Blast From The Past

For the last two seasons running - Jordy Vonk (Fanatic / Duotone / LOKEFOIL) - has been ranked 4th in the overall Slalom world rankings - emerging as a genuine and potential world title challenger in the years to come. The Dutchman started windsurfing at the age of 12 and has always had becoming a professional windsurfer in his mind, so I guess we could say that he’s ‘living the dream’. Read on to find out more about Jordy’s first experiences of windsurfing.

Hey Jordy Vonk, take us back to the memory of your very first windsurf experience - where were you?

I was in Holland on a lake during a Dutch summer, trying to copy my father! 

When was it? 

Summer 2005, 12 years old at the time. 

With who were you?

My father! After seeing him windsurf I asked him to try it out as well. 

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

I remember I thought it was pretty heavy and didn’t see the fun of it…. until I was planing, then I got addicted! 

Who was your local hero? And why? 

My father was my local hero! Always there and always fast, took me years and years to overtake him… Even now I’m very sure he’s one of the fastest daddies out there ;-) 

What gear were you using? 

One sail I really remember is my 3 batten super light kids sail, not sure if it was even branded! I remember crying when I was swimming in the middle of the panels when I fell through it...

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

My father was sailing right behind me and I was super close to planing, every 20 meters I was asking if I was actually planing, until he screamed: YES and I knew I got it. That’s the moment I remember the most from those years! 

How did you realise you were becoming a professional windsurfer?

It was a dream that I was fighting for all the time, by the moment I showed some ‘glimpse of glory’ in the PWA and some brands got interested. I was thinking: “hey, I think it’s actually happening.”

Give a tip for the next generation!

Have fun and try to reach your goals, if you have to work next to windsurfing it doesn’t mean you can go full pro, as long as you keep on fighting! 

Thanks, Jordy.