Miss vs Don't Miss
There’s no doubting the competitive blood that runs through the veins of our next group of sailors as they have currently amassed an incredible 31 world titles between them… so what do Philip Köster (Severne / Severne Sails / Maui Ultra Fins), Victor Fernandez (Fanatic / Duotone), Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard / NeilPryde / Maui Ultra Fins), Pierre Mortefon (Fanatic / Duotone / Chopper Fins / LOKEFOIL) & Delphine Cousin Questel (FMX Racing / S2Maui / Starboard Foil) miss the most about competing?
5-Time PWA Wave World Champion - Philip Köster:
1) I miss the most getting the preparation done before the contests, mostly a few weeks before I try to get serious about landing all the moves that i need for them. In the off season I normally go for hard risky moves which are not best for a 12min heat and of course i miss travelling. This is the first time in 14 years in which i didn’t get any chance to compete.
2) It’s a great time to spend time with my daughter Malia, lots of free time and I’m also really excited to bring out my signature board with Severne. Not having any contestS would have been perfect to travel to great destinations, but since that is not possible it’s not that great. Looking forward to 2021 so we can get some amazing contests done.
3-Time PWA Wave World Champion - Victor Fernandez:
1. I miss spending more time in the Canaries as I use to do in the last summers when I always went 1 month earlier than Pozo and then I stayed after the event before the PWA in Tenerife. Competition is fun, we don’t have many so I miss the few events we have and also to see the local friends at the spots we compete on Tour is always a nice part of our travelling.
2. Maybe the waiting game, hahaha…but is something we have to deal during the competitions anyway and kind of enjoy it as well.
17-Time World Champion - Sarah-Quita Offringa (12x Freestyle, 4x Slalom & 1 Wave)
1. I miss my PWA windsurfing family a lot! The camaraderie and happy banter on the beach is something very special, and I’m really looking forward to hang out with every one again next year. Other than that, I almost feel like it’s a missed chance to push my level. I have been sailing a lot, but competing under pressure and against the best in the world in conditions that you wouldn’t always go out in, is the best training out there.
2. Right now, I do feel like I can relax a bit instead of travelling from one contest to the next and having to organise logistics with all the bags and stuff. I have been travelling a little bit since July, and I’m loving the fact that I can take my time and enjoy where I am visiting in the moment.
Pierre Mortefon, who won his first PWA Slalom World Championship in 2019
1. What I am missing the most is the atmosphere on the starting line of a Slalom elimination Final ! I am doing this now for a while and this mix between fear and excitement is what I missed the most the last few months… The life on Tour is also something special - it is not something I miss, but as it’s my life since 10 years I was a bit lost at the beginning of this whole thing…
2. Not Travelling with my gear from airport-to-airport is definitely the thing I can continue to wait for one more year! The life without my family is also something I am not missing. I learnt a lot from my boy the last month and we really enjoy a normal family life. We both know it will have an end, but we enjoy it to the max!
Last words just try to enjoy to the max your time on the water with your friends wherever you are ;)
5-Time World Champion - Delphine Cousin Questel (4x Slalom & 1x Foil):
1. What I miss the most about not competing is clearly the adrenaline of course racing. Being on the starting line with the girls and feeling the excitement of the race!
2. Probably the same for everybody, but travelling with all our equipment is not the best part of the job!
Thanks all!