LIFE OF A PRO

The Max Rowe experience

Max Rowe (Fanatic / North) is one of the UK’s biggest freestyle talents and finished the 2012 season ranked fifteenth in the world. In the opening event of the year in Austria Rowe was able to claim thirteenth place and he’ll now be looking to build upon that result when the second event of the season begins on the 20th July in Fuerteventura. Ahead of the next event we managed to catch up with the twenty-five year old for a quick interview, which you can read below:

PWA: When you are’t competing you spend your summers out in Vassiliki, what do you do out there?

MR: “I work out here for Club Vass, pretty much just teaching the freestyle group, but I do a little bit of everything from working on the beach to just being in and around the centre. I love it here - it’s great fun teaching - and I also get loads of time on the water too so I’m always practicing a lot when I’m here.”

PWA: This winter you were involved in the sail testing process for North Sails, how did you find that experience?

MR: “It was really interesting and a privilege to be out in Maui with Gollito [Estredo (Fanatic / North)] and obviously we were trying to get the sail right for him, overall it was just really cool to be involved with it. I think we’ve developed a really, really good sail now and I’m feeling really comfortable on it.”

PWA: What are the main changes from the 2013 sail to the 2014 version?

MR: “On the new one the batten layout is very different, but the cut of the sail is actually quite similar to the shape of the old Idol, which we are continuing as well as an entry level freestyle and wave crossover sail, then we have the Idol LTD which is for the all out freestylers. The Idol Ltd has the different batten layout and it also rigs with a tighter leech for the ducking moves, and we also have a dacron panel at the front as well which helps it go from being neutral to being really powerful.”

PWA: You are already sailing the 2014 Fanatic Skate, how is the new board performing and what changes have been made?

MR: “The new boards awesome, it’s a little bit faster which we’ve achieved by moving everything further back - fin, footstraps etc - the main change is that we have new sizes for 2014, so we have an 85l, 93l, 101l and then the bigger 110l. The 93l has been great for me as an all round one board does it all solution. I haven’t got the other sizes yet, but I’m feeling very comfortable on the 93l, I will also be getting the 85l and 101l.”

PWA: This is your fourth year on tour now, how do you find sailing in competitions?

MR: “I’ve always really liked it, you see a lot of guys who come in and to begin with they struggle quite a bit. I’ve always found that I’ve been able to hold it together and not let the pressure get to me. I think my first year results were almost ahead of my ability at the time due to that.”

PWA: When you are competing do you have a set routine in your head?

MR: “Yeah, I pretty much know which moves I’m going to do before I go out. Not necessarily in a particular order because that depends on the gusts of wind, chop, etc. I usually know what I’m going to do first.”

PWA: How long have you been windsurfing for?

MR: “I started when I was thirteen back home in Essex, so almost twelve years now, but mainly freestyling since I came out to Vassiliki when I was 18 and that’s when I learnt to vulcan.”

PWA: Current favourite moves?

MR: “Always gotta be the shaka and also air-funnels at the moment.”

PWA: What other moves have you been working on?

MR: “I’ve been working on the pasko a lot, I think that’s going to be a really big move in Fuerte and I think a lot of people are going to be doing it, so I want to be one of them ha, otherwise I could see myself getting knocked out of a few heats without it.”

PWA: Favourite food, favourite drink?

MR: “Steak and turbo shandy...can I say that?!”

PWA: Favourite locations to sail?

MR: “Vassiliki and Jericoacoara.”

PWA: Thanks Max and good luck for the rest of the season.