Blast From The Past

Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins) is one of the most successful windsurfers in recent years - dominating the Freestyle scene with 12 world titles, while she has also accumulated 4 Slalom world crowns also. Over the last few years the Wave world title became her biggest goal and after winning back-to-back events in Sylt and then Maui she captured her first wave world title to end 2019. SQ is next up in ‘Blast From The Past’

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!