Gym is a big part of your training – what specific exercises do you do ?
TF – Gym has become a part of my weekly routine. I joined the fitness program to stay focused. I am doing two completely different disciplines and the body/mind/muscle/strength needs to be ready for each. I don’t want to feel sore once I go from Freestyle to Slalom or vice-versa. My coach mostly pushes me to do a lot of pull-ups and push-ups. Weightlifting is not a big part of the program, because you will gain more control of the body once you can lift your own body weight using your own strength. We work more on the lower body parts making the legs fit and strong, keeping the heart rate low, even when fully tired. The fitness is intense, during the first 2 weeks of training I felt like throwing up, but now I’m good!
Is there crossover advantages you bring from slalom to freestyle and vice versa?
TF – It’s easier to make a Slalom board into a Freestyle board, but not as easy the other way round. I think a Slalom board is more sensitive and you need to spend a lot more time developing them. That said, because I do so much freestyle, the control I get when I step onto an iSonic is easier. The iSonic has so much speed and it’s much more nervous than a Flare, but because I have been sailing a lot of freestyle it helps me be able to adjust my body when I start to feel out of control.
It seems like a return to super X could be your strong point – do you have any ideas or dreams about formats to combine slalom and freestyle
TF – I always liked the idea of Super X. I competed in the PWA Super X back in the day, but as soon as I started to get dialed in, the discipline just vanished. So is it a good idea to combine both disciplines? I don’t know but I think that a Super X event should be done in a place like Fuerteventura, Pozo, France (Defi Wind) where it’s windy and the wind and sea conditions are extreme. It would also be good to see more moves like Flakas, Spocks, Loops and Grubbies, because then it’s not only about speed but it will have a more extreme side to it. My biggest dream is to one day see Windsurfing be as big as it was during the time of Robby Naish and Bjorn Dunkerbeck’s career.
What is the craziest move you have done on slalom gear?
TF – I think freestyling with your Slalom quiver is the worse thing you can do, but hey once you’re having fun you’ll find yourself automatically busting a Loop, Spock or even a super mega high jump. I still think looping is the best feeling when you are doing it with your slalom kit. When you start the jump and during the rotation, you get a feeling which is kind of slow/fast at the same time. With the slalom gear you will have to pull faster on the sail and lift your back foot up as much as possible. This is because the Slalom gear will take more time to rotate in the loop compared to when you’re on wave or freestyle kit. The feeling is scary but great at the same time, but please don’t try to do this with your Slalom gear, it’s really bad, especially for your board.
