Meno, rumour has it you get to live every windsurfer's dream?
In what way?
You set up in the garden and walk over to the water.
That's true (laughs). I was lucky enough to grow up in Heidkate on the Baltic Sea. I don't even need a bike to get to the water, it's only 150 metres to the water's edge. So I can actually set up in the garden and quickly carry my gear to the beach. As far as my windsurfing career is concerned, it was the classic path for me: my dad is a keen windsurfer, I first stood on a board when I was eight years old, but it didn't really take off back then. But my dad didn't let up and that was a good thing.
Today you are mainly active on the foil.
2020 saw the first prototypes of the Techno Wind Foil, a new standardised class for young people. As my father works for the distributor Choppy Water, who also organise the German Windsurf Cup, I had good access and tried it out for the first time. I had my first foil session with a 5.5 metre sail in far too little wind. I didn't get to fly that day, but there were brief moments when I felt the lift of the foil and it was absolutely fascinating. Foiling got me straight away! I'm also totally fascinated by all the technology behind it. The tuning, the profiles, coatings and materials of the wings are totally exciting.
When I felt the buoyancy of the foil for the first time, I was already over the moon
You also got into competitive surfing pretty quickly. Is that your thing?
I was a teenager at Vincent Langer's Kids Camp. In 2021, the Techno Wind Foil Class had just been founded, where everyone could start with the same equipment. There was a first Techno Wind Foil Class event in Kellenhusen on the Baltic Sea in 2021, and I was way out in front. That amazed me and was of course a great motivational boost. At the beginning of 2022, I had a few trial training sessions at the DSV base in Kiel-Schilksee. That's where I met Vincent Langer again, who is the coach of the national squad. This state squad is a squad in which certain young surfers from Schleswig-Holstein can train together.
I'm the competitive type. I also want to prove to myself that I have trained well
What does a national squad training programme usually look like?
We normally meet twice a week for training on the water, provided there is wind. We also meet once a week to do sport together. That was difficult for me because I live on the other side of the Kiel Fjord and the journey round is quite time-consuming. In addition to water training, things like regatta tactics and equipment tuning are of course part of the training. Vincent has a lot of experience in this area and you can really learn a lot from him. There were also people like Sebastian Kördel and Fabi Wolf there from time to time - all in all, it was a really good training group.
You made a detour into the iQFoil Youth class. This is the preliminary stage to the Olympic iQFoil. Was the Olympics ever on your mind?
I'm out of the iQFoil Youth squad. Firstly, because I'm now too old for the junior squad, but also because of course I've learnt from riders like Fabi Wolf, who is fully committed to iQFoil, how much you have to spend on the road and how much time and money you have to invest. That wasn't really compatible with my goals. I'm currently doing my A-levels and would like to go to university in the future. Of course, the Olympics are a dream for every athlete and it was also an incentive for me, but there is only ever one place per nation - it's difficult to manage that. Unless something really unforeseen happens, Basti Kördel will represent Germany at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, Fabi Wolf would be the backup. I don't begrudge anyone who makes it, because there really is an incredible amount of work involved. To be a prospective candidate for 2028 in Los Angeles, you would have to subordinate everything to that to have a chance. What's more, I'm also too enamoured with the slalom discipline. In the end, I have to make a decision - and my heart beats for slalom.
Is the cost of materials also a reason?
Sure, if you ride iQFoil and also need slalom equipment for the German Windsurf Cup or the PWA World Tour, that's a huge chunk. Now that I've given up on the Olympic class, my stock of equipment has thinned out nicely. I have four foil sails with two foil boards and corresponding foils. Plus two sails for fin slalom and a small slalom board. It's still easy to manage, everything fits in my trailer and I can get to the events quickly.
Last season, participants in the PWA World Cup were free to choose whether to compete with foils or fins. It became clear that foiling is now the first choice even in strong winds, at least for the pros. What is the situation at the German Windsurf Cup regattas?
In the 2023 season, we were free to choose, but in fact almost everyone always started with foils. The fin is competitive on the long straights, but the foil has huge advantages when planing through the gybes. In 2024, however, there will be a new regulation in the German Windsurf Cup: In the slalom discipline, you will have the choice of starting with a foil or fin up to 20 knots of wind, but from 20 knots upwards you will have to use a fin.
Must? What is the reasoning behind this? Doesn't that mean more material costs again?
For the ambitious riders, yes. If you are looking at the annual rankings, you have to be prepared for slalom with a foil and fin. But I actually think this is a good rule, because it's rather daunting for newcomers in particular if they know that they have to compete with a foil in 30 knots of wind and swell in order to be halfway competitive. So if there's enough wind, there will be pure fin races again - I'm happy about that, because the fin shouldn't die out in slalom.
In the past, you have also competed in the German Windsurf Cup with the Olympic iQFoil material. Would something like that be conceivable in the long term? Would you be competitive here and at international races with iQFoil material?
The design of the iQFoil material was developed almost five years ago. In absolute light wind conditions and when course racing, i.e. courses with downwind and cross elements, the iQFoil is still hard to beat. When it comes to slalom, where there are no crosses and therefore only top speed counts on a space sheet course, the iQFoil material is now completely outdated. In a slalom race in the PWA World Cup, you wouldn't stand a chance.
What is your plan for the coming season?
In the last few weeks and months, I haven't been training so much and have been concentrating on my A-levels. As soon as that's over, I want to enjoy the time, get back on the water and compete in the German Windsurf Cup events at national level. I hope I can get stuck in the top 5 there and annoy the established guys a bit. There's the IFCA Slalom European Championships in Sankt Peter-Ording this year, so I definitely want to be there.
And PWA World Cup?
Let's see, maybe I'll start on Sylt in autumn. However, after the two DWC tour stops there, that would be my third time on Sylt in a year. I don't know if I can cope with that (laughs), Sylt is always pretty material-killing. You have to think carefully about whether you can spare a few masts and booms.
Do you ever take to the water in other disciplines besides racing?
When there are waves here, I like to go surfing or windsurfing in the waves. Freestyling was never really my thing, but you can't do everything.
Meno, thanks for the interview and good luck for the new season!
Facts Meno Büchler
- Age: 18 years
- Place of residence: Heidkate near Kiel
- Profession: Pupils
- Size/weight: 190cm/90 kilos
- Surfing since: from the age of 8
- Regatta debut: DWC Zinnowitz 2021
- Discipline: Slalom
- Successes: 1st place Youth Formula Foil EM 2023; 1st place Slalom U19 DWC 2022
- Favourite spot: El Médano/Tenerife
- Favourite move: Laydown Jibe
- Hobbies: Formerly football, now windsurfing & fitness
- Sponsors: Starboard, Severne, Soöruz, Picocycles
