The discipline emerged out of a sort of emergency situation, as even the pros of the nineties had commitments such as appearing at festivals or dealer meetings at European flat-water spots like Lake Garda. There, the lads from Hawaii – such as Robby Seeger, Jason Polakow and Josh Stone – missed the waves, unlike their racing colleagues, and were unable to put on a show on the water for their local fans or showcase their sponsors’ boards. In short: they were bored. So they simply grabbed their big wave gear and started doing loops and spins on flat water right in front of the audience. The crowd on the shore went wild – freestyle was born.
As the sport gradually established itself in the late nineties and early noughties, and was still something completely new and special for most people, the prize money at competitions was high, and the brands’ professional teams were huge by today’s standards, and the freestyler was suddenly one of the best-selling boards for some brands – yet, from today’s perspective, the manoeuvres on the water were comparatively simple, even unspectacular. It may sound absurd, but the moves with which pros like Josh Stone became stars at contests such as the prestigious King of the Lake – whilst also earning a living – are now performed by any ambitious amateur freestyler during an after-work session.
Plenty of prize money, stars and best-selling boards
Over time, the discipline has become increasingly radical, but as a result has also become more and more of a niche sport. Even though the moves are now more than twice as explosive, it is now more than twice as difficult to earn a living as a professional. Where is this heading? We wanted to know whether there’s a limit in sight, and whether progress is starting to stall. To find out, we first take a look back at the past with Steven van Broeckhoven, the oldest competitor in the freestyle field. The 2011 world champion has been involved in freestyle for 20 years and reflects on the evolution of freestyle tricks over the last 30 years. Afterwards, the younger generation, led by Yentel Caers and Lennart Neubauer, venture a look ahead at what is yet to come. A conversation and an overview of the rapid development of the wildest discipline in windsurfing.
Any ambitious amateur freestyler of today’s generation would have won the first international freestyle events back then with ease.
Steven van Broeckhoven: The early days and the big leap to power moves
Steven, the first freestyle competition took place in 1996. Can you still remember the first moves that were performed in front of the Hotel Pier on Lake Garda?
Yes, that was around the time I started windsurfing at the age of ten. Around the same time, the first freestyle competition, the ‘King of the Lake’, took place, and the new discipline really took off. I’d always looked up to Josh Stone, Jason Polakow, Robby Seeger, Björn Dunkerbeck and the other lads watched it again on VHS. It was so incredibly fascinating to watch and one of the reasons why I took up freestyle shortly afterwards. I remember that at the windsurfing school where I learnt to windsurf, they used to show videos of the ‘King of the Lake’ and those famous riders. And I remember just as clearly that they were doing Willy Skippers, spin loops, body drags and aerial jibes. The spectators were screaming with excitement! And in the early days, the freestylers were also using completely different boards and sails.
So that means any freestyler in Germany who’s really passionate about it these days would have won this event, wouldn’t they?
Absolutely, because back then there were, by and large, ‘only’ spin loops, Willy skippers and jibe variations. Then the sliding moves came along. Any ambitious freestyler from today’s generation would have won the first international freestyle events back then.
Which tricks fall into the ‘sliding moves’ category?
There were so many: Vulcan, Spock, Grubby, Flaka … they’re all sliding moves. And even back then, lots of freestylers were already doing various combinations of these sliding moves. So there’s a really wide range of manoeuvres, but then came the power moves! We still do sliding manoeuvres, of course, but we also – and above all – do power moves. And that really transformed the ‘new’ generation of freestyle back then.
Tell us a bit about what might well be the biggest change in freestyle to date.
Yes! In 2007 and 2008, there was the ‘Big Change’ – that is, the big shift towards power moves, which are various spins (often via ‘trimming’ the sail (initiated, Ed.), which take place entirely in the air, without sliding much over the nose or tail. I learnt these power moves quite early on and was able to land them in my first competitions. I think the Culo was already around back then, and nowadays everyone does the Culo and the Burner. We were also doing Air Funnels back then. Today, these moves are all combined in double and triple combinations – with a mid-air landing and even performed entirely in the air. Keyword: Double Air Culo.
“In 2007–2008, there was the ‘Big Change’ – the major shift towards power moves.” (Steven van Broeckhoven)
Who invented the first power moves?
The Bonaire crew! They were the ones who came up with the first power moves. Kiri Thode, Taty and Tonky Frans, and the other lads were the pioneers. And then there was the El Yaque crew, led by Gollito Estredo, Cheo Diaz and Ricardo Campello.
You took part in your first freestyle event twenty years ago, in 2006.
It was the European Freestyle Pro Tour event in Tarifa, where I finished fourth, followed by the first World Championships in 2007 and my first full season on the World Tour in 2008. The following year, I became European Champion for the first time, and in 2011 I was crowned World Champion.
Do you remember the power moves that were performed in the year of your first full World Tour?
I mean, we’d only just started doing double power moves, and as far as I can remember, I was one of the first to do double Burners, double Culos and Air Funnels into Burners – in other words, double-popped moves.
When was that?
That was back in 2009. These are the moves we still do today, and they still score highly.
In your view, what were the factors that led to you winning the world title in 2011?
They’re the double power moves – that is, you do a full rotation in the air, land, and then do another jump with a rotation. We had lots of competitions in 2011: there were seven Freestyle World Cups in total, and I managed to win three of them. We faced a wide variety of conditions, which weren’t always easy – though that may actually have worked in my favour, as I’m used to training not in perfect conditions, but in places like Tarifa, where I’ve spent a lot of time in gusty and strong winds. But I’d also trained in light winds and calm waters on Bonaire at the time and was in good shape in those conditions too.
So what happened next?
In the years that followed, there were indeed only minor developments, but more and more riders were performing these tricks. But it’s also fair to say that whilst many riders perform very well in freeride, pulling off these tricks in a competition is a different matter altogether. And then the first riders, led by Yentel Caers, started doing ‘double airs’ – that is, a double rotation in the air without touching down in between. That was in 2015, and I think it was Youp Schmidt who landed the first double air Culo. I did my first one in 2016.
What about the Shifty?
Yeah, the Shifty is absolutely incredible, isn’t it?! The move came onto the scene in 2015, and it’s like a Shaka: you go into a Shaka and then do a pushloop rotation. And even ten years on, it’s still a proper high-score move. Balz Müller invented it! In Cape Town, I was riding behind him; he pulled it off, then he came up behind me and I managed to land the Shifty just as well! It was such an incredible feeling. And I think it was Nicolas Akgazciyan who was the first to land a Shifty at a World Cup. Not everyone tries this manoeuvre because lots of riders are still afraid of it – it really is a terrifying manoeuvre! You’ve got so much back pressure in the sail up there – it can fling you off in any direction.
How would you describe the feel of a Shifty?
The sensation when you take off is completely different, because the force of the wind pushing against the sail pushes you backwards through the air! There’s a moment when you can’t see where you’re going to land. And that’s exactly what makes it so scary. You never know how fast the spin will be, because that depends on how you hold your sail against the wind. It all happens in the air. It’s incredible.
Under what conditions is it best to do the Shifty?
I need perfect conditions because I’m not as fit as I used to be (laughs). Small waves with 25–30 knots are best. Can I add one more trick? The Shifty Shaka! I did that for the first time in 2016!
And what about other versions of the Shifty?
This year, Lennart has (Neubauer, Editor’s note) I’d set myself the goal of landing a Shifty followed by a front loop in Pozo! It’s similar to a push-forward. But that’s not for me anymore – I’m 40 years old, but ten years ago? I definitely would have given it a go (laughs).
What new tricks have been performed in recent years?
I don’t think there are that many. But so many riders are improving!
But Lennart Neubauer recently pulled off the first Triple Culo on Sylt.
Yes, it was the first time in a World Cup heat, but Yentel Caers, for example, had already performed this trick during freestyle sessions a few years ago. Now it was possible thanks to the conditions in the heat on Sylt – that is, thanks to the long, drawn-out waves. Those were brilliant conditions because they can provide an extra boost for this sort of trick.
Right, we’ll ask him. Let’s take a look into the future. What new tricks does the future hold?
To be honest, I don’t really think about new tricks for myself anymore. You’ll have to ask Yentel and Lennart that question. Those two lads, exactly. I’m already part of the old guard in freestyle (laughs).
All right then, thanks for the chat, Steven.
Yentel Caers: Perfecting Multiple Moves
Yentel, was it you who did the Triple Culo for the first time, and not Lennart Neubauer?
Yentel: The Triple Culo is already ten years old, and I was the first rider to land it in Fuerte. But it was Lennart who brought it to the World Cup. That’s a whole different challenge again. I’ve been pushing all these tricks for a long time, and I have huge respect for the fact that he pulled it off so perfectly in the heat.
What other new tricks have you come up with apart from the Triple Culo?
The Double Air Shaka! That’s one of the ‘big moves’ too, but you don’t see this trick very often. I’ve shown it here, and so has Jacopo Testa.
And for the first time in competition?
That was in 2018! And back in 2015, whilst I was still training.
What new freestyle tricks can you think of?
I’m sure there’ll be a few tricks. The Triple Air Culo is possible. I’m pretty sure of that.
Lennart Neubauer: The Future
Lennart, you performed the Triple Culo for the first time in a competition at the Sylt World Cup. But you’d done the trick before that, hadn’t you?
The very first time was in Gran Canaria, in fairly choppy conditions, and a few weeks later in Fuerteventura, in flat water. But Jericoacoara, in Brazil, was the spot where I learnt it in strong winds. Landing the move in a World Cup heat, however, is a completely different challenge.
Did it help you that you were able to catch the long swell on Sylt?
Exactly, in terms of angle, the swell made it easier than completely flat water, because you don’t need as much speed. All you really need is a wave and a bit of speed, and then with every Culo you actually go almost faster as you ride down the wave.
“There’s still huge potential for new moves.” (Lennart Neubauer)
What tricks do you have in mind, or are you already practising, so that you can perform them in competitions later on?
I think a quadruple Culo is definitely doable. In choppy conditions, it’s pretty much a certainty; Lanzarote would be a great place to pull it off. Yes, I reckon there are still huge opportunities in freestyle to come up with new moves.
Right, speaking of ‘new moves’: what are these new tricks?
Well, I’m a massive fan of the Shifty. And there’s a Shifty into Forward I’ve got my eye on – it’s never been landed before and I’d really love to be the first to land it, but most of the time you end up holding yourself back.
What do you mean by ‘limiting yourself’? What do you mean by that?
Twenty-five years ago, it would have been unthinkable to land several Culos in a row. It’s all in the mind, and it took a trailblazer to do it for the first time. Other riders then pick up on the sequence of movements and refine it. And, yes, now we see what feels like another Culo being added to the mix every few years. That means there’s a lot of mental preparation involved too. Until someone actually shows the way, it’s always hard to imagine.
Thank you, Yentel and Lennart, and I wish you continued success!
Timeline: The Evolution of Freestyle
Late 1980s – 1996
Freestyle is still in its infancy and, building on the earlier days of ‘trick surfing’ on displacement boards, consists of sailing tricks, carving manoeuvres, tacks, body drags and jumps such as the aerial jibe and the spinloop.
1996 – early 2000s
The Aerial Jibe becomes the Willy Skipper and later the Air Jibe (Vulcan). Josh Stone accidentally turns too far and, with the invention of the Spock, ushers in the era of sliding manoeuvres.
Early 2000s
Flaka, Grubby, Chachoo & Co dominate the scene, and later on in switch as well. Bob and Funnel are the first ‘crouched’ manoeuvres. Ricardo Campello brings more ‘power’ to the game with the Shaka.
2005–2013
The Funnel becomes the Air Funnel; Gollito Estredo takes his power moves even higher into the vertical and invents the Burner. The Culo, Kono, Switch Kono and so on quickly follow.
2013 – present
Power moves are combined and performed as double and triple jumps, even without a landing in between. With Double Air Culo and Shifty variations, freestyle is taking to the air higher and higher.