In autumn 2016, Milanka and her father Jörg moved from their home town of Sprockhövel to Tarifa in Spain, on the Strait of Gibraltar, for three months. They were both motivated by their passion for water sports, specifically windsurfing and stand-up paddling. They swapped the autumnal waters of Lake Kemnade for the ocean waves. For Milanka, however, this also meant attending school in Tarifa.
Milanka, how does it work to simply swap a German school for a Spanish one, or is it not easy at all? It had to be in year 10, as only then is it possible to go abroad without having to repeat a year. It was more difficult than being released from my school in Hattingen to find the desired location and therefore a suitable school abroad. For the German school, I only needed a certificate that I had gone to school down there.
And how did you find the right school in Spain? We chose Tarifa because it has the highest wind probability in Europe. I got the crucial tip from windsurfer Lina Erpenstein: she recommended that I go to the IES Almadabra because this school finishes at 3 p.m. and there is still enough time to get out on the water afterwards.
What were your expectations for the three months? Finally living right by the sea, possibly going windsurfing or stand-up paddling every day! And I wanted to learn Spanish, meet new people, find out what kind of person I am and, of course, surf.
Were the expectations met? It could hardly have gone better. Almost every day on the water with stronger winds and higher waves than I could have dreamed of. I made a lot of friends at school. In general, the tariffs are super friendly and helpful.
All the SUP and windsurfing equipment is quite expensive. Are you already supported by manufacturers or what tips do you have for other young people? For all young windsurfing and SUP enthusiasts, I can only recommend that you present yourself and simply enquire with various brands to see if they are interested. I am sponsored by Starboard. I wouldn't have been able to use the time so effectively without the perfectly matched equipment. It is such an enrichment to be part of such a successful team. In addition, Westufer (a surf school in Bochum) supports me with the storage of my equipment. Look for a SUP or surf school where you can train and ask for advice. And when looking for a sponsoring partner, don't let a cancellation get you down!
Which boards do you ride? For SUP racing I ride a Starboard Sprint 14x21'5 and in the waves a Starboard Hypernut 7'2. For windsurfing I have a Starboard Kode Wave 78.
How would you rate your SUP and windsurfing skills since Tarifa? In SUP wave, I developed from a complete beginner to a participant in the German SUP Wave Championships in Peniche 2016 in three metre swells. In windsurfing, I was able to jibe, tack and sometimes waterstart on a big board before my stay abroad and had hardly any experience in the waves. In Tarifa, I learned how to do my manoeuvres safely in the waves on my starboard. Now I'm working on my forward loop.
And what are you planning for 2017, will we see you at national or international races? In SUP, you'll see me at all the important races in Germany. Internationally, I'll probably take part in a few races in the Netherlands, France, Belgium or Spain, but that hasn't been finalised yet. With windsurfing, it's a bit more difficult as I don't know how often I'll get out on the water at home. Maybe I'll go to a couple of races, but that's still up in the air.
Thank you Milanka and good luck!
