boot Düsseldorf, January 2023: Guxi, as his friends call him, climbs smoothly out of the water basin at Beach World. Soaking wet, he stows his board and sail and heads to the changing rooms. We have an appointment at the surf stand in ten minutes: We would like to find out more about the tow-in specialist. Because on land, the new Kieler-by-choice has kept a pretty low profile so far - on the water, however, Sebastian Gux puts on great shows and brings freestyle windsurfing to the people. For example, at the Kieler Woche tow-in show or at the Pangea Festival. He even stood on the podium there recently.
You have nine days of trade fair behind you and have actually been on the water here every day. How's it going?
My left arm hurts (laughs), there's a real pull on the cable. It can pull quite abruptly, especially at the start and in the bends - and it feels like your arm is being ripped out. But everything else is fine so far. Those were exciting days: at the stand of my sponsors Tabou and GA, as well as on the pool.
How did it come about that you were chosen as one of the main protagonists on the water basin?
Valentin (Böckler, from trade fair PR, editor's note.) had asked me spontaneously. Tow-In has suited me very well so far and has always been great fun - so I didn't hesitate for long.
Is it the show factor that spurs you on at the tow-in? On land, you tend to keep a low profile.
Hm, yes... sort of. I mean, as a windsurfer, when do you get the chance to ride in front of a large audience who, in the best case, are cheering you on in the immediate vicinity? That spurs you on to put on a good show.
Do you like surfing in the right wind just for yourself?
Of course! Nothing beats a nice session with wind for the 4.4. The Tow-In is more about the chance to present the sport to an audience that may have nothing to do with windsurfing. That's the big speciality - and that's why I think the show factor you mentioned is essential.
Tell us, where are you originally from - and what got you into windsurfing?
I'm originally from Frankfurt and started out there as a child at a small quarry pond. During the holidays, I always went to Holland. I didn't get through too many windsurfing days until my A-levels, but I was always highly motivated when I had a windy day on the water. After graduating, I travelled to many of the best freestyle spots in the world and was able to push my level from the basics to power moves. However, I now also really enjoy foiling - whether windsurfing, wing or pump foiling. I'm really into it at the moment.
After a year and a half, you made the leap. You returned to Geisenheim am Rhein near Frankfurt to study landscape architecture.
Yes, exactly. I actually wanted to go to the coast, but the degree programme wasn't offered there.
I have heard whispers that you are planning to develop a pool with a counter-current system for foiling and then sell it at the trade fair?
Well, that sounds a bit exaggerated (laughs). Who would rumour something like that? Well, I recently wrote my bachelor's thesis on such a system. I basically just planned a swimming pond with biological purification. The special thing: I also installed a counter-current system in the planning, which should make it possible to foil on the artificial pond.
Sounds exciting...
Do you know what the funny thing was? The only reference to my degree programme was the swimming pond in the garden. I actually spent weeks just learning the basics of foiling. I learnt a lot there - all the physics involved in foiling. For example, I was also in contact with Urs, the foil designer from GA, a lot.
Do you already have a grade?
Very good (smiles)!
Hopefully you'll build it in your garden at some point in the future.
Given that I wasn't at all sure at the beginning whether the work would work at all and whether it would be approved, I am of course more than satisfied with the result. But whether it works just as well in practice and whether the trade fair would buy it for Beach World is of course a completely different question (laughs).
So I've finished my Bachelor's thesis. What's next on the agenda?
Last year I spent the summer in Kiel in connection with an internship. I'm going to do that again this year - I've even already got a room in a shared flat.
Does that mean they are still working on new tricks?
Definitely! I also want to go back to events like Kiel Week and the surf festival - those were real highlights last year.
Finally: Why do you like jumping one-handed manoeuvres so much?
Just for the show... (laughs). No, many tricks just feel more natural if you practise them like this from the start. But for more variety, I'm also working on manoeuvres without any hands on the boom.
Facts Sebastian Gux
- Born: 06.05.1998
- Place of residence:Rodenbach (near Hanau) / Kiel
- Profession:Landscape architecture student
- Size/weight: 177 cm / 77 kg
- Surfing since: 2005
- Competition debut:2018 EFPT DAM-X
- Successes:17th in the DAM-X and two ninth places in the freestyle battles - I came third in the tow-in show during the Pangea Festival
- Favourite spots:Büsum & Brouwersdam
- Favourite discipline: Freestyle
- Favourite moves:One-handed burner
- Hobbies:All surfing and water sports
- Sponsors:Tabou / GA
- Instagram: guxi_98
