Interview: Nico Bagschik - "Things really got going after the first front loop"

He takes on the long journeys: from the Harz Mountains to the coast - from the front loop in Püttsee to the pros at the Danish Open. On holiday? To Hookipa! Nico has caught fire in the waves - and in competition too. Time to introduce Nico to you.

You've been surfing since you were five years old. How did you get into it?

My grandad was one of the first windsurfers in Germany and he simply "forced" my father to come with him. My father then continued this with me. The classic way. My first sail back then was a 2.8 grommet.

Where did you start so young and where is your home base?

I started in the Harz Mountains, in the middle of Germany, so it was a bit difficult. But I made real progress on Fehmarn: at Wulfener Hals, in Gold, Altenteil and Püttsee. That's also a good three-hour drive from my home, but I was lucky that my parents used to go to Fehmarn almost every weekend. We had our caravan with friends on the island.

You are a computer scientist, can you combine surfing and work well?

(laughs) That's pretty good, I'd say. I now work for my father's company and he's more than just a surf fanatic.

But you weren't always as ambitious as you are now, were you?

No, not at all. It wasn't until I was 17, a few weeks before my 18th birthday, that my father showed me a video of a front loop because he'd always wanted to learn it. I thought to myself: 'It can't be that difficult, I'll show you! We then went to Püttsee on Fehmarn and I just gave it a go and actually did a loop during the first session. In the evening, I said to my father in passing: 'Oh, by the way, I already did the front loop when I was 17. (laughs)

And you've been obsessed ever since?

Yes, exactly! I've been surfing my whole life, so to speak, but somehow it just clicked. I've always loved being on the water and had always dreamed of becoming really good at windsurfing and taking part in a con test, but it wasn't until I did my first front loop at the age of 17 that I really caught fire - suddenly I wanted to learn all the jumps.

• How to learn the front loop - basic work
• The spin loop - explained step by step
• Report: The first front loop

Before, at the age of 14 or 15, I would have liked to have stayed at home on a windy weekend to do something with my school friends. After the first front loop on a great day, that was out of the question. I just wanted to get out on the water and keep training.

How did the team rider contract with Surfshop Fehmarn come about so quickly?

It has to be said that my family and I have been customers of Surfshop Fehmarn since day one and now know Michi and Basti very well. When they heard about my progress and realised that I was really motivated, one day during a visit to the shop we had a non-binding chat about a few options for new equipment. The two of them have a very good connection to Axel Wallem from Duotone and Fanatic. And when I got back home, I suddenly received an email with a finalised Shoprider contract - I could hardly believe it.

Last year, you took part in your first competition. You told us that you had a little difficulty at the start. Tell us about it.

I would have liked a little more clarity - I had my problems at the Multivan Windsurf Cup and also at the Danish Open. For example: What are the basic requirements for participation? Do I need a sail number, club, insurance? What classes are there (Wave A, Wave B)? I had no idea. For example, our surf club here in the Harz mountains isn't in the GWA, so I couldn't use the membership. It was all difficult to find out. When Google couldn't help me any more, I simply wrote to Klaas Voget and asked him. Fortunately, he replied very kindly and recommended Surfclub Kiel. Perhaps more newcomers would simply sign up if everything was listed a bit more clearly somewhere.

As a newcomer, I was standing there in a bit of a void.

Once you were registered, how did things go on site?

Quite good! I can only recommend every newcomer to network with the other participants. There's only a normal skippers' meeting on site, but no proper introduction for first-time participants or anything like that. In the chaos, with wind and weather on the beach, my father just said: "For me, you've already won when you meet your heat. Luckily, I just asked again and Nick Spangenberg kindly showed me how to set my timer correctly so that I stayed in the heat sequence. And so I actually hit my first heat.

And on the water?

That was something completely different from free riding! Surfing under time pressure while relying on the natural elements is unique. If the perfect wave for the backloop comes in the last minute of the heat, then it comes - if not, then it doesn't. However, I'm used to the general pressure of competition, from artistic gymnastics in the past. I can deal with that well. Out of ignorance, I went straight into Wave A, so to speak with the pros. In the first round, I was knocked out straight away - in the second round, I made it one round further.

It helped me a lot to watch the experienced participants more closely throughout their heats - even in the early rounds. And then finally watching Marc Paré live in the final as he knocked out his doubles and push-into-forwards like it was nothing was of course also a highlight.

So will you continue to attack in the future?

Definitely! The atmosphere on site was just great. The surf community is so friendly and welcoming. I got to know new people and many of them helped me a lot. Thank you for that! I'm already looking forward to the next contest.

FACTS on Nico Bagschik

• Age:21 years
• Place of residence:Goslar in the Harz Mountains
• Profession:IT specialist
• Size/weight: 190 cm/ 90 kilos
• Surfing since: the age of 5
• Regatta debut:May 2021 Discipline: Wave
• Successes: 17th place Danisch Open 2021
• Favourite spots:Hookipa and Klitmøller favourite moves: Stalled Forward and Pushloop
• Hobbies:Formerly artistic gymnastics, now weight training, kiting, skiing and snowboarding
• Sponsors: Surfshop Fehmarn, Fanatic, Duotone, ION
• Social Media: nico_g1106_ on Instagram

Also interesting:

• How to learn the front loop - basic work
• The spin loop - explained step by step
• Report: The first front loop