Interview with Michele Becker: "Without competitions, I would no longer windsurf"
reemedia
· 08.06.2023
Final day at the PWA Slalom World Cup Lake Garda: After two runs with second and 16th place - which Michele Becker had not previously thought possible - we stand together. Results that even the experts would not have expected, but which are ultimately the result of the path taken by the now 24-year-old from Kiel. Nico Prien is another German in the top 10, while their hottest national rivals have decided not to compete in the opening World Cup. So are we witnessing something of a changing of the guard at the top of the German rankings?
Michele looks, smiles and then, without answering, is already thinking about the next slalom run in the next moment - something like: What will the south wind do? The sun, which supports the Ora, is completely absent on this final day of the World Cup. It's cold and the cloudy mountains don't provide the typical Ora. Even insiders (especially Michele Becker, who is on Lake Garda for the first time) find it very difficult to predict the wind for the rest of the afternoon.
A bold exclamation mark in the World Cup
The starting boat is around 800 metres to the south and therefore to windward of the regatta site of the venerable Circolo Surf Torbole. It takes the worldcuppers just under ten minutes to cross to the start - and anyone who knows Lake Garda also knows that it is always a bit of a lottery as to what wind conditions will prevail there - and how the wind will develop. The Patrik team rider looks over his equipment, visibly undecided as to what to take in view of this starting position. Oh, I'll take the small equipment, he decides, grabs his board and sail and crosses up to the start boat.
He made the perfect choice, as Michele made another big statement among the World Cup elite with a third place in the next slalom run. He only returns to the Circolo Surf Torbole for a short time before heading out again for the heats of the fourth and final slalom run.
The physical differences between those who retire earlier and return to the regatta site and the professionals who take part in the A or B finals are striking. Riders like the young Jimmy Thieme and the top riders are a good 20 kilograms apart. Next to me is a young Croatian who works as a mental coach for world champion Maciek Rutkowski and is visibly tense and nervous as he watches the races on the live stream on his smartphone. Maciek finishes third in the A final and secures victory.
More about World Cup and DWC:
Rutkowski, Mortefon, Søe - all congratulate Michele Becker
And Michele? By winning the small final, he finishes in ninth place and takes an outstanding fifth place overall - plus 1400 euros in prize money. Back on the beach, the man from Kiel can't get his big smile off his face. The dismantling of his boards and slalom rigs takes quite a long time and you can feel that he has fully arrived among the slalom elite of the PWA scene with his fifth place. Maciek, the reigning world champion, approaches him. "Hey, you were really fast!" He is full of praise: "You rode very smartly and out of the jibe you had some of the best acceleration of all the competitors in the field."
One of the fastest guys ever, the fourth-placed Dane Johan Søe, approaches Michele Becker: "Let's train together," he says, and former world champion Pierre Mortefon also joins the crowd of well-wishers: "You rode well!" But Will McMillan, himself probably the biggest surprise at the World Cup on Lake Garda, also comes round to shake hands. The 17-year-old Thai, who lives in Australia, shocked the entire world elite with his third place. The two underdogs stand together and crack jokes. Like Michele, the funny 110-kilo model athlete, who claims to lift 230 kilograms, can be seen as the new young guard in World Cup slalom. Nico Prien, who achieved an outstanding ninth place on his comeback, offers his heartfelt congratulations: "It's good to see how the tension has been released and both are beaming with joy as they enjoy their success.
Interview with Michele Becker
Ten days later, I meet Michele Becker in Grönwohld, at his home spot north of Kiel. Last weekend, he once again proved his outstanding form by winning the German Windsurf Cup on Sylt. He also easily won the DWC opener in Ahlbeck and is therefore well on his way to winning the overall ranking again this year after 2022!
Michele, congratulations! You did outstandingly well in the first regattas of the year. How do you feel?
It's still a bit surreal. I was so blown away by everything on the afternoon of the last day of the event at Lake Garda. We raced two and a half eliminations on that final day. I messed up the second run, after the second heat I took a big sail, went out and then went back in to take a smaller sail - but didn't have time to take a smaller foil. There were so many decisions and small and big experiences that it took time to process.
You came fifth overall in this World Cup! Do you need to pinch yourself?
Oh, you can't really describe it.
Well, your smile is widening again.
Yes, of course, I'm proud.
All of a sudden, all the hard work of the last few years is paying off completely. It's overwhelming."
And how does it feel when you suddenly - according to your own statement - find yourself competing against your idols? And suddenly you're only showing them the fin, sorry, the foil, from behind?
That is still indescribable for me. I am so proud and grateful for moments like these. Unbelievable! All of a sudden, all the hard work of the last few years is paying off completely. It's overwhelming.
It was also great to see that every one of your competitors at Lake Garda came up to you, congratulated you and fully respected such a result. What's it like being a newcomer?
The established Worldcuppers, who were also at the front, all came towards me. On the other hand, some of the PWA pros who were behind me were different. Enrico Marotti and Matteo Iachino, who I also know well from training in Tenerife, didn't say anything. But I can understand that a bit.
At Lake Garda, when asked whether your current results represented the changing of the guard at national level, you smiled a little and then grinned. You were perhaps a little embarrassed by the question. Andreas Erbe, editor-in-chief of surf magazine, later went one better by saying that the PWA Slalom World Cup is also seeing a changing of the guard. Do you see it that way too? And what do you think are the reasons for this?
Foiling definitely plays a major role in this topic. Compared to Finn slalom, this is a very new discipline that requires a new riding technique and understanding. So it feels like we had a fresh start a few years ago, which means that young riders can also get involved right from the start.
Anyone who doesn't train in Tenerife is making a mistake!"
Nico Prien said when asked why Maciek Rutkowski had won: Well, because of his consistency! But where does this consistency come from to make it to the A finals so safely - and to be among the front runners there?
Yes, Maciek rides very consistently. You can tell, for example, that Maciek and Enrico have been regular participants in TWS slalom training on Tenerife for years. You can't train more than we do on Tenerife! Anyone who doesn't take part is making a mistake - and only perhaps an Antoine Albeau or a Nicolas Goyard can afford to train elsewhere because they simply have superior experience and had outstanding material settings at their disposal at the time.
As the reigning world champion, Maciek Rutkowski had his own mental coach with him throughout the World Cup. Is that another reason for his consistency?
That may well be the case. Most Worldcuppers now race for so long that everyone knows exactly what will help them.
But there are also physical differences between the guys who are eliminated in the heats and those who make it to the A or B finals. The professionals in the finals weigh at least 90, more likely 95 kilos. Will McMillan, who is only 17 years old, weighs 110 kilos!
Yes, if you want to win races today, then a weight of around 100 kilos does help. Maciek weighs around 95, but he also tends to lose body weight during the season. At 92 kilos, I'm one of the lighter riders in the front field - my thoughts on this are pretty clear.
Does that mean you're going to put on some weight? 95 kilos used to be the optimum body weight for slalom on Finn.
I will definitely continue to put on weight. I'm trying to keep the weight off this season and put it on for next season. As long as you're on the foil, you won't stop even at 100 kilos.
Former world champion Matteo Iachino had hired a boat with a skipper for the World Cup on Lake Garda, which had been anchored at the level of the starting boat throughout the week. This meant that he was able to change equipment more quickly than many others.
That's worth its weight in gold, especially at spots like this. Even Matteo complained after the last day that he only had 9.0 and 8.0 on the boat, although he would have needed 7.0 for the last races. Well, I could and had to change my equipment on the beach without a boat - and apparently I managed quite well.
Which guys had the most basic speed on Lake Garda?
Will McMillan with his, as you said, 110 kilos - and he has legs that are so thick and wide... Amazing! Then the Dane Johan Søe with 103 kilos, the Croatian Enrico Marotti with an estimated 98 kilos. These three were the only ones I couldn't keep up with in terms of speed.
Step on the gas! Full speed! Are you ever afraid that something might go wrong on the shots? Do you always go full throttle? Or do you sometimes take a tactical approach?
No, better to go to the limit in a controlled manner.
Always?
Well, in the fight with Enrico Marotti for a place in the final on Lake Garda, I rode completely on the limit - and gave it my all on the last lap, because I wanted to get into the final! I just thought: This is my moment! If I had made the slightest mistake there, I would have completely rolled over. But there's no other way to come out a winner in fights like this.
I start where I want, and if someone else is there, then they just have to leave."
This is my moment! Winning a DWC is your declared goal. What about the World Cups, do you want to win there as well? And has your mindset changed in recent years?
That's a good question. I would describe myself as a fair rider, but I also like the contact on the regatta course. At the World Cup on Lake Garda, I realised for the first time that the start belongs to me. I start where I want and if someone else is there, then they just have to go. That made a really big difference.
That's a big step. Didn't you have this self-confidence last year?
I changed my mindset in the winter. As I said, I'm an incredible fan of this sport and its athletes and consider it an honour to ride with them - and also to ride in front of them. It's cool to be on an equal footing with them. I no longer have to write on Instagram: Oh, I ride with the world's best riders. I'm now one of them myself.
How did you come to this self-realisation?
That came with time from the training experience, from the months on Tenerife.
What will be your focus in 2023? German Windsurfing Cup or World Cup?
Since this year's World Cup - only if there's still time in between, I start at the DWCs.
What led to this?
It was always a childhood dream of mine to compete in World Cups. My previous sponsors Fanatic and Duotone also supported my participation in the DWCs very well. And now, with Patrik Windsurfing, I have a sponsor that also lets me take part in international regattas. But only if I get good results in the World Cup will it be relevant.
Taking part in the Lake Garda World Cup is probably relatively cheap to finance. But which regattas do you have coming up?
Yes, Lake Garda is rather favourable. The next World Cups are in Pozo and Fuerteventura in July.
I can do strong winds even better."
Slalom World Cups in midsummer in Pozo and Fuerteventura! The races with expected wind speeds of 40 knots will be a completely different challenge compared to the wind on Lake Garda, won't they?
Definitely! It feels like a completely different discipline to the light wind foiling from Lake Garda. But I tend to be even better in strong winds. Even on Tenerife, the other riders said that Fuerteventura would probably suit me best with around 25 knots of wind and chop.
Change of subject: You say on your website that windsurfing was a new start to a different life for you.
I never had a difficult life, but I had problems with other children. I also often argued with my teachers, who told me that I wouldn't achieve anything. Windsurfing, which I started at the age of nine, brought me into a new community: I just wanted to share my favourite hobby with others.
At your first DWC regattas ten years ago, you still had freestyle rather than racing in mind.
Yes, that was awesome. On the eve of a DWC regatta and straight after the races and the award ceremony, I went freestyling.
What were your moves at the time?
Funnels, flakas and spocks and some power moves. I only wanted to have two freestyle boards and a slalom board at the time, but if you don't freestyle as much, you take steps backwards. I can't deal with that.
As a German, you can only be successful in racing."
Why has racing prevailed over freestyle for you?
I had to make a decision due to time constraints - and as a German, you can only be successful in racing. Unless you have a talent like Niclas Nebelung.
In 2017 and 2018, you stayed with Vincent Langer. In other words, the person who dominated the regatta scene in those years. What do you take away from this time?
At the time, Vincent told me that he still had a spare room in the flat share - and he said that nobody pushed him in training like I did. My greatest success at the time was that I was Vincent's training partner and also a fan of his. I learnt a lot about windsurfing from him. And probably just as much for life in general.
Michele was still training with me when others were already tired. That makes all the difference." (Vincent Langer)
And then you went from being an apprentice to someone who is trying to knock the master off his throne.
Sure, but because Vincent is still riding at a world-class level, it took forever. I still remember exactly how I was ahead of him for the first time in a training race. Then, at some point, I won my first race ahead of him. And admittedly, I've only been a bit faster on the straights in training since this year. That was never the case before.
Without competitions I probably wouldn't windsurf anymore, you once said.
To stay with Vincent: He loves going out on the water and says himself that this is exactly why he is so good. I, on the other hand, have no fun on the water if I don't have any goals. A freeride session for an hour last autumn gave me nothing. I was shocked, but I want to be productive, I see it as a job. A job with extreme passion, and that's why I wasn't out on the water this afternoon in 20 knots here in Grönwohld. To rest - and so that I can train all the better in light winds over the next few days for the next event in a fortnight' time.
I don't have fun on the water if I don't have any goals. A freeride session gives me nothing."
I also train in the gym for windsurfing. I also use normal leisure activities such as bowling as an opportunity to improve my motor skills and become an all-round better athlete.
In addition to training and regattas, you also spend a lot of time on social media. Is this now more of a compulsory programme - or do you enjoy it?
Nowadays, a sensible online presence is definitely part of making the most of your reach. My YouTube channel does most of the work. But I just like the fact that YouTube is more about content and details than some of the other fast-moving social media.
Let's come back to the question about Lake Garda and the changing of the guard. You smiled sheepishly at first and then grinned. What do you say now that ten days have passed and you've won another DWC on Sylt?
I would sign that from now on, yes. Last year, I had the feeling that I was on a par with the top guys from the DWC, but I improved a lot over the winter.
What part does it play for you that you are no longer the second team rider in a national team of board and sail brands, but now the first man in Germany at Patrik Windsurfing?
That also makes a difference, although I want to beat everyone anyway. Regardless of whether I'm in the same team or not. But I have to say that it's much more fun to be the best driver for a brand, because you simply feel like you're there more for the brand and representing it.
Is it also a reason to perhaps have a little more dialogue and communication with the sponsor?
Yes, that too. I spoke to Patrik Diethelm on the phone for 20 minutes straight after the last race on Lake Garda. His interest and appreciation for my performance made me very happy.
Are you still a Finn? Or is that history?
I still will. And at the regattas where it's better - such as in Pozo and possibly Fuerteventura.
But does the future still belong to the foil on the regatta course?
Yes, but the surf industry also has a say in the matter.
There were probably only 14 starters at the DWC on Sylt, mainly because of the foil races.
I would definitely disagree with that. The low number of starters was more due to the surf festival on Fehmarn taking place at the same time and the Defi wind in France. However, I would definitely agree that foiling has been introduced into windsurfing a little too enthusiastically since the beginning. So it was clear that the focus is now obviously on foiling. But above all, in order to be more beginner-friendly again, the DWC has also reintroduced the traditional fin slalom as a separate discipline this year.
Or in other words: do riders fall by the wayside at national and international level because they can't simply transfer their greater, longer experience from the fin to the foil?
Yes, definitely. In the past, the Fleet and Finne have been much closer together. That meant the end of the career for some pros. The young riders had to learn the same way, but the older pros had to press a reset button.
Who finishes in the top 10, top 5 or top 3 in the World Cup? What are the differences?
You can make the top 10 if you have the basic speed and can drive good races from time to time. The top 5 is possible if you can keep your focus and always start perfectly. Combined with the necessary basic speed, you can then stay in front. And you simply can't make any mistakes in the top 3. Every semi-final has to be perfect so that you only achieve results in the Winners Final.
What were your goals on the regatta course this year?
Top 15 on the PWA Tour - and if things go really well, sometimes even in the top 10.
And what can you hope for now?
Getting into the top 10 in the annual rankings is the goal - after this excellent start.
