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“Onlooker” at the surf testPoint 7 boss Andrea Cucchi loses his drone

Stephan Gölnitz

 · 24.10.2026

The move goes off without a hitch – but the drone crashes shortly afterwards.
Photo: Andrea Cucchi
Malcesine, surf test, eight o’clock in the morning; the beach is in the shade. Any moment now, the sun will send its first magical rays out over the lake from the peaks of Monte Baldo. Unfortunately, we’re on the ‘wrong’ side for photos. So the camera goes back in the case, we hop onto the 160-litre board and off we go. What we don’t know is that Point 7 boss Andrea Cucchi is hot on our heels with his drone. Later, he shows us the photos on his remote control – the drone has gone missing, you see. The culprit is – naturally – the only kite in the air that morning. “It’s my fourth drone,” Andrea remarks laconically, “from now on I’ll only be buying the cheapest one from DJI, the 4K.” In the interview, Andrea explains why he isn’t surfing himself at the moment and what happened that morning.

​Hi Andrea, first of all, thanks for the photo and sorry about your drone. Tell me, why were you there that morning?

Every morning when there’s a breeze, I’m on the beach to test the sails myself. And to have them tested – by my team and also by friends. I handle all the media side of things for Point-7. I’m not a professional at it. But because I develop the product, I know exactly what I want to film to best showcase the technical aspects.

Why weren’t you out on the water?

I’d had a hectic summer filled with events, races and visits to our dealers and suppliers. I’d only been home for about 20 days since March. When I got back from Alacati, I forced myself to go out and test a sail – but I was tired and distracted. It was actually a sign that I needed to rest. But I ignored it, and out on the water, a tiny wave hit me whilst I was travelling at low speed – and I tore three-quarters of the medial collateral ligament in my knee. That was a sign that I should slow down. A five-week break – but let’s look on the bright side: it also means not having to stress about constantly checking the weather forecasts for a few weeks. I started strengthening my muscles after just two weeks so that I’d be ready by the end of September.

Point-7 boss Andrea Cucchi (in the foreground with the remote control) now only buys the cheapest drones. Even if he loses one, it doesn’t dampen his good humour.Photo: Andrea CucchiPoint-7 boss Andrea Cucchi (in the foreground with the remote control) now only buys the cheapest drones. Even if he loses one, it doesn’t dampen his good humour.

​What did you think when you saw us surfing out with the camera case on the board? I know exactly what you’ve been up to. It means going on a windsurfing trip for work – not for pleasure. It’s a brilliant job, but it’s also demanding. That’s what ‘pragmatism’ means: there’s wind, you head out onto the water and take photos – without wasting any time, without ten photographers, motorboats and so on. You have to make the most of the wind straight away, without waiting for tomorrow – in our sport and job, you have to be quick. And you invest a whole morning for that one shot which will hopefully inspire our readers and followers to dream. That’s also the spirit we have at Point-7. That’s why I grabbed the drone and headed out to take photos of you, even though you were sailing with one of our competitors’ sails. You’ve earned it: packing your kit onto a 160-litre board, surfing out onto the middle of the lake to take that magical photo – and risking the professional camera in the process, without a case or any protection. That shows that surf knows his craft and that there are years of experience behind it. I’m sorry I only managed to take a few photos of you, but the drone crashed into the water when it collided with the only kite.

Thanks. But we’re actually feeling more sorry for you and your drone. When do you think you’ll be back out on the water? I’m in no hurry. The sails for 2027 are already on the market. You have to look after yourself now and then, otherwise your body will eventually force you to take a break. We’ll be back in action at the end of September.

Andrea, thank you for the photos and, above all, get well soon!

With the 2027 P-7 sails ‘all sorted’, Andrea Cucchi can now give his body the rest it needs.With the 2027 P-7 sails ‘all sorted’, Andrea Cucchi can now give his body the rest it needs.

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Stephan Gölnitz

Stephan Gölnitz

Deputy Editor in Chief surf

Stephan Gölnitz comes from Bochum and had Holland as his home windsurfing territory for many years before moving to Munich in 1996 for the job of test editor at surf magazine. The materials engineering graduate worked as a surf instructor on the Ijsselmeer during his studies and competed for several seasons for the Essen sailing team in the Surfbundesliga and the Funboard Cup. He completed a traineeship at surf-Magazin in the test department and since then has actively accompanied almost all tests on the boom and for more than 10 years also as a photographer. Stephan has covered many thousands of test kilometers, mainly on Lake Garda and in Langebaan, but also in Egypt and Tobago. He gets his hands on over 100 new sails and boards every year as his company car. Privately, he prefers to surf with a foil on Lake Walchensee or “unfortunately far too rarely” in the waves. SUP is Stephan's second passion, which he pursued for several years at numerous SUP races. Today, he prefers to paddle on river tours with family or friends - even for several days.

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