How did you come up with the idea of setting yourself the goal of surfing at 50 knots for your 50th birthday?
After taking up speed windsurfing about two years ago, I got faster and faster with every session, until I broke the 80 km/h barrier for the first time this summer. The closer my 50th birthday at the end of July got, the more often I’d hear comments along the lines of: “You old codger!” Eventually, that’s exactly what sparked the idea for Mission 50/50: 50 knots at over 50 years of age. I still feel in great shape and young, and I want to set an example with this. Top performances, especially in speed windsurfing, are still possible even at 50+ and weighing under 80 kg, as I’m currently proving myself. For me, the secret is actually quite simple: keep at it and push yourself sensibly.
At the same time, 50 knots is an extremely ambitious target. Striving to achieve seemingly almost unattainable goals suits me down to the ground. Ever since my earliest childhood, I’ve constantly been pushing the limits – and sometimes even going beyond them. In the history of windsurfing, only around 50 windsurfers worldwide have reached the 50-knot mark so far. That’s exactly what makes the challenge so exciting for me. And, of course, I thought ‘50/50’ was simply brilliant as a hook for the whole project and for seeking additional support with equipment and funding. It sums up what it’s all about in two figures: 50 knots with over 50.
What’s your plan for achieving your goal? Do you have a roadmap?
Yes, the roadmap is actually quite clear – even though speed windsurfing can’t, of course, be planned down to the last detail. My current peak speed is 43.91 knots. But getting from there to 50 knots isn’t simply a matter of adding another six knots. The closer you get to that mark, the harder every single knot becomes. I’m, of course, spending as much time as possible on the water and, amongst other things, will be training in La Palme again over the next few weeks. On top of that, I’ll be taking part in international speed events whenever my schedule and finances allow.
Another key part of the roadmap is the consistent optimisation of the equipment. Board, fin, sail, mast, trim – ultimately, small adjustments can make all the difference between gaining a few tenths or an extra knot. At the same time, I’m naturally continuing to work on my own performance. Weighing under 80 kilograms, I face different challenges in speed windsurfing than a rider weighing 100 or 110 kilos. So I have to try to play to my strengths and ride as efficiently as possible from a technical point of view.
"The mission ends when the GPS reads 50."
The main destination is Lüderitz. The Speed Channel For me, that’s the ultimate spot and probably the place where I’ve got the best chance of actually getting close to 50 knots. Unfortunately, the 2026 Lüderitz Speed Challenge has been cancelled. This also means it’s clear that I may no longer be able to reach 50 knots before I turn 50. But that doesn’t mean the mission ends on my 51st birthday. For me, 50/50 means: I started the mission at 50 – and it ends when the GPS reads 50. However, to make Lüderitz, the international events and the necessary equipment even possible, the roadmap also includes the search for partners and additional financial support. Speed windsurfing at this level is not just a sporting challenge, but also a financial one. So the plan is: train, fine-tune, gain experience, get faster – and then go for it when the conditions are right.
You’re a former professional snowboarder – how did you get into windsurfing?
Actually, the question should really be the other way round: how did I go from windsurfing to professional snowboarding and then, at some point, back to windsurfing again? Windsurfing was, after all, my great love throughout my childhood and teenage years. My father was a windsurfer, and as a small child I was initially a passenger on his huge HiFly; later, I stood between his legs and helped out somehow by holding the sail. Naturally, at some point I wanted to ride on my own. In the summer of 1983, aged six, I was given one of the children’s rigs – which were still a rarity back then – and started windsurfing on my own. From then on, I was out on the water at every opportunity. At ten, I was allowed to take part in our surf club’s surf rally for the first time – and won it straight away. By the age of 14, I was already doing jumps and making my first attempts at front loops, cheese rolls and table tops. Windsurfing was my great passion, alongside winter sports. Then snowboarding became increasingly important and eventually led me into professional sport. At around 19, I took a very long break from windsurfing. Over the following 26 years, I only stood on a windsurf board a few times. But my love for the sport never really went away.
“Anyone who has given it up at some point but still feels that thrill should consider getting back on the board.”
The decisive trigger for my return was my life-threatening avalanche accident in February 2022. When you have such a narrow escape from death, you automatically start to think about what really matters in life. For me, this meant, amongst other things, returning to my great childhood and teenage passion – windsurfing. Just a few weeks after the accident, I started buying up gear again on the second-hand market. I spent every spare minute back on the water in the wind. Of course, the equipment had changed enormously during my long break, but the feeling came back straight away. It really is like riding a bike – you never forget how. I never would have thought back then that this return would lead me, just a few years later, back into international speed windsurfing and ultimately to the Mission 50/50. Today, I’d also like to be an example and a source of inspiration for other former windsurfers. Anyone who stopped at some point but still feels that tingle should consider getting back on the board. Returning to this extraordinary sport – or, rather, to this way of life – has certainly paid off for me.