JACK OF ALL TRADES
When I started working on the sails with Roberto Ricci, I think one of the things he liked was the fact I have an all-round background in windsurfing. I grew up on a lake so my first four or five years of sailing was in a completely different world to what a lot of pro windsurfers relate to. I know what it is like to freeride in gusty winds and I also grew up racing longboards, course slalom and slalom. On tour I did freestyle, wave, super cross, slalom and now I am also doing Bjorn’s speed events. I have competed in every discipline to a full world cup level so I think that is really beneficial, not just in testing all the products but also in knowing what type of equipment different levels of sailors need. For instance, a sail my dad is going to use to get planing on a lake, is going to be completely different to something I’d use to get planing on the lake! My dad’s planing need is quite static, so he needs plenty of power to get him up and moving, whilst my planing will be more dynamic, so raw pulling power is not needed. I think all my years competing have given me quite a broad spectrum of knowledge that now I can put to good use.