Winning the World Championship title in freestyle had been a big dream for Caers even as a young athlete. Like many athletes, he too started out with the idea of one day standing on the podium. With every success, however, it became clearer just how much work lay behind this goal. Early-morning training sessions, long hours on the water and consistent training off the water are part of his daily routine. The film “More Than A World Champion” shows that the decisive moments often take place when no one is watching.
Freestyle windsurfing requires more than just technical skills. Caers focuses specifically on building endurance, balance and physical fitness. Nutrition also plays an important role for him. He stresses that it is crucial for all these areas to work together and for training to be planned intelligently. It is not simply training as much as possible that leads to success, but the right combination of exertion, preparation and recovery, he emphasises.
A balanced training programme is the key to success
An important part of his development is training in a variety of conditions. Freestyle can be practised in many places – on lakes as well as at the seaside. Caers therefore travels regularly to adapt to different wind and water conditions. Brazil, for example, offers ideal conditions for demanding technical manoeuvres, whilst South Africa presents different challenges. The Belgian, on the other hand, values Tarifa because he can get about easily in his van there and go mountain biking as well as windsurfing.
In general, Caers has always been a versatile sportsman. Even as a child, he enjoyed skateboarding, BMX, snowboarding and surfing. Today, mountain biking is one of his favourite activities. For him, these sports are linked by a similar sense of movement: it’s always about bringing one’s own body and the equipment into harmony with nature.
The pressure of the title and the new generation
However, the title of world champion also brings with it responsibility and pressure. Caers does not see his success merely as a personal achievement. He also feels a sense of duty towards his sponsors and brands, who have supported him and placed their trust in him over the years. At the same time, his sporting ambition remains undiminished. He cites the nine world championship titles won by freestyle star Gollito as a major – albeit almost unattainable – goal.
His mental strength is particularly evident in difficult competitive situations. Following early defeats, Caers has had to stage several long comebacks – on one occasion, he won nine heats in a row. It is precisely when he has nothing left to lose that he is able to perform with particular freedom. Rigorous training and the right mental preparation give him the confidence to risk everything at crucial moments.
Finally, he turns his attention to the next generation. Caers began his career competing against the sport’s greatest legends. Now he wants to work with the younger riders to take freestyle windsurfing to the next level. His aim: to introduce new, even more extreme tricks into competition and push the boundaries of the discipline. Because for Yentel Caers, being world champion isn’t the end – it’s the foundation for the next challenge.
