PHILIP KSTER: LIFE OF A WINDSURFER!PHILIP KSTER: LIFE OF A WINDSURFER!Few athletes have reshaped the face of modern windsurfing like Philip Kster. Born on the wind-blasted shores of Gran Canaria in 1994, Kster grew up with the ocean as his playground and the trade winds as his constant companions. From the family home just meters from Vargas Beach, he learned to windsurf in the raw power of the Atlantic before most kids could ride a bike. What began as an after-school pastime soon transformed into an unstoppable passionone that would make him the youngest wave world champion in history at just 17 years old.With five PWA World Wave Titles to his name, Kster is one of the biggest names in windsurfing. Yet behind the spectacular double loops and towering jumps lies a grounded athlete, a devoted father and a personality who is as humble as he is hungry.In this exclusive interview, Windsurf caught up with Philip Kster in Sylt, to talk about his early days on Vargas Beach, the highs and lows of his competitive career so far, injuries and comebacks, balancing family and competition and what still drives him to push higher, faster and harder more than a decade into his legendary career.Photos: PWA/ Carter / John CarterWINDSURF: Lets start right back to your early days when you learned to windsurf.PK: Oh, if I can still remember. I think I have hit up my head too many times to remember too much (Laughs).WINDSURF: You brought up in that one solitary house on the beach in Vargas just a stones throw from the water?PK: Yeah, I was born in Gran Canaria on March 5th 1994 and yeah, Vargas was actually the first house where I grew up. I spent my whole childhood until I was in my twenties there in that house on the beach! Yeah, the house was amazing! You have the windsurfing spot right in front.I had all the sails rigged and everything ready, so after school and stuff! I never really had to prepare anything. I just went out straight on the water! It was a really cool childhood.My parents introduced me to windsurfing when I was eight years old! My dad taught me how to windsurf on that beach.He showed me trickshow to hold the sailand then I went out, I tried, kind of worked out. And if I was too far out, he always whistled and I had to turn around, so he always took care of me. But yeah, it was a great learning like that.WINDSURF: So, you were always used to the ocean and high winds then?PK: Gran Canaria is one of the windiest places in the world. So yeah, I was used to high winds. Obviously, I was also not the smallest kid. I had the power, so I was actually OK with holding the sails in strong windsI did not know any different!WINDSURF: So, when did you start realizing that you had some natural talent?PK: Windsurfing started out just fun. But at 11 or 12, I started doing little contestsjust the local onesand then I got a wildcard for Pozo when I was 12. Yeah, it was just great to compete with the older ones for the first time.I think the first heat I had was against Vidar Jensen. He crushed me, but it was a great experience. I really enjoyed it. I really felt the adrenaline from the feeling of competing and yeah, in the double elimination I had John Hibbard from the UK, I think I lost by half a point and he won, so I was like, Oh damn it. That fuelled my hunger for success!WINDSURF: You feel you were getting a bit competitive at 12?PK: Yeah, I got competitive I think because I was that close, but I still lost. And I didnt like the feeling of losing, so I was like, Ive got to win next time.WINDSURF: So were you mad crazy for windsurfing right back at 12 or 13like just every day all day on the water?PK: Yeah, every day. It did not matter if there was wind or not. I was on the water. No wind days, I was just standing on the board, not moving, but still on the water. It was fun.I was watching a lot of windsurfing movies, had all the DVDs and VHS tapes. I mean, there was not much else to do in VargasI couldnt play football or basketball or anything, so my life was all about windsurfing.WINDSURF: Did you have any heroes back then?PK: Well, most people think always Bjorn or Robbie Naish, but they were kind of still finished competing before everything I saw! So, for me, it was more like Ricardo Campello doing doubles and going big. Of course, Bjorn was around, I mean he always jumped high, but I never really saw him jump that high in contests. I never saw his really good days.Wave riding was everything for me, so my favourites were Ricardo Campello and Vidar Jensen! They were both sailing and doing amazing things in Pozo. And, also Antoine AlbeauI had a lot of heats against him that I always lost, but yeah, I was always seeing him sailing. He was also really inspiring as an athlete.WINDSURF: And when did you first get sponsored?PK: I got sponsored at 12 by Starboard! Back in the day they had the Pro Kids thing, and yeah, I was on the team and soon after that I got invited to Maui to be a part of the annual photo shoot.WINDSURF: So, you went to Maui at 12 years old?PK: Yeah, I think you should have some pictures, yeah. But yeah, that was fun and also a bit intimidating. The first day, I think with all the jet lag, I stayed in Kuau Plaza right next to Hookipa, and then right in the morning one guy (Ian Fox from Starboard) comes round and says, You have to be part of this contesttheres a kids contest in Hookipa. You have to go in the water.I had zero experience of Hookipa, didnt talk English and didnt know what big waves were. And it was starboard tack and yeah, I went straight out and got caught by the biggest wave, destroyed everything. And then I was like, I dont like it that much. Those were little experiences, but I learned a lot from it.WINDSURF: When did you win your first Pozo?PK: I think it was 2009, when I was 15! I think I won the final against Victor Fernandez, with Ricardo Campello in 3rdWINDSURF: So, your level would have come on quite a bit because you were getting stronger, taller, and more experienced?PK: Yeah, I was stronger, taller, and I had some motivation from my parents. They told me if I did really well in windsurfing, I could kind of slow down with schoolif it was really my big wish to windsurf. So, then obviously I had the biggest motivation ever.When youre 15, what do you want to do? Something fun of course. I decided to go for it, so I won the event and I kind of decided that windsurfing is great. I love it, I have fun and I got sponsors why not see how far I can take it?Then I came here to Sylt the same year. I had a heat against Gollito and I didnt even make it out of the waves! I went on the rocks, got crushed. From feeling really good to last place. But then yeah, once again, I learned from it.WINDSURF: Your dad was always supporting you at events?PK Yeah, to have the support from parents is great. My dad always drove me everywhere, always when there was wind, he took me. That was a big plus. They also knew how it is to windsurf and that when theres wind, youve got to be on the water.WINDSURF: And when did the first title come?PK: The first title came when I was 17, in 2011. That felt pretty amazing and pretty much changed my life. I won in Pozo and Tenerife and came third in Sylt! I was the youngest wave champion in history. Suddenly I was in the spotlight. In 2012 I was able to defend my title as mens wave world champion again. The year 2013 wasnt easy because there were only three PWA wave events with wind and atthe last one on Maui I became sick and ended up in hospital. I could not defend the title and became 6th overall. In 2014 I won the World Cup Tenerife and finished 7th overall.In 2015 I won the PWA wave men world title for the third time. 2016 again started well for me until Ipicked up a serious knee injury during a training session in Australia in September. The season was over for medue to the injuryIhad to undergo a surgery and spent countless hours with rehab.I would say that my high point was winning my fifth world title on Maui in 2019, it was such a relief when I heard I was officially world champion after waiting for a lot of days without wind and with conditions on the edge.My personal high point was finding out that I will have a little girl together with my girlfriend Manca.The best event for me is Pozo since it is my home spot and I really like the challenge of doing high and tricky jumps. Also watching all the others go for it is amazing and really fun to experience.WINDSURF: When did you get Red Bull on board as a sponsor?PK: Quite early when I was 15. Almost 16, I think. At the first World Cup I won in Pozo, I didnt have Red Bull yet, but then next year! I think Bjorn gave me my first Red Bull cap in Australia in January the next year after I won the title!WINDSURF: What about injurieshow tough have they been to deal with?PK: Injuries have been really tough, but not that negative. I learned how to prepare myself better and listen to my body more. Recovery isnt always bad. The beginning was always tough, but later on you kind of get used to it and get motivated that you can come back stronger. I always came back better after injuries.WINDSURF: How tough is it to get the confidence to throw a double loop after a big injury?PK: Yeah, youve got to test the bones if they still hold, then be confident again. Normally I start slow, work up to some jumps, see if I have painif too much, I work with the physio. If not, I keep going.WINDSURF: During recovery, were you ever just forced to sit at home on the sofa?PK: Yeah, the thing with injuriesin the beginning, I dont do anything. The physios say, Youve got to be active, I try, but mentally its so hard that you just need time off. Normally that takes one or two weeks before I want to start moving again. In those times, Im with family, watch TV, do emails, just relax. But during that time, you prepare yourself mentally to start again.WINDSURF: Did you go to Fiji one year and realize you couldnt compete?PK: Yeah, mentally I was there but it wasnt possible to compete. That was tough, I had to fly back home with a broken foot and broken ligaments. The doctors in Spain didnt see the ligament damage, just chipped bones, so I thought it wasnt that bad. I tried to windsurf I took two waves but couldnt bottom turn. Six days of travel for two waves. But I wanted to try!I competed in Pozo with the broken ligament later. The bone had healed but the ligament was still torn I still made it to sixth.WINDSURF: Now you are 3114 years after your first titleare you still just as motivated to windsurf?PK: I think I still sail quite a lot, but not like before. Its not possible to sail that much now. I still go out every time I see conditions, even for freestyle, but not the same amount as when I was in my teens!WINDSURF: Do you ever get bored of windsurfing?PK: Sometimes, yes. When its not that good, I sail one or two days, great, but if its flat again the next daymaybe I get bored. Thats why next year I might start with a bit of slalom again.WINDSURF: Do you feel you have a weak point in competition, like light wind?PK: Yeah, light wind is not my strongest side. I dont enjoy it muchthere is not much to enjoy about light wind. I like dynamic sailing, moving fast down the line. Pumping down the line isnt it. Lighter sailors have the advantage, so Ive tried to lose some weight for light-wind events.WINDSURF: How much weight have you lost?PK: Through injuries I gained weightI was up to 100kgnow Im 87kg. Being lighter feels much better on the water. With less weight, I make more tricks on the wave. Its positive.WINDSURF: You notice it even walking about?PK: Yeah, carrying 13kg lessfeels great. I hope I dont gain it back!WINDSURF: And what about family now?PK: Family is a big change. Im happy I didnt wait longer. My kids are super happy always. My second daughters six months old. My wifes very supportiveshes a sports person, so she understands what I have to do. I can focus on both family and windsurfing. Its nice to come home to family after eventsthe family gives me a balance. From competition to changing diapers it is fun, different and never boring.WINDSURF: And what about Severne, how do you like being on the team?PK: Yeah, I give ideas, do testing, tell them what I like. They come up with so much cool equipment, we test together, its fun. Severne are a great team. Sometimes we test in the Canaries, but most of the stuff gets done in Australia. I love going there and sailing epic conditions with the team!WINDSURF: Your signature board is the Pyro?PK: Yes, that boards amazing. Weve made good changes. I am really happy with it and having my name on it is great. I normally ride with thrusters and also a bit of quads, but thrusters are amazing now and work well for my style.WINDSURF: And you like fast boards?PK: Yeah, really fast. I like to move aroundthats why I dont like light wind. For light wind days now, we have fast boards and light, strong sailswe have developed some amazing equipment for that. For Maui I even have the new boards from Jaeger Stone for down-the-line sailingtried them in Lanzarote and they worked great.WINDSURF: Youve got five world titles nowdo you think this year its the hardest fleet there has ever been with the likes of Marc Pare, Brawzinho, Marino Gil and new guys like Miguel Chapuis?PK: Yeah, its really hard now. Everyone trains a lot, everyone does everything, which is great for windsurfing, but tough. I dont like losing, so I like to have my conditions to show everything I can do.WINDSURF: So youre happy if its a fair fight like strong wind in Pozo, best man wins?PK: Yeah, obviously that would be perfect.WINDSURF: Which sailors are pushing you the most now?PK: I like sailing with Marcilio Browne a lothe sails really, really strong. Marc Pare, Marino, theyre fun to sail with toobut Browne is motivating.WINDSURF: Do you want to spend more time sailing at Hookipa?PK: I think so, but it gets crowded. I enjoy uncrowded places. But Ill probably need to spend more time in Maui.WINDSURF: At 31, how much longer do you think youll compete?PK: I dont want to drag myself around at the endI still want to be at the top. I think I still have a few good yearshopefully ten more. We are starting to see guys like Swift calling it their last season. Yeah, but Swift still sails really good he does push loops both tacks, only few people do that. You can compete at 40 and beyond if you stay in shape. Thats my mission!WINDSURF: And is it the competition that drives you, or would you rather do fun trips to epic waves?PK: I like both. Contests pay the bills and I enjoy them. But a trip with friends is cool tooI feel that is needed at least once a year.WINDSURF: Mentally, you always seem relaxed at the beach are you actually chilled?PK: Well, I want to win, definitely. But I feel less pressure now than in the beginning. After a few titles, I dont have to prove anything anymore, but I still want to achieve more. Maybe Im mentally good for contestsI am normally a relaxed person and not having big pressure helps.WINDSURF: This year the first super final in Gran Canaria went wrongyou bailed out on a jump, went on the rockshow did you recover from that?PK: Yeah, I didnt want to bail out, but the wind was so strong it ripped the sail out of my hands. Then I had to decidego back to the gear on the rocks or grab new gear. I chose new gear but lost so much time there was no chance. The second final went well thoughI had to perform, and I did. I would have been devasted if I lost the second one, but it came out even better in the end.WINDSURF: What do you do in your spare time? Have you got any other sports or do you like watching movies? What do you do on a plane? Do you just sit and watch movies or do you just chill out? Whats your sort of spare time thing?PK: Well, I watch movies and I dont really play computer games. Otherwise, Im on the bike or doing stuff with the family. I dont know, sometimes I just relax. Normally from windsurfing Im so tired that anyway, I just chill out. I think Im a very relaxed person.WINDSURF: Are you the kind of guy at home who does all the workthe cooking and cleaningdo you chip in with all that?PK: Yeah, I chip in. I cook a meal sometimes, sometimes I order takeaway also, but yeah, most of the time my wife cooks. But all the cleaning, we both do it. And theres a lot to do with the kids, so were both tired and we kind of do everything. Its teamwork. We have a small dog tooit is not too much work with that dog. Its a small one, not a big Labrador or anything, just a small toy dog.WINDSURF: Do you watch box sets or series or anything like that?PK: Yeah, someI watch a lot of sports documentaries. If theres MotoGP, we also watch that sometimes.WINDSURF: What about when youre not at an event, like when you were injuredwould you watch the livestream?PK: I watched a bit of the livestream sometimes, but at some events I dont even tune in. You lose a little bit of interest in it when you are recovering. Sometimes, I have watched if theres a good forecast. But then obviously I know how it is when its light windI know what everyone does and can do, and then theres nothing that makes me go, Oh yeah, I want to see that.I watched Tenerife for the first time when I was at home with my leg up, and you know, the livestream is actually pretty good. I think Ben Proffitt does a fabulous jobwhen hes not there, something is missing. Whenever he does the commentary, its cool. Some heats are really nice to watch and I also think I can see what the others do and maybe learn something from itif they do something different. Its great to see how others improve during the season, what they worked on, their gear and all that. In that way, its fun to watch the livestream whenever youre not there.WINDSURF: And what about your phoneare you on it a lot? Most people go back home and start scrolling through Instagram. Are you that guy, or not really?PK: Not really, maybe occasionally. I should be posting more on Instagram or Facebook and all that, but I think Im too old for it already. The younger generation does it way better. I never really put my time into it.The few videos Ive posted are alrightI dont really do funny challenges or trends or anything like that. Im actually happy about that. I like the action videos. Everything I post is something I really like. If Ive done a push loop and landed on the front of the wave thats something I like to show. I dont really like to show anything else. Everything I post is something that interests me!WINDSURF: Youve got quite a lot of other tricks you can do in jumps, like one-handed tabletops and all that but you never do them in a contest?PK: Theres no point, I suppose. If there were better scores for that, I would love to do it. But now, for many years, it used to be three jumps and two waves. Now its stuck at two jumps and two waves. You just dont see as many cool jumps like before. Id love to have three scoring jumps in the contestthat would make everything more exciting.I mean, what would you do after a double and a push forwardsomething else thats cool? Excitement-wise, it would be much more interesting. I would prefer that and I think a lot of other good sailors in Gran Canaria would prefer it too.They used to have the three jumps and two waves, but the waves were multiplied by something to keep it a bit fairer. But yeah, if there were three jumps again, then youd see one-handed tabletops again. Id love to show that jump. I really like it. It looks nice, and I like doing stuff that looks good!WINDSURF: So now your motivation is to win more world titles?PK: Yeah, I have not had much luck the past few seasons. Often light winds and I was too heavy. Also, some wrong calls from the judgescompeting one day when the next day was amazing.Thats why Im looking into slalom a bit.its simple and the first to the finish wins.WINDSURF: Are you serious about that?PK: Yes, I would like to try fin slalomnot foiling though. Foiling is a different world, too technical. But for fin slalom, yeah, thats more my thing, especially in the Canaries.WINDSURF: Do you think youre fast enough?PK: I think I can be. Everyone learns. Ill take it as a fun challenge next yearif its fun, great. If not, itll be my last year of slalom. But yeahwhy not? I can try it.PWA World Championship victories (2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2019)The post PHILIP KSTER: LIFE OF A WINDSURFER! appeared first on Windsurf Magazine Online.