ROLE REVERSAL
The sail designer role in RRD is definitely more of a serious job than just being a team rider. It is still enjoyable and satisfying but in different ways to doing well in a competition. As I mentioned this year has been extra hard work with all the additional changes so hopefully that will settle down a bit in 2017. This year I actually decided to voluntarily sit out a contest for the first time in 15 years. It was a massive decision for me to not go to Cold Hawaii, Denmark, and felt pretty strange, but I just knew that it was impossible to focus on work, competition and also have a bit of time for the family. It turned out pretty well in the end as there was no wind, but I need to see what I will do next year. Part of me wants to keep pushing on the World Cup, but another side of me wants to take it a little easier and maybe do some different events, in different places. 15 years doing more or less the same tour, maybe it’s time for a change? Whatever I end up doing I am really happy with the sail designer role. When it is not wave sailing conditions I still have a good reason to go sailing with all the testing. It keeps me on my toes, I have to think more and use my brain more and my sailing is usually for a reason so that always keeps it interesting. I always knew that I wanted to work in windsurfing when I finished as a pro sailor and right now I am in the transition to doing that. In that sense I love it. It is the dream job for me. At least this is something I can be doing ten years down the line, if my body holds together! My body has been punished this year from so much testing! The sailing I do is intense and then I am busy at home with the family as well so it’s nonstop for me every day!
I think all my years competing have given me quite a broad spectrum of knowledge that now I can put to good use.