Are you firmly established in your professional life and windsurfing at the highest level at the same time? That's actually impossible! Not quite, as the wave slashers Stefan and Lars Gobisch prove in a double pack. The two brothers are successful doctors at the renowned Lubinus Clinic in Kiel. But they are also among Germany's best wave pilots. A life between the operating table and double front loop: exciting, diverse and definitely always radical.
Dark and light contours of a complicated-looking X-ray image shimmer on the bright light box. It's early in the morning, around seven o'clock. The men in white routinely inspect the cryptic light and shadow image. A few finger points, a brief murmur of expertise and finally a confident nod. The well-tanned doctor with the name tag "Dr L. Gobisch" begins his preparations for the operation, only to disappear behind the milky sliding door of the operating theatre minutes later. "Spinal surgery" is written in black block letters on a sign in the corridor.
Consultation hours have just started on the floor below. The friendly "Next please" voice calls in one patient after another. The waiting room is already full. It could be a long day for the young doctor Dr Stefan Gobisch. And today of all days. The large trees in front of the Lubinus Clinic in Kiel have been shaken by violent gusts of wind since the night. An area of low pressure from the west is moving quickly across northern Germany. It has a solid seven gusts of wind in its luggage, which will build up to a stormy eight to nine during the day. Ideal windsurfing conditions for Weißenhaus, the best wave spot in the western Baltic Sea. Only 30 minutes by car from Kiel. The perfect forecast for the home spot had already been announced days ago on the satellite images.
Lars and Stefan Gobisch have been preoccupied for days with what other doctors at the clinic certainly don't care about. Today, it's not just the dedicated doctor's heart that is beating in the brothers' chests. Today, the souls of two windsurfers who are undisputedly among the best waveriders in Germany are also suffering. Combining a successful job and ambitious windsurfing is undoubtedly a real challenge. Anyone who sees Lars and Stefan in action on the water will find it hard to believe that they are involved in anything other than windsurfing anyway. "The two gobes are almost surfing at World Cup level," says friend and surf buddy Klaas Voget, "even though they have both feet firmly planted in their jobs!"
Their extraordinary windsurfing talent is no coincidence. Lars, 36, born in Halle, and Stefan, 33, born in Frankfurt/Oder, have been windsurfing since they were six years old. Their surf-enthusiastic father, also a doctor and then head of a polyclinic in the GDR, taught them their first steps. Windsurfing equipment that was difficult to obtain in the GDR was quickly built by the two of them with improvisation and craftsmanship. "We simply made our own boards," Stefan remembers the early days. Lars and Stefan used the local lakes and regular holidays to Rügen or the Polish Baltic Sea for training. "It was pretty cool back then," reports Lars, "we even jumped our first cheese rolls with the heavy planks and the old rags!"
One year before reunification, the Gobisch family fled the GDR via Hungary. "The excuse at the time was a surfing holiday, of course!" says Lars, "We rolled towards Hungary with our surf trailer. Stefan was still very young at the time. He only found out what we were up to on the journey." After reunification, Lars moved to Kiel to study medicine. Stefan first went to Rostock and then also transferred to the Faculty of Medicine at Kiel University after completing his Physikum. "Logically, we chose our place of study very consciously," says Stefan "Kiel is certainly the best place in Germany for windsurfers if you want or have to live in a city. Spots like Weißenhaus or Heiligenhafen are on the doorstep and it's only a few hours' drive to Rømø or Klitmøller."
Both brothers are now employed at the renowned Lubinus Clinic in Kiel. Stefan completed his doctorate a year ago. In two years' time, he will complete his six-year specialist training programme. Lars is a senior consultant in the spinal surgery department and spends up to six hours a day in the operating theatre. He and his long-term girlfriend have two sons, one four years and the other ten months old. It's hard to believe that he still has time to get out on the water. "The path to a regular windsurfing session is actually relatively simple," explains Lars, "we make absolutely no compromises when it comes to windsurfing!" "Weddings of distant acquaintances, many birthday parties or even the odd family celebration take place without us," Stefan explains the radical formula, "of course, as a student it was much easier to take most windy days with us. Today, we have to do without many a social event. What counts for us is time on the water. Everything is geared towards that." Klaas Voget is all too familiar with the Gobischs' radical attitude to windsurfing: "On windy days, the boys' surfmobile is always packed and ready to go outside the clinic. They call me early in the morning and get regular text message updates on the wind and wave conditions. I admire their motivation and planning skills when it comes to windsurfing. As soon as they are on the beach, they can completely forget about their job. I don't think many doctors can do that. This balance certainly has a positive effect on their job."
Weekends in Klitmøller, regular holidays in Gran Canaria, New Zealand or South Africa. Despite focussing on windsurfing, this only works with a supportive environment. Stefan's girlfriend Saskia is also a windsurfing enthusiast and accompanies him whenever possible. After her own session, she stands on the beach with a long lens and photographs the airtime of the two surf doctors. Lars' girlfriend has also been travelling in waves for years. "We alternate between windsurfing and childcare on the beach. When Jule is windsurfing, I look after the children and vice versa. We have a mobile where we can easily travel with the whole family."
Windsurfing at a high level has already earned Lars at least a few honours in the contest scene. He has twice won the title at the legendary Soulwave in Denmark, was once German champion and has been very successful at the stand-by contest Big Days in recent years. He took first place once, second place last year and in the spring in Neu Mukran off Rügen he finished third behind Kenneth Danielsen and Klaas Voget in a very strong field of riders. Stefan's contest CV is not quite as glorious, but he grins and finds a simple explanation for this: "Lars is perhaps a little bit better and more focussed in the contest. But when things are going well and I'm really hacked, I can sometimes come out on top. Ultimately, there's no real competition between us. But we always push each other, especially when it comes to learning new moves."
At the moment, technically demanding wave manoeuvres such as Taka or Backside 360 are on the practice list. The brothers also dare to try out double loops from time to time.
The long working day at the Lubinus Clinic is slowly coming to an end. Stefan's waiting room has completely emptied. After six hours of surgery, Lars has no more appointments on his diary. Outside, the trees are bending more and more. The storm has picked up further. The wave in Weißenhaus has also increased. The two from the bird hotline know this: "If the shift is well staffed and the work is done, we can leave a little earlier," explains Lars. Fortunately, this is the case today and just minutes later they are both sitting in the fully loaded surfmobile in front of the clinic. Full speed ahead towards Weißenhaus. In summer, it's light long enough to get a few more good hours in the waves. With squealing tyres, the Gobisch-Mobile shoots to the spot. The forecast wasn't lying. It looks pretty damn good. In just ten minutes, both have set up and peeled into the Neos.
Two hours of afterworksurf. High backloops, delayed forwards and wave 360s. As always, the action on the water has really picked up with the arrival of the Gobisch brothers. They slashed until the last rays of sunlight. Of course, you have to make the most of the precious time on the water. Then the ritual cool beer is pulled from the fridge. Together with Klaas, they toast to a successful day of windsurfing in Weißenhaus. The Gobischs' faces are relaxed. A mischievous smile on their lips. Despite a hard day at the clinic, these guys really don't look like stressed-out doctors. "Actually, you should always warm up properly before windsurfing," laughs Lars. "And stretch sufficiently after the session," Stefan adds to the medical advice. "But when should we do that? We prefer to drink our beer straight after surfing!"
Cheers then, Dr Gobisch!
