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Is going pro in windsurfing quite impossible?
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bred2shred



Joined: 02 May 2000
Posts: 989
Location: Jersey Shore

PostPosted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 11:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Define "pro".

If you define being a pro windsurfer as receiveing equipment sponsorships and getting paid a few bucks here and there to test equipment, then yes, becoming a pro windsurfer is probably an achievable goal. Network within the industry, get yourself some exposure, and you should be able to do it.

I define being a pro-anything as doing whatever that anything is such that it fully financially supports you. For example, pro-foot ball player, airplane pilot, teacher, trash collector, etc...

So if someone wants to call himself a pro-windsurfer because he got some free gear and a little cash for getting a photo in a mag, even though he's living in a van, waiting tables, and getting a monthly check from mom and dad, that's fine - but I won't.

sm
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 1:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I agree, but at least I made enough profit to legitimately write off all my windsurfing travel expenses, which included driving 17,000 miles a year in search of wind. I'd guess many "pros" don't achieve that, sorta like "actors" in California.

Mike \m/
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icesailing



Joined: 04 Feb 2008
Posts: 172

PostPosted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 3:43 pm    Post subject: pros Reply with quote

i would like to see some pros come to cape cod. like robby naish and bjorn dunkerbeck. is that posible?
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LeeD



Joined: 12 Jun 2008
Posts: 1175

PostPosted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 8:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Support your local shop !!!!
Thru the shop, they can make it happen.
wishing, hoping, praying, ......ainna gonna happen.
Of course, your shop has to be a Naish or North dealership.
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speedysailor



Joined: 11 Sep 2007
Posts: 841

PostPosted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 8:47 am    Post subject: Re: pros Reply with quote

icesailing wrote:
i would like to see some pros come to cape cod. like robby naish and bjorn dunkerbeck. is that posible?
There's a guy at Old Silver that gives lessons and makes a modest living in the summer. That's the closest you are going to get to a pro windsurfer commonly available on Cape Cod now. Nevil Sayre still lives in or around Falmouth, but he can only be seen kiting. If you set your bar a little lower and more attainable, you may see less famous and younger pros here. Phil Mann gave me a windsurfing sail that had racing numbers on it. He told me that someone had dropped it at his doorstep overnight. It was too old for him to sell. I checked the numbers and they belonged to a South African racing pro. Can Am used to hold clinics with travelling pros that Jim knew. They weren't the kind of people you could name-drop about, but these guys were definitely a cut above the best sailors at Chappy. Then again, even Rhuffus, our resident pro, has turned to kiting.
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pueno



Joined: 03 Mar 2007
Posts: 2807

PostPosted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 7:14 pm    Post subject: Re: pros Reply with quote

seedysailor wrote:
There's a guy at Old Silver that gives lessons and makes a modest living in the summer.


Is his name Swift? Isn't North Falmouth a bit distant from Waquoit? (Oh, I forgot -- just a few minutes along 151.)

Say, Brucie, where's "hugefins"?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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motogon



Joined: 19 Aug 2000
Posts: 376
Location: Philly

PostPosted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 1:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

cagjr21150 wrote:
And the second post on this thread is a blog about Greg Thomas...a 61 year old rookie from Maui racing Slaom 42 on the PWA.

I met him on Maui last year. He is very fast guy!
... and he is originaly from Philadelphia suburbs.
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mattp



Joined: 30 Jun 2006
Posts: 7

PostPosted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 11:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey RuskyXX-

Nice post- great to hear you are an aspiring pro- windsurfer. I can tell you from experience that it is not an easy road. Being a top pro and doing the PWA Tour is not easy or glamorous. You have to really want it bad. You have to be talented. You have to sail everyday. I don’t know what discipline your specialize in but it definitely helps to get started at a young age. It sounds like you are in your teens- My advice is to keep your head on your shoulders, get some good grades in school and use windsurfing as your motivation to get fit until you are finished with your education.
It definitely helps to be on Maui where the wind blows almost everyday and you can sail with top pros to see what level you are at. There are very few top pro’s that based themselves out of the east coast- the one name that comes to mind is Nevin Sayre- he was a great racer and had great success on the PWA tour. He spent a lot of time on the road that is for sure… and these days, traveling isn’t easy or cheap.
For the time being, start getting yourself some exposure- pics in magazines, do local competitions and start working your way up the ranks. A blog site can help out as well- my brother and I have finally gotten around to making our site and you can check this out and see what we have going- www.pritchardwindsurfing.com
If you are looking for sponsorship, send me an email via the contact tab on the above website as I’m looking for some great ambassadors for Gaastra/Tabou on the east coast- hopefully that will be a great way for you to get started living your dream!
Best Regards,

Matt Pritchard
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J.McInerney



Joined: 03 Jan 2002
Posts: 3

PostPosted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 3:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

you need to move to maui.mast high waves and wind...need to be real good.they start there in there teens
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DanWeiss



Joined: 24 Jun 2008
Posts: 2296
Location: Connecticut, USA

PostPosted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 6:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You've now read quite a few variations on the same theme. Work hard, practice, gain weight and strength, eat right, take a chance, don't smoke, don't drink, be frugal and be a nice guy. All of these suggestions are mostly correct, but the one least discussed is most crucial.

Regardless of your ability, good looks or financial means, you will never -ever- be a professional anything unless you take a chance at failing to become what you dream to be. Risk of such failure is a prerequisite to achieving whatever form you now call success.

It takes years on this rock to begin to understand that life's path consists primarily of unexpected turns, and that some of these future turns appear to represent the failure of a current plan but are alternative paths to redefined success.

Pro windsurfing is no different. Do you want to sail in a PWA event? You can, just pay your membership dues, your entry fee, airfare and hotel charges in most cases. Risk of the thousands of dollars to compete in your first event will reward you with a redefined understanding of what true steps you must take to reduce your risk the next time. If you continue to risk it, you will inevitably come closer to your own definition of success.

If you are really serious about making the jump, perhaps US Windsurfing can help. Please check out http://uswindsurfing.org/boardofdir_main.php and click on my info under the Regional Directors section. I'm local to you in Boston and easy to contact.

-Dan Weiss
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