SOL DEGRIECK: SHES GOT SOUL!SOL DEGRIECK: SHES GOT SOUL! At a mere 15 years old, Sol Degrieck is fast becoming one of the most exciting young talents on the PWA wave sailing scene. Hailing from Belgium, shes already pushing boundaries far beyond her yearsthrowing push loops, landing back loops and fearlessly attempting double forwards at Pozo. With a mother whos a three-time Olympic windsurfer, a determination to train every chance she gets and a deep love for the ocean, Sols journey so far, is nothing short of inspiring.In this exclusive interview, Windsurf caught up with Sol during the competition in Pozo to talk double loops, school-life balance, her fearless approach to waves and her dream of one day becoming World Champion. With legendary rider Justyna Sniady, tipping her as a future star, its clear that Sols not just got talentshes got soul.WINDSURF: Youve come to Pozo this year with a new set of trickswhen did you start learning the double loop, push loops and back loops?SD: I started learning the push loop and back loop quite a while ago. Before and after the Chile event, we also came to Pozo, not too close to another eventso I could learn without much pressure. Every day I did some push loops and back loops and also two double forwards attempts.I was just trying to attempt a couple of doubles, every session when the conditions allow it. Now, two weeks before I came here to Pozo, I started landing the back loops and push loops. Ive been trying some more and now I hope nail them in the competition.WINDSURF: Have you landed a double?SD: A double? Not yet. I can land the push loop and back loops. Push loops when theres more wind and I am more overpowered and back loops with less wind, when I am less overpowered. Im just trying and getting closer every time.WINDSURF: So now youre 15?SD: Yeah, correct. 15!WINDSURF: Whats your weight now?SD: I think Im about 60 kg. Im not sure actually. I was about 55 kilo or something like that last year.WINDSURF: Do you think the extra weight and strength helps?SD: Probably for more wind it helps for sure because you have to hold down your sail when it is nuking. When youre overpowered, its better to have more strength. And for lighter winds, strength also helps for pumping better so you can make more speed.WINDSURF: Is your goal to be world champion one day?SD: Yeah, sure, one day. Lets see how it goes!WINDSURF: How are you combining school with all this windsurf training and competition?SD: At the moment, I just finished 4th year of school in Belgium. I still go to school live, so whenever Im not at school, I take my books and they tell me, Make that page until that page. Just before the comp I also had my exams, and then after the exams I came straight here.WINDSURF: You dont go to school online?SD: No, I go to physical school, and then around the holidays we extend the holidays a bit and come here to Pozo or to another event!WINDSURF: What age did you start sailing?SD: I think I started windsurfing when I was about 7. That was on a lake. I sailed on a lake for about two or three years and then sailed on the ocean. We also had a lot of time because we were in lockdown. I learned mostly before, but the first time on the sea was during the lockdownlike after the big lockdown. We had a lot of time to go on the water because I didnt have to go to school, so I was on the water mostly every day. My mum swam behind me a lot because I couldnt water start yet, and she would put the gear right so I could try and get up again.WINDSURF: Your mums an ex-Olympian, is that right?SD: Yeah, she did three Olympicsin London, Sydney and Athens.WINDSURF: So, she got you into windsurfing?SD: Yes I even went to the London Olympics, I think in 2012. Im not sure which one is when, but I went to one Olympics. My mum says I slept on the board bags, but its not really a memoryits more just something Ive been told.WINDSURF: What about big waves? You seem to like those as well!SD: Yeah, theyre really nice. Theres always something new to see in windsurfing and I like big waves because you can do a lot with them. Its just nice to ride big waves. You sail with them, in bottom turns and top turns it feels so exhilaratingthe feeling of going high up and dropping inI love it!WINDSURF: In Fiji you were riding some of the biggest waves on a gnarly reefyou didnt think about going down and getting pounded on that reef?SD: No, if you dont experience it, you dont really have anything to be afraid of. If you dont know what the consequences are, then it doesnt really matter. Luckily I have not had any bad experiences yetWINDSURF: What about your equipment? What size boards are you up to now?SD: At the moment, for really windy days; like super overpowered, Im on the Severne Pyro 56L. Other than that, Im mostly on the 62L. For light winds, like really light winds, I use the 74L or 68L.WINDSURF: You always seem to be one of the first out. Is that just because youre super keen to get on the water all the time?SD: Mostly, yeah. I love being on the water. Also, if youre early, there are fewer people, you enjoy it more, have more space for yourself and more space to try some new tricks.WINDSURF: What did it feel like being in a final with Daida and Sarah-Quita?SD: I was pretty stoked. Ive always looked up to Daida and Sarah-Quita and I try to do the moves they also do. Its just really amazing to be in the final with them. It was my first final in Pozo as well, which was really incredible. Its amazing to share the podium with those girls.WINDSURF: How do you learn? Do you watch videos or just observe people sailing? Or do you get advice from other sailors?SD: Mostly I just sail and try myself. After so many attempts I come to the shore, and my mum watches a bit of everyone while Im sailing. She says, Do a little bit more of this, a little bit more of that, and that helps and in the end I can do it.WINDSURF: When you leave school, are you going to go full time into windsurfing?SD: Hopefully. After schoolIve got two more years. Then Im not going to go to college straight away so I can travel a bit more and mostly sail wherever its possible and just enjoy.WINDSURF: And whats your backup job just in case this doesnt work outor you dont know yet?SD: I dont really have one yet.WINDSURF: Is that all you think about, windsurfing at the moment?SD: Yeah, pretty much. All windsurfing.WINDSURF: What do you look at on your phoneInstagram?SD: I dont look on my phone!WINDSURF: You dont?SD: No, I read books. When Im not reading like real books, I read cartoons or look at Tricktionary and try to learn new moves.WINDSURF: So you dont spend much time on the phone?SD: Barely!WINDSURF: Well good luck for the future and we hope all your windsurf dreams come true!SEVERNE WINDSURFING GEAR FOR THE REVOLUTIONJUSTYNA SNIADYSol was trying double loops, the day before the event. My favourite thing about Sol is that something that you see rarely with the girls and it wasnt really around in my generationShe sails like one of the young boys, you know, she doesnt listen to the fact this is dangerous. She just tries everything, goes for everything and eventually she will learn everything! I actually took a picture with her back to back with Sara Quita the other day before the event and we were laughing because they have the same hair and exactly the same height and build, so shes definitely built for success! You can safely say that she loves windsurfing as well and thats another important ingredient for her to be a future star.She was lucky enough to be coming here super early in a super early age that her parents have a place here that she can come and train a lot and she travels around different conditions! All these things that you know some people dont get on tour, but on top of that she takes advantage of it, she doesnt take it for granted at all.I see her on the water first and last to come off every day, so I think as a mix of ingredients for success, I would say soul has them all and shes a cool kid, so you know you got to root for her!The post SOL DEGRIECK: SHES GOT SOUL! appeared first on Windsurf Magazine.