The guy is energised. Robby Swift never really has time. There's always something going on. Managing properties. Checking out new sail designs. Keeping the car hire company running. Organising NeilPryde sales. Preparing the jet ski for Jaws. Or chauffeuring the boys to public school. Today it's something else. Son Rocco has to go to A&E: he twisted his ankle while surfing. Dad has to go.
Robby Swift loves windsurfing. But he loves his two sons even more, who are as addicted to the wind and waves as he is. Robby is British, but has lived on Maui for a long time. It's where you have to live if you're serious: close to the pro spot Ho'okipa, quickly in Kanaha - for waving with the family or tinkering with new sails with designer Nils Rosenblad - or right in Jaws, where the sea can't take a joke.
I meet Robby in his two-storey wooden house in Paia: wrap-around veranda, pool, private driveway, view over to the Kuau surf spot. Robby doesn't really have time right now. And yet he takes it. He is in a good mood, precise, ironic - very British, very professional. "It won't take long," says the surf reporter, who wants to move on soon. To surf, of course.
You've just finished fourth at the Aloha Classic on Maui. Was that your farewell present to yourself - at the end of your World Cup career?
Haha ... I would have loved to win - but yes, the Pro Tour is over for me. However, I won't miss out on competitions like the Aloha Classic in the future - they're too much fun.
The Aloha Classic?
All Maui events! They are nice and easy for me because I live here. I wouldn't say no to Fidji either. But the Pro Tour is finished for me. I did that for 25 years. And I had a lot of fun.
Not any more?
Yes, I would even continue. But now it's almost impossible to earn any money, and when you're forty and have a family, that's also important.
Was it hard to let go?
Really difficult. I don't think I've realised it yet. Yesterday I met Matteo (Iachino)He said: "Well then, see you soon in Pozo!" I said: "Not for me!" To which he just replied: "Yeah, right!" He couldn't believe it. Neither could I. No wonder, because the World Cup has been my life so far.
What comes next?
I want to work more closely in development at NeilPryde, surf a lot in Jaws. Or produce videos.
So a soft exit - as a windsurfing influencer?
Windsurfing is my life. What do you expect: that all I do now is go hiking and watch songbirds?
Does it hurt your ego that it has never been enough to win a title in all these years?
Oh yes, that hurts. It hurts a lot! Maybe that's why I'm finding it so hard to stop. A title would have been great. I was so close - injuries ruined the whole thing. Maybe at some point you have to stop chasing a title - that's what I'm doing now.
Three moments in your career that stand out?
1. when I won the World Cup in Fuerteventura. I was incredibly young, only 19, and I thought that would be the first of many victories. I thought wrong. It was just the one World Cup win.
2 I was leading in the Supercross discipline, had the title secured - and crashed. Title dream over! The moment hurt.
3. the Aloha Classic recently. I made it to the final, my friends were all there, my family and the kids I teach to windsurf. That really touched me - it felt like windsurfing was "the big thing".
You've seen the days when the Aloha Classic was really "the big thing", a monster event with thousands of spectators and crazy prize money. Now it's more like a backyard event.
That is bitter. The prize money has shrunk to 20,000 dollars, which is shared between men and women. That means that even if you win, you only get 2,000 dollars. That's not even enough for a plane ticket. Unless your sponsors pay all the costs.
And the sponsors don't have it easy right now either.
Exactly! I think it was good that we transformed the IWT into the WWT with more events at different locations. On the other hand, the costs are exploding. I can hardly imagine how a young windsurfer is going to manage that. To put it plainly: you surf the World Cup for ten years, can't save anything and then have neither studies nor training. Even if you get a good sponsorship contract these days, that's a maximum of 30,000, and 25,000 of that goes on travelling expenses.
You, on the other hand, have experienced the glory days.
That was great luck, I was able to save something.
Some say you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth. Is that true?
Is that what some people say? Rubbish! Until I was 18, I was actually supported by my parents. My father had a roofing business and could afford it. But when I turned 18, that came to an end.
And then?
At that time, I already had good sponsorship contracts. My father always made sure that I didn't spend my money pointlessly, but invested it wisely! I'm very grateful to him for that.
My father always made sure that I didn't spend my money pointlessly, but invested it wisely!"
When you think about the Pro Tour, what will you miss and what won't you miss?
I miss everything. Especially that she motivated me to train. Some Maui surfers loathe the Canary Islands with their hardcore conditions. Even that spurs me on. The pro tour gave me a crazy drive. I won't miss the waiting without wind and the check-in at the airport.
Are you afraid that you might end up like some ex-worldcuppers: belly and beer instead of bottom turn and six-pack?
No. My sons will make sure of that. They both want to be Kai Lenny. (Laughs) They spend every minute on the water and want their dad with them.
Jason Polakow is your friend. How did he inspire you, apart from his cult video back then?
Oh yes, I watched that video a million times. Jason later became a friend from whom I learnt everything about board and sail tuning. The guy is so focussed and full of drive. I took a leaf out of his book. Of course, I've always been blown away by his style, even today. For example, when we go towsurfing.
Polakow is also one of the most stylish windsurfers. Which other pros come to mind when you think of style?
Levi Siver. He has the most flow, does exactly the right thing in the right place on the wave. And Brawzinho (Marcilio Browne) of course. I go surfing with him most often. As far as jumping is concerned: Marino (Gil Gherardi) and Philip Köster. Marc (Paré) has a cool style. Overall I would say: Brawzinho.
What is your favourite thing about windsurfing?
Everything! Even if the waves are only shoulder-high, I have fun. But logically, from head-high to "Giant Jaws", if I can choose.
So not a special moment, like the bottom turn?
No. (Laughs) Some people only like wave riding, but I also have a lot of fun jumping.
Your favourite jump?
The double-forward or push-forward. Push forwards are so rare because you need a lot of wind and the right ramp - that's why I like them so much. But on a normal day, a double forward gives you a huge dopamine buzz. Double forwards are unbeatable, even though I've done thousands of them. I still do them - for fun, even if no one is filming or watching.
Josh Stone said he was hurting too much, so no more forwards for him. You until forty. Does something hurt?
No wonder, guys like Josh Stone were the pioneers - initially with the wrong technique! Ricardo Campello was the first to get the forward technique down. Now it doesn't hurt as much as it did back then. Now that I'm no longer competing, I no longer have to do a double-forward with a 5.0 sail over a lousy ramp. Now only with a perfect wave.
Is there a comparable kick in sport?
That's it - no! I can't think of anything that gives you such an adrenaline rush with such a manageable risk as a double-forward. That's the great thing about windsurfing, you can do really crazy stunts relatively safely.
You can also do this on a mountain bike or snowboard, but you're risking your life.
Exactly. I know it's hard to get really good at windsurfing. But that's when the risk/reward ratio is at its highest. That's where windsurfing is unbeatable. You're whirling through the air. If it goes wrong, you fall into the water.
Have you never injured yourself?
Yes, I broke my feet a few times, but that was all. A good balance with all the action.
What was the moment that particularly impressed you?
My first pushloop. As a teenager in England, I rarely got to windsurf. In a PWA video from the Sylt World Cup, I saw Josh Stone jump a pushloop. I had landed four or five backloops at that point. When I went windsurfing again two months later, I jumped a pushloop over the first wave - landed and surfed on. I was almost bursting with happiness!
Wow! Is the pushloop easier than the backloop?
Much easier.
Do you still do pushloops?
Not in competitions, I only do jumps that score a lot of points. But I do for fun. For example, tweaked pushloops for photo shoots, because they look cool and are really easy to do.
Which jump is not easy for you?
Stalled forwards. They scare me every time - but the feeling of happiness afterwards is all the greater.
More than in the Jaws super wave?
The Jaws experiences blend together, so it's hard for me to pick out a single moment of happiness. What I do know is that the first wave in Jaws scares me so much that I ride it like I've got a stick up my arse.
Already had close calls like Adam Warchol?
Adam's wipe-out was awesome. Yes, I've also experienced nasty wipe-outs - when surfing and windsurfing in Jaws.
What role does Jaws play in your life?
A big one. I was the first Brit to surf Jaws. That's why an English magazine did a big article about me. It got me a lot of attention. I was also frequently nominated for The Biggest Wave. But I dreamed of this wave my whole life - and at some point I rode it. That alone is a crazy story.
I've dreamed of the wave all my life. And at some point I rode it. That alone is a crazy story."
A wave as a career booster.
Crazy, right? But it wasn't just the wave, people also helped my career. Like Martin Brandner. Martin was Brand Manager at JP. He brought me into the team, helped me with negotiations and supported me wherever he could. Even today, Martin still sends me congratulations when I do well at an event - a great guy!
JP and NeilPryde were your first sponsors. And that remained the case your whole career. What is your secret?
Maybe that I wasn't just an athlete, but used injury breaks to edit films or programme a website, for example. I still do that for NeilPryde today.
You surf big waves. They say you have to have grown up with surfing to become good.
That's right. I started surfing late. However, I've been going surfing every day for a long time - I surf okay. My children are better at it, they're already really good surfers. I'm very lucky that the two boys are just as keen on windsurfing and surfing as I am.
I'm sure it's not easy for your wife to live with three surf nuts.
Oh yes, my wife often misses out. Everything revolves around the sea for us. It's quite a selfish obsession.
You seem very fit! What's behind it?
Strength and flexibility training. That's incredibly important. I learnt that from my two older brothers. They were Olympic wrestlers. My father trained us all. That kind of thing shapes you. I also know that you can only do extreme things if you're fit. Therefore: be fit! Windsurfing is a physically demanding sport with high forces that suddenly act on your knees and ankles.
I know that you can only do extreme things if you're fit. Therefore: be fit!"
Your dos & don'ts?
I no longer go out in the evening because my boys wake up early. I drink a lot of water, very little coffee and I want to skip the occasional glass of red wine in future.
You had a reputation as a party boy.
I did. But with children, that quickly becomes a thing of the past.
You often go wingsurfing with your children and wife. Do you think that wings will kill windsurfing?
Nope. Wings are a funny thing. I don't touch windsurfers on Lake Garda, I'm only waving there. But if there are waves and wind, you can't beat windsurfing.
Every ambitious windsurfer who comes to Maui wants to surf in Ho'okipa. A good idea?
I don't see a problem there. I would first warm up in Kanaha and learn the etiquette so that I don't take anyone's wave. But then there's nothing against it. I also work as a coach and regularly go to Ho'okipa during my clinics.
How often did you end up there on the legendary rocks?
Thousands of times. In the beginning, I landed on the rocks almost every day.
And your clinic participants?
Three of them also ended up on the Rocks.
Does that always mean: material gone?
Yes, the three of them wrecked their equipment. It was their last day, the wind was rather light, but they really wanted to get out in Ho'okipa - and they all landed straight on the rocks.
Finally, what mistakes do you particularly notice as a coach in the wave?
On the wave, people start riding too early instead of waiting for the wave to be steep enough. This is the only way to utilise the power of the wave. At the bottom turn, very few people push their back hand back on the boom and lay the sail flat. With these three tips, everyone will surf a class above - guaranteed!
Quick shots with Robby Swift
- What's the best way to relax? Watching my children play.
- What should you stop doing? Drinking so much coffee.
- What should you start with? Doing more yoga again.
- The craziest stunt you've ever seen? Braw's enormous aerial into Jaws or Ricardo's monstrous stalled forward loops.
- Who would you like to meet? John John Florence and Elon Musk.
- Who would you like to swap places with for a month? John John Florence.
- What was your biggest test of courage? Surfing on a huge day at Jaws.
- What have you missed in life so far? A PWA World Champion title!
- What can't you do? Keep my car clean.
- Where do you get stuck when you scroll through YouTube? Crass surfing, windsurfing, big waves, cute cat clips.
- What challenges you? To organise my time.
- Your favourite manoeuvre/trick? Solid bottom turn, cutback in a fat section or pushloop forward.
- What gives you nightmares? That something could happen to my children.
- Which phrase do you use too often? "Sick!"
- What do you like to spend money on? Surf trips.
- When was the last time you were really scared? Jumped off while surfing in Jaws, the whole sky was black from the next wave. Time stood still. I thought I was going to drown.
- What tempts you? Going on epic surf trips.
- What profession, if not windsurfing pro? I would have liked to be a vet.
- Your favourite motto at the moment? "Live in the here and now."
- Your favourite film? "Braveheart.
- Last indulgence purchase? New surfboard.
- Which dream have you already said goodbye to? to become world champion.
- What triggers you? Bad vibes between the surfers, windsurfers, kitesurfers and wingsurfers.
- What fact about you surprises people? That I'm actually quite a nerd, haha.
- What's so annoying about being English? Not much, except that you have to drive a long way to get to the surf spot.
- Where would you like to have a second home? Chile.
- What can you learn from Ricardo Campello? Incredible windsurfing technique. How to wind other people up. :)
