatis Proponas, he was an ex PWA and EFPT Freestyler, here from Naxos. I admired him because of his experience, the cool tricks he could do and especially his positive vibes impressed me a lot.

What gear were you using?

I used more or less from the very beginning the Starboard, it was called “Flare” that time and had 81L. The sails I used from the station Flisvos, it was Neilpryde “Wizzard” and “The Fly” from 3.8-4.5.

Describe your feeling when you were planing for the first time…

When I was planing the first time I felt something I never felt before, a feeling of speed and freedom combined, still feeling the same when I learn something new.

How did you realise you were becoming a professional windsurfer? 

I realised that I wanted to become a professional windsurfer one year later, in 2015, when I took part for the first time in an international competition, it was the EFPT Youth in Croatia. All the Pro’s were there, all these cool tricks they could do, the atmosphere, the fun and the good vibes, was exactly what I liked. I was impressed how competitive the professional windsurfers were during the competition on the water and straight after the heat, they were chilling together at the beach. There was Steven [Van Broeckhoven], Amado [Vrieswijk], Ricardo Marca, Adrien Bosson...I thought this must be a dream. When Tom Hartmann asked me if I would like to take part also in the main fleet I thought that’s it! That was a big motivation for me. So after that competition, where I took first place in the U13s, I travelled home and from that day on, my dream was to compete with the big guys and be one of them.

Give a tip for the next generation…

A tip for the next generation is, the earlier you start the better it is, because windsurfing is a sport where experience counts a lot.

Thanks, Lennart!

Youp Schmit: “So blessed to be on the water during these time of quarantine! On my way home I got stuck in Holland because of the coronavirus situation canceling all flights. Right away I saw the wind forecast & I had to find my way to the water! My friend hooked me up and now here’s a little clip of action! ”

You can see Youp Schmit’s quarantine session @ https://youtu.be/cIxLrDuDa2A

You can see Marc Paré’s latest outstanding performance @ vimeo.com/411683505

Hey Francesco, can you take us back to the memory of your very first windsurf experience… Where were you? 

I was in Kartibubbo, a small village close to Puzziteddu (Sicily) where I've been living now for 5 years.
 
When was it? 

It was August 2000, exactly when I was 3!
 
Who were you with? 

I was with my father and he is still my IDOL now. 
 
What do you remember from that very first ‘session’? 

I was the happiest kid in the world, I was doing what I was dreaming of for at least 1 year.
 
Who was your local hero? And why? 

My Father for sure. He was the best [sailor] from the whole island, he was the first one to do a forward loop back in the days and he was building his own boards!
 
What gear were you using? 

At that time there was no kids gear, or it was super heavy, so my father decided to cut one of his sails, then he built a super tiny aluminium boom and an aluminium mast. It was super light and I loved it!
 
Describe your feeling when you were planing for the first time…  

Since that summer I was addicted to windsurfing, but I was too young to do it during the winter. After 2 years, at the age of 5, during a family holiday on a boat, the wind was strong and I was crying because I wanted to go windsurfing and my father decided to put me on his board, but with a super tiny sail, and I jumped straight on it with my feet in the footstraps and straight to the beach full power planing! The best feeling ever!
 
How did you realise you were becoming a professional windsurfer? 

I realised when I started to travel alone without my family and it was awesome!
 
Give a tip for the next generation...

Believe it, achieve it!

Thanks, Francesco.

If you were reborn in a new life, would you rather be alive in the past or future?

Probably the past I’ll be the freaking king knowing what the future holds! But then maybe it would be boring? Hmm not sure, just doesn’t seem like the world is becoming a better place currently, so yeah, maybe the past!

Would you rather be free or be totally safe?

Free. 100%.

Would you rather have free Wi-Fi wherever you go or have free coffee where/whenever you want?

I don’t drink coffee so maybe Wi-Fi, but sometimes its good to be offline too!

Would you rather lose the ability to read or lose the ability to speak?

Wow, that’s tough! I guess if you can’t read you’re stuck and if you cant speak you just gotta learn sign language, but it still feels crazy not to speak! I don’t know! 

Would you rather spend the rest of your life with a sailboat as your home or an RV as your home?

Sailboat – you can’t reach outer reefs with your RV, can ya?

Would you rather have unlimited international first-class tickets or never have to pay for food at restaurants?

First-class that’s eaaasyyyy! 

Would you rather be forced to dance every time you heard music or be forced to sing along to any song you heard?

I think it’s better for the world if I dance! Can I rap along tho? [sure why not! Although you might hurt people’s eyes and ears?!?!]

Would you rather travel the world for a year on a shoestring budget or stay in only one country for a year but live in luxury?

The first option is pretty much what I’ve been doing so let’s continue! 

Would you rather have a horrible job, but be able to retire comfortably in 10 years or have your dream job, but have to work until the day you die?

Hows that quote about doing what you love and not feeling like you work a single day? So option 2 it is! 

Would you rather be able to land every move in the world right now and never crash again or still be able to still learn new moves, but crash 10 times more frequently than it usually takes you to land a new move?

I pretty much crash 10 times more frequently than any other person, so I’ll take every move in the world! Just like that! Boom!

Cheers, Maciek!

Hi Cyril, take us back to the memory of your very first windsurf experience - Where were you? 

Marseille, France at Pointe Rouge.

When was it? 

When I was 9 years old.

With who were you? 

With a friend of my mother. Denis.

What do you remember from that very first ‘session’? 

What I remember is the fact I managed to go and come back to my starting point with a no nose board.

Who was your local hero? And why? 

No local hero, just all the people who were sailing when it was windy.

What gear were you using?  

I really don't know.

Describe your feeling when you were planing for the first time?

I don't remember my first planing, but I remember my first waterstart and first planing gybe (it was a  duck gybe) it was an incredible satisfaction. 

How did you realise you were becoming a professional windsurfer?

I realised I was a pro windsurfer when I turned 30 and I saw my life and the money I earned was coming from windsurfing.

Give a tip for the next generation…

Don't do windsurfing to become a pro. Just do it for fun. And if you manage to live from it. It's great. 

Thanks, Cyril.

Jordy Vonk: “The video was made not knowing yet how Corona would disturb our season, working hard and preparing for an exciting season with the new rule changes. With the perfect setup we have with the TWS pro slalom training we managed to learn a lot and really looked forward to start the season, now that everything is on hold the drive to get started is just getting bigger and bigger! But for now we just hope everybody stays safe and that when the time comes, we can hit the starting line and see when we will take the fin and when to take the foil."

You can see Jordy Vonk’s new edit @ youtu.be/xbnhK2Cj6Dw

Hey Oda, can you take us back to the memory of your very first windsurf experience… Where were you?

At Larkollen, Norway. My home spot now :-)

When was it? 

2009

Who were you with?

I was trying it out with my sister in high wind and I even think it was with wave kit! Did not manage, the board was too small! And it blew 30 knots....haha

What do you remember from that very first ‘session’?

Daaaamn, that was not easy! But I want to learn it! I bought gear a.s.a.p. :-) 
 
Who was your local hero? And why? 

I guess Ruben, my friend, who pushed me to go sailing again when the wind picked up. I was planing for the first time! I was hooked from that day!

What gear were you using? 

1st session: wave kit; way too small
2nd session: my dad’s 80’s gear; way too old
3rd session: my own BIC 148 litre (freeride), after that I moved over to Starboard boards; the real deal!

Describe the feeling when you were planing for the first time...

I was screaming: woooohooooo! The rush was insane and I was hooked! I dreamt about it for nights! 

How did you realise you were becoming a professional windsurfer?

It just happened in a strange way. Started traveling to sail more, just for joy. I stopped my pro handball career, but then I wanted to be as good as possible so I joined a world cup, got sponsors and BAM here I am! 

Give a tip for the next generation…

Make sure to have fun and go outside your comfort zone as much as possible -then miracles are happening! Believe that you can do the tricks you want to do! 

Thanks, Oda.

Maciek Rutkowski: “I would just like to stress that this is not about me. I simply made this documentary, but it’s actually about the training, the rise of quite a few people in the racing world, Alberto [Menegatti], the day he died and his impact on our careers. It’s not some self-promotion gig, the subject was interesting to me and it all connects well so I made it into a film.”
 
Here’s the link: youtu.be/HxTk_pMUDYM

Hi Titouan, take us back to the memory of your very first windsurf experience - Where were you?

I don’t remember exactly, but I think I was in the south of France or in Moulay, Morocco.

When was it? 

It was 12 years ago!!! Little bit of time.

Who were you with?

I was with all my family, my mother on the beach, and my father, my brother and I in the water.

What do you remember from that very first ‘session’? 

My first wave for sure!

Who was your local hero? And why? 

It was Boujmaa Guilloul because he gave me some tips, and when he was out and in the water he smiled all the time and he jumped so high.

What gear were you using? 

I’m using a Nautix 0.8m2 and a very big board, it was a big Starboard but I didn’t remember exactly the volume of this board. 

Describe your feeling when you were planing for the first time…

It was one of the best feelings I ever had, to go that fast but my first time planing ultimately ended in a catapult!! (I think many windsurfers will relate with that.)

How did you realise you were becoming a professional windsurfer?

I didn’t realise that!! For me all the things I am living now it’s like a dream, like sails with the professional doing my first jump… so each session is a dream for me.

Give a tip for the next generation...

The best tips I can give is to just like what you are doing and don't look at other people, just take the maximum pleasure.

Thanks, Titouan.

Antoine Martin: “Two months ago in pre-season, I had to leave Guadeloupe for Ireland score a sick storm on a weekend with Thomas Traversa F3 and Pierre Bouras. On Thursday early morning I decided to do one last session thinking I was going to have a little boating with the friends on the home spot "warm before the big Irish cold haha". Despite the small conditions, in the middle I'm making a mistake of excess confidence in wanting to type a section far too late.. I fell into the wave and at the time of reception, I'm getting a double sprain of both ankles, one in bad condition leaving me No choice to stop windsurfing for a little while.. followed the COVID-19 with a global shutdown with the cancellation of all my projects and competitions in the near future which after all this bad news has earned a one week depression in my room during the beginning of the lockdown to grind black for a few days without wanting to do anything or plans for the future.. until I start putting up this video. As the editing I began to feel the adrenaline coming back inside me and allowed me to come out of my cave and realise how important our freedom was. Since I have opened up to other activities around the lockdown to wait and give myself the intimate motivation that windsurfing is and remains the most expensive.

I hope by this post and video that you will find just a little positive message that will allow you too in case of a difficult time to find comfort and stay motivated in every future action you will do.

PS: The voice and the message in the video comes from an interview of Will Smith talking about a motivation that fear of doing things. I thought it looked really like me and I hope one day if I get the opportunity I'll talk about it with my own words in another video.

I thank Pierre for coming last minute to film these magical moments, Lena Combet for the photos, William Ferre for the crazy calibration, Romain Bernadoy for getting me back on my feet, the riders who helped me out of the water the day I hurt myself and all those who motivated me to move forward during the two months of recovery!

Now good luck to everyone and more than waiting for the end of the lockdown to go back to have fun on the water!!

Song: Joji - Run"

You can see Antoine Martin’s latest video, prior to injury, here. Everyone from the PWA wishes Antoine all the best with his recovery.