Aspiring Talents
For Alex Grand-Guillot (Fanatic / NorthSails) 2017 marked the young Frenchman’s first year full year competing on the PWA Wave World Tour. The 19-year-old finishes the season in joint 32nd place after recording 25th and 33rd place results in Gran Canaria and Tenerife. As a rookie on the tour this year has been a valuable learning experience and will undoubtedly stand him in good stead of things to come. One of the many aspiring, highly talented youngsters we caught up with Alex for an interview to find out more about him.
Hey Alex how’s it going? Firstly can you tell us a little bit more about yourself? How old you are and where you’re from?
Hi! I'm 19, I have been racing since the age of 12, I have progressed from year to year always giving the best of myself to realise my dream that is to make my career in windsurfing and do what I love everyday.
When and how did you first get into windsurfing? And what is it that you love about the sport?
I climbed on a windsurf board for the first time at the age of 7 during an internship at my sailing club, I then registered for the year.
Today it’s my passion, my way of escaping and surpassing me.
I like the feeling of being on the wave, of letting myself slide, and riding it after.
Windsurfing makes it possible to have sensations unique in this world.
At what point did you become addicted to windsurfing and realise you want to turn this from a sporting hobby into sporting profession?
I'm addicted since the first day of speed sensation [planing].
I realised I wanted to turn my sporting hobby into sporting profession when I was on the junior PWA competitions, I saw the pros live, train, do what they liked best.
I told myself that I wanted to be like them and become one of the best, since that day my lifestyle has changed a bit. Everything came naturally with experience, I started to train more seriously, eat well, create a good relationship with sponsors, pay attention to my social networks posts...etc.
But always with the same goal of doing what I love for the rest of my life.
How have you found your first full year on the tour?
It's true that this year was my first full season with the pros. I'm really glad to have done it, it was important for me, for the start of my career. There is a great atmosphere with all the boys, everyone is happy to meet again and continue to share good times.
In these three events, I could have done better, I made a lot of mistakes that I could have avoided like this last event in Sylt where I did not pass the Qualification Round.
Now I positive, I am young, I learn from my mistakes, I grow and I will continue to do everything I can to integrate on to the full PWA World Tour so I do not have to worry about the Qualification Round.
What’s your ultimate goal for the future?
My first goal is to live a 100% life, live new personal and professional experiences with people I love.
Sure I want to become PWA Wave World Champ, it's my biggest dream since I'm young. I still have a way to go and I still have to progress, but it is this challenge that excites me the most and that makes me want to move forwards and continue!
Who is your windsurfing idol(s)?
I very much like the style of Kauli Seadi. On the World Tour the level is really tight, everyone is very strong, but for me the most radical guys are Jaeger [Stone] and Brawzinho [Marcilio Browne].
Favourite location to sail?
Cape Town - South Africa
Where would you most like to go to that you haven’t been to yet?
I’ve never been to Maui so far and I'm starting to really want to go there!
Favourite equipment setup?
4.0m North Sails Hero & 76l Fanatic Grip TE
Favourite conditions?
Side-shore wind, 25 knots, 2m waves, friends and sunshine!
Favourite jump / wave manoeuvre?
One-footed backloop and goiter
What would be your perfect day?
Get up at 9 am / 10am, have a good breakfast, look at the conditions through the window, see that the trees are moving and there is sunshine. Find my friends at the spot and stay in the water all day in perfect conditions!
Who would you most like to have as a dinner guest, dead or alive?
My close friends and my family together around a tasty dinner
A phrase you live by?
‘Always believe in my dreams, I can accept failure, everyone fails, but I can't accept not trying’
Alex
Thanks Alex.
You can keep up to date with all of Alex Grand-Guillot's news and progress via his Social Media Networks
Facebook: @AlexF85
Instagram: @Alexgrandguillot