Changing Windsurfing
If I could change something in windsurfing it would be to help the riders make more money. I see so many young guys putting everything into windsurfing and pushing the sport forward and they get nothing. Some riders are even paying for their gear! Something happened at the end of the 90’s and beginning of 2000, I don’t really know what. I dream that one day I wake up and windsurfing is really different. It’s not really about the money, but there are kids working for nothing and that’s not right.
My time
When I started on the tour my sponsors gave me the opportunity to travel, train and compete. I owe Martin Brander a lot. He really built me. He believed in me and helped make me into a superstar or whatever you like to call it. In return I worked my ass of at every opportunity. I was away at least 10 months a year – 3 months in Pozo, then 4-5 months in Maui, plus loads of trips. Now it’s a bit different I am more settled at home with the family, but before I used to be everywhere. I think the sponsors nowadays are not investing enough in the kids. They need to have more belief in the youth of our sport. At least give them 1 year, or better 2. Pay their trip to the photo-shoot and pay for their year on the tour. See if they are good enough.
The future
If I am still healthy and alive in 20 years then I hope I will still be windsurfing. I have so many dreams, but the ultimate dream is to be a pilot and be flying all over the world. I think that being a pilot is kind of like being a windsurfer. You get the rush, flying something extraordinary like a plane and you have to travel also. I still want to focus on the tour and have unfinished business there, but I think once it’s all done it will be good to change. After so many years of windsurfing and living that dream, it will be nice eventually to chase another one.
“ The best thing about having a family is to know that someone loves you no matter what ”