Tweet

THE NEXT GENERATION: JAKE GHIRETTI

Jake Ghiretti recently took second place in the Pro fleet at the Margaret River Four Star event after impressing the judges with his huge aerials and power turns at his home break. The local standout young ripper took on some of the best sailors in the world and proved he belongs amongst the next generation of elite wave sailors. Riding a wave of confidence, we talked to Jake to discuss home-break pressure, his windsurfing ambitions, sailing with his idols and why Margaret River remains the ultimate proving ground in wave sailing.

Photos: Scott Bauer and John Carter

---

WINDSURF: Congratulations on the second place in the pros at Margaret River! How does it feel to have beaten some of the top sailors in the world at your home break?

JAKE GHIRETTI: “It was a little bit surprising if I’m being 100% honest.  I was beyond happy with that result.  It almost felt like winning another world title.  I’d be stoked to come second in any four-star event, but being at my home break, makes it even more special – just doing it front of my friends and family…that was insane!”

WINDSURF: Were you feeling nervous or did you just go all out and sail like you normally do?  

JAKE GHIRETTI: “I was more nervous in my first two heats, because I felt more pressure to do well and I wouldn’t have been happy if I’d been knocked out early.  But once I got to the semis and had Philip Koster in my heat, I changed my attitude and shifted more from playing a smart strategic heat into just a ‘go big or go home’ mindset.  You’re not going to beat the top sailors playing it safe and I knew I could land big aerials, so I thought I may as well try to find the biggest and best waves and pray a little bit that I land them!”

WINDSURF: How were the conditions on finals day?

JAKE GHIRETTI: “It was really sick to have Margs with a building swell.  It’s always a lot more consistent and more powerful when the waves are coming up.  That worked in my favour.  It was cross offshore winds which also suited me.  Conditions were perfect for the comp, I couldn’t have asked for anything better!”

WINDSURF: You landed some monster aerials did you feel like you had to go big?

JAKE GHIRETTI: “I feel like after the Pro Juniors, I had built up my confidence.  Going into the competition I knew I could land aerials pretty consistently.  Prior to that I hadn’t sailed for just over two weeks because of the concussion.  At the doctors, I failed the balance test, so I thought windsurfing would be quite difficult.  Going into the Pro Junior Boys, I didn’t know how I would do, but after that I could tell I could still windsurf the same.  I almost think the concussion helped me somehow.”

WINDSURF: What gear were you riding and how do you like the Severne Stone board?

JAKE GHIRETTI: “I was using the latest Severne S1 4.4m. The sails are really amazing – they’re really manoeuvrable, especially at Margs where you need to do really tight quick turns.  The 68L Severe Stone board is just magical.  It’s quite light so in your aerials, nothing drags you back down or restricts the height and quality of aerial.  It’s still quite good for Margs when it’s big and bouncy, because it has a surfboard feel.  It picks up speed really easily, but once you have that speed, it holds its line and when it encounters bumps, it can hold its rail.  In turns, it doesn’t slide out. The board is exceptional for proper down the line wave riding.”

WINDSURF: What was it like sailing against the likes of Jaeger Stone etc in the final?

JAKE GHERETTI: “It was really cool to sail against everyone in the final.  It always feels pretty special when I have a heat with Jaeger.  He’s been my biggest windsurfing idol since I first started.  Even before starting.  I used to just sit in the car at main break when I was around six years old and watch him.  So, it was like a dream to be in the final with him, and it  was really cool that my scores were so close to his.  It was also sick to have Julian Salmonn in the final because he’s on the Pro tour and does really well.  It’s really special when the top pros come to main break and compete.  It brings a new atmosphere and it’s nice seeing really good sailors windsurf.  Each international rider has their own unique style and way to windsurf Margs.  Julian did a massive wave 360 and they are just so hard to do at main break because it’s such a powerful wave.  It’s really good to see the pros push the bar for windsurfing at Margs.”  

WINDSURF: You also won the youth event so all in all you must be pretty happy?

JAKE GHIRETTI: “Yes, I am pretty stoked.  I really want to try to defend my world title and go to the grand final in Chile.  I had a really disappointing event in Geraldton so I’d love to go somewhere else to try and better that result, so I can go into the grand final with some more secure points.”

WINDSURF: How long have you been sailing at Margaret River and what do you love about the break?

JAKE GHIRETTI: “I’ve been sailing Margaret River now for 8 years, and started when I was 11 years old. For me, I love that it’s 5 minutes down the road and it’s also one of the most powerful and raw waves that you can windsurf.  It’s a really good training ground, because if you can land something at main break, you can land it anywhere in the world.  I’ve gotten more confident over time to do better and bigger moves on bigger waves.”

WINDSURF: How did it feel when you found out you advanced against Köster in the semis?

JAKE GHIRETTI: “My first reaction was ‘fu** yeah, I’m going to win some money now’.  That’s always a bonus.  But it didn’t really hit me until after the final.  It was such an unfortunate way to beat Philip because he had a few wipeouts, but he is the nicest competitor I’ve ever met.  Just before the semi-final when we were sailing out the back to get into position, he was saying how well I’d been sailing and maybe that made me sail better…because Philip Koster was saying I was sailing really well.”

WINDSURF: What is your ambition in windsurfing?

JAKE GHIRETTI: “I’m not really sure yet.  Obviously, I’m going to keep competing for the next couple of years and see how it goes with Uni. Hopefully this year goes well. I feel like it will be manageable to do Uni online.  It would be pretty sick if I could do the Pro Men’s and maybe one day win a world title in the Pro Men’s division.”   

WINDSURF: How much has your mum (Jane Semen) helped shape your windsurfing career so far and what is it like to share the sport with her?

JAKE GHIRETTI: “Mum has been the biggest and only reason I first started windsurfing.  She has always supported me by funding competitions, getting me ready and helping me with training. It’s pretty sick that she’s always keen and gets me keen to go travelling to places.  She’s always looking at forecasts of where we can go and she likes the similar waves that I like too.  But sharing gear has its problems!”

WINDSURF: Do you have another job aside from windsurfing?

JAKE GHIRETTI: “Yes, I work at Italian windsurfer Ivan Zecca’s pizza businesses (Pizzica, Rucola Pizzeria, Salento Catering) and Margaret River Bakery to get money for fuel and my car to get myself to windsurf spots.”

WINDSURF: What is your favourite country you have travelled too?

JAKE GHIRETTI: “Chile would be my favourite.  It’s got a lot of surf that is very similar. It’s nice and cross offshore and a bowly wave.  Locals are super friendly and there’s a good atmosphere around the whole event.”

WINDSURF: What do you love about windsurfing?

JAKE GHIRETTI: “I love windsurfing because it means I can surf when it’s windy!”  

WINDSURF: Who are your windsurfing idols?

JAKE GHIRETTI: “Jaeger Stone.  He has the best wave riding technique and style.  His power and flow is just unmatched.  And he’s a pretty great bloke. I really like Morgan’s style as well.  The tricks he can do on the wave – his goiters and wave 360s – have a real surf style. He really uses the wave to do them, it almost seems if you removed the sail he would still be able to land them.  It’s a lot nicer to watch!”

WINDSURF: What style are you trying to achieve in your wave riding?

JAKE GHIRETTI: “Because I was a surfer who became a windsurfer, I’ve always respected and have a lot more desire to surf the wave more than windsurf the wave and that’s why I feel Jaeger is the best windsurfer in the world.  I’m always trying to make my windsurfing more like surfing.  In windsurfing it’s big powerful controlled turns and massive aerials.  It’s so much fun to be launching massive aerials because it’s so raw and powerful and when you land it, it feels pretty good!”