Michi Schweiger: From surf instructor to developer with Robby Naish
Michi, as a windsurfer, do you have to go to Maui at least once in your life?
Yes, you should experience it, because Maui is the Mecca of windsurfing.
Does Maui equal Hookipa?
You don't have to surf in Hookipa. You can also go out in Kanaha, Spreckelsville or Kihei. The good thing about Maui is that the wind is almost always blowing and the spots are very close together - so you don't have to travel far.
Where is your favourite place to windsurf?
In Hookipa. I know everyone there, I feel comfortable there, the waves are the best there. Hookipa is one of the most outstanding windsurfing spots in the world - definitely the best known.
Many windsurfers have respect for Hookipa. Is this justified?
A little awe is not a bad thing. Because the spot has its moods. You should be aware of the currents and know that the wind near the beach is patchy and gusty. That's why it's sometimes difficult to get out - it can even be dangerous in bigger waves.
Dangerous? Are you referring to the legendary "Rocks", the stone field at the left end of the bay?
Exactly that! If you don't manage to surf out with the current and you fall in at the wrong spot or get out too late while riding the waves, you could be washed up on these rocks. But take comfort: It's happened to all of us. Once you've been through it, you realise that it's not that bad and can relax.
What are your top 5 windsurfing spots in the world?
Definitely Hookipa. Ponta Preta on the Cape Verde Islands is in second place, Lake Garda in third place because it's a safe wind spot in the centre of Europe with a great backdrop, nice people and a Bella Italia feeling. 4th place: La Perouse (Maui). 5th place: Platboom (South Africa).
Your home spot, on the other hand, was Lake Neufeldersee in Austria.
That's right! I learnt to windsurf in Greece, because that's where my parents went diving. At home, I surfed at Lake Neufeld. I was allowed to stay with my aunt there. That was at the end of the 1980s. When I finally got my driving licence, I was able to drive to Lake Neusiedl.
What did you dream about back then?
I was fascinated by guys like Mike Eskimo and Chris Jung. I could read about what these guys were up to in surf or the Austrian Surf Revue. I found that exciting because they were really colourful birds. No internet - back then, magazines were the only media that reported on windsurfing.
Were you a rebel like Mike Eskimo?
Not as extreme as him, but my world also revolved around windsurfing. Eskimo inspired me because he showed me that there are other ways to live your life. It doesn't have to be A-levels, apprenticeships or training. He was a great role model for that.
Eskimo became famous through his time at Lake Garda. Is that why you went to the lake?
The lake was a place of longing for all surfers. I took part in regattas, including on Lake Garda. At the end of the holiday, my friend Roberto Hofmann said: "Stay there. You can work as a windsurfing instructor." I stayed at the lake. And that's where I made a connection with the Mistral test team. At some point, the big surprise came: my mum said to me: "The people from Mistral have called!" There was no mobile phone yet. I rang back and was asked: "Are you free? We're flying to Hawaii to test the board and we'll take you with us!" I was blown away! That must have been in the winter of 1995.
Testing boards is one thing, living on Maui and working with Robby Naish is another. How did this come about?
Back then, Robby Naish was sponsored by Mistral. When we were testing, I stayed with Robby's parents Rick and Carol on Oahu. I became friends with shaper Harold Iggy and from then on I always lived with the Naishs when I was in Hawaii. When the split between Naish and Mistral happened, Robby asked us testers - Joachim Siegmann and me - if we wanted to move to Maui to work for him. I said yes!
That must have been hard for your parents: their son lives on the other side of the world.
My parents were used to me being away all the time. But when I moved to Hawaii, my mum had to digest it first - after all, I'm her only child.
You've been living on Maui for many years now. Does Hawaii get boring after a while?
Not for me. I still want to be here. And I'm still keen on windsurfing. Just like before. But now there's more to it: SUP, surfing and wingfoiling. At first it was just windsurfing, because I've never had anything to do with kitesurfing. I still have zero interest in it today.
Wasn't your former team rider Kai Lenny even able to inspire you to do this?
Not Kai, not Robby. I learnt it, but it didn't work for me. I want to be able to let go of my stuff and not hang on to two or four strings - that annoyed me too.
After a whole life of windsurfing in Hawaii - what still excites you?
Waves. This fascination is unbroken.
You took part in the Freestyle World Tour. What moves have you forgotten?
Laughs. I hardly know any more. Today I concentrate on bottom turn and cutback. I'm even learning something new. Of course, I'm lucky to be on the water with the best surfers in the world. When Ricardo (Campello) is surfing next to you, it inevitably pushes you.
Your favourite jump?
Backloop. This is a very technical jump and it looks great.
Your top 3 tips for the backloop?
1. don't shoot into the wind straight away, but jump off as you would for a high jump. 2 Only turn the board into the wind at the highest point and look over your shoulder. 3. always keep your sailing hand close.
Who do you like surfing with?
Robby and Ricardo.
And which windsurfer impresses you the most?
Ricardo. He immediately comes to mind when I think of the question. And I'm not saying that because he's our team rider. Many top surfers are predictable. I know what's coming next. I never know with Ricardo. The guy surprises me again and again. Ricardo is extremely ambitious. He wants to win, he wants to make the biggest jump, ride the highest wave. He has this will programmed into him.
It's hard to believe that Ricardo rides standard boards when you see his monster jumps. How many boards and sails does he wreck in a season?
It wrecks a lot of sails because it often "goes over" the rocks. Sails and masts can take a lot, but not when you pull them over rocks. He probably breaks ten sails a season, even if some can still be repaired. He breaks fewer boards because he has a good technique and rarely lands flat. I think he broke three boards last year.
Your best-known team rider was Kai Lenny. You witnessed Kai's career, taught him to paddle and accompanied him to competitions. Are you sad that he has left Naish?
I don't think I was able to teach Kai anything (laughs). It was a good time with him. But I see it the way parents should deal with their kids: at some point, the children move out. It's sad, but that's what happens.
Do you still surf with Kai today or does he just go foiling with his new friend Mark Zuckerberg?
Kai actually moves in completely different circles now and is usually out and about. I hardly see him any more. We used to go paddling and surfing together every day.
Is foil wave riding the latest craze in Hawaii?
Prone foiling, as we call surfing with a foil, is a cool thing because you can turn a bad wave into a good day of surfing. However, it is technically difficult, so the scene is small. There is more potential in wing foiling.
Some claim that wingfoiling is just hype. Others say we'll all be wingfoiling soon. What do you say?
Wingfoiling is not hype. There is as much fascination in wingfoiling as there was in the early days of windsurfing. Wingfoiling reaches people who have never done wind sports before. Wingfoiling is more relaxed and laid-back than windsurfing. It's also easier to learn and you reach a high level more quickly than windsurfing.
You are a visionary and immediately recognised the potential of SUP. Take a look into the future: which water sport will dominate in ten years' time?
I'm not a visionary. However, I do become fanatical when I like something. And that's what happened with SUP. I didn't sense a market or profit for the company, I just thought it was so good that I wanted to include SUP in our programme. It's the same with foiling and wings. Ultimately, that's our credo at Naish. Robby does what he likes. If he doesn't like it, he doesn't do it - and then we don't have a product. That's important to me because it's the right motivation.
Your best windsurfing day?
It's the special days that I remember. For example, when I was surfing in Jaws. Because Jaws rarely breaks. There's a crazy atmosphere there.
Jaws - one of the most dangerous waves in the world. What does it feel like?
The wave is impressive and its power can't be compared to anything else I've experienced. But the visuals while surfing are more pleasant than on a big Hookipa day. When you surf down the Jaws wave, you can always see the channel in front of you. Mentally, this is a great support, because you know: If I make it into the channel, I'm safe! In Hookipa, on the other hand, you see the rocks. You only have the choice: get out of the wave or surf with it into the bay, which is difficult to get out of when the waves are high.
You're over 50 now too, do you still have Jaws?
I've still got that. However, it gets really crowded now when Jaws breaks. There are surfers, tow surfers, kiters, windsurfers - and everyone wants to make their mark. It gets too stressful for me sometimes.
How do you keep fit?
By going out on the water every day. I don't lift weights or do yoga. I don't have the time. And the desire.
From surf instructor to professional surfer to product manager. Just "learning by doing"?
I was lucky that Robby trusted me and valued my experience more than a university degree.
You are a product manager at Naish. What does a product manager do?
We don't believe in titles here. If I had to give myself a title, I wouldn't even know what it would be. Technically, I'm a product manager for windsurfing, SUP and foiling. I do whatever comes up, from crushing boxes to designing boards.
You design the boards yourself?
Back in the analogue days, our shaper Harold Iggy suggested using computer programs for board design. Over the years, I have learnt to design boards on the computer. Today, all boards are "shaped" on the computer. As a team, we decide what the board needs to be able to do and I realise it on the computer. Robby also designs on his computer. We merge the ideas and send the finished file to the factory in Asia. We then test the prototypes and develop them further into a series board.
Are there still innovations in windsurfing? Everything seems to be fully developed.
Gross mistakes like the no-nose shapes of the past no longer happen. The innovations today mean that you can do much more with one board and two sails than years ago. It's just that the development of slalom boards has been somewhat derailed by the influence of foiling.
Where is Robby Naish talking to you?
Everywhere. Because we develop everything together. Robby talks his way into every product, because he is involved in every product.
Is it difficult to have such an oversurfer as a boss?
In fact, he's my boss. But that's not what our relationship feels like.
How does your relationship feel?
We are good friends. Robby Naish never lets the boss hang out.
What do you think of his idiosyncrasies? Trump supporter, gun nut, monster trucks in the garage?
Everyone has their opinion. Politically anyway. And if you listen to it objectively, then everyone has their reasons.
Do you tease him when his cars get bigger than locomotives?
(Laughs) The thing is huge. But he usually drives around in a minivan. Robby collects cars like he collects watches. That's his hobby. He has lots of cars, not just the monster truck, but also a VW Beetle, a Porsche and lots more. For me, a car is something that gets me from A to B. For Robby, it's an object of desire.
What do you use to make Robby laugh?
With the fact that I still have an accent like Arnold Schwarzenegger. He'll laugh his head off.
