Injury Update

Maaike Huvermann (Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins) enjoyed another excellent season on the world tour with the 22-year-old becoming the first person in 11 years to win a freestyle heat against Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins) in Bonaire, whilst also earning her first wave podium in Sylt. Huvermann finishes 2019 as the Freestyle vice-world champion once again, whilst finishing 5th overall in the waves, which is an even more impressive feat given that she sailed the second half of the year with an injured thumb. Huvermann recently underwent surgery for that thumb injury and Marije Elgersma recently caught up with Maaike for an interview: 

Maaike! How are you? 

I’m really good, I’ve been spending a lot of time in uni lately. I’m currently studying two degrees at VU Amsterdam, so its a bit hectic. But it’s fun as well, I like to challenge myself and keep on developing. 

We saw you had your thumb operated on last week? Why and what happened? 

Yeah, so this is actually from back in the Canaries, in Fuerteventura. I went for a session down in Risco in the lead up to the freestyle event and had a bit of an unfortunate landing doing an air flaka. I did the full rotation, landed, and then my hand just slipped off the boom. Probably wasn’t holding on to it properly, still not really sure what actually happened. Anyway, it slipped off and banged it into the mast. Hospital said it was nothing, but it never really faded and  the position of my thumb was not right either. So when I went to get it checked out at home, it turned out that a ligament was torn. Did the remaining comps and got it fixed last Monday. That session in Risco is still my favourite session of the year though, it was so much fun with SQ [Offringa\ and Oda [Brødholt]!

How long is the recovering going to take? 

To be honest, I’m not completely sure yet. I’ll be in a cast for 6 weeks and depending on the situation then, I’ll either be ready to go or something else has to happen. The doctor hasn’t been very clear about that. I think mainly because it just really depends on how well and quick it heals. They took something from another part of my wrist to fix the thumb, so just hoping for my body reacts well to rearrangement of Maaike cells. 

Any plans for the winter? 

Mainly studying, but hopefully I squeeze a little training week in just before the season starts.

Looking forward to the 2020 season? 

Yeah!! Really excited, always! Ready for more adventures, challenges and fun times!

New freestyle moves you have planned to learn? 

I haven’t really thought about it that much. So if anyone knows what could be my winning move for next year let me know.

You did well in Sylt in the waves, will you compete at all the wave events next season? 

Yes! It’s been really nice to switch things up a little bit. New challenge, definitely keeping me motivated. Unfortunately I don’t find much time to really train for the waves as much yet. I only really wave sail during the week leading up to the event and the event itself, but I’m definitely improving and having a lot of fun doing it, so I’ll be back for that!

Thanks, Maaike. Good luck with the recovery and hope to see you back on the water soon! Good luck with your studies too!