There are athletes whose names stand for an entire sport. Michael Schumacher - Formula 1. Michael Jordan - Basketball. Muhammad Ali - boxing. Björn Dunkerbeck - windsurfing. Okay, there's also Mr Naish, of whom the same can probably be said. But these two personalities have shaped the image of windsurfing. Naish, the pioneer, the beach boy, the smart interviewee and Dunkerbeck, the young challenger, later the terminator and the rather tough interviewee - at least at the beginning of his professional career. It was the perfect rivalry in the 1990s.
In the end, Dunki clearly left Robby Naish behind in terms of the number of titles. To date, he has 42 world champion titles, making Björn Dunkerbeck - unofficially - the most successful professional athlete in the world. Dunkerbeck ended his World Cup career on Sylt in 2014 at the age of 45. After that, his main goal was to break the speed world record. However, as in the last few years of the World Cup, his long-time rival from the second half of the professional season, Antoine Albeau, was ahead of him on the speed strip.
On top of this, Dunkerbeck was also slowed down painfully by an increasingly worn hip; after two operations, he is now fit again. He also devoted more and more time to the career of his son Liam, who has already taken over the important sailing number E-11 from his father. Daniel, the youngest Dunkerbeck offspring, is also following in their footsteps - he was recently given the sailing number E-1111.
In 2019, photographer John Carter sat down with Dunkerbeck, who had just turned 50 at the time, and asked him 50 questions about his career. Not all of the answers are still relevant, some things have changed since then, but it's still an exciting journey through time!
1 How does Björn Dunkerbeck celebrate his 50th birthday? A big party?
On my birthday, I had a lovely dinner with my parents, my family, my sister Britt and her daughter and, of course, my four children. Klaus, a friend of my parents and the first windsurfer in Pozo, was also there. One day later, we had a dinner party with family and good friends. We were with 40 people in the south of the island, where I also met my old friend Vidar (Jensen) again. So only two dinners - so we were in bed early.
2 How do you feel physically and mentally at 50?
Well, I'm glad I only made it to 50 with a few small "adjustments". I feel better at the moment than I did a few years ago.
3 Are you afraid of getting old?
No, I would be more afraid of not getting old! Unfortunately, I know a few people who haven't made it to 50. So I'm rather happy that I'm getting old. I still have both my parents, who are over 70 and still very fit. I think I have good genes and would like to be at least 80 and still be on the water. My father has just turned 75 and still goes windsurfing a few times a week. So that's my plan.
4 Does 50 feel old to you?
I don't really feel 50. 20 years ago, I used to look at 50-year-olds and think they were really old. Now I'm 50 myself and I don't think like that any more. I think it has to do with the fact that I've always done a lot of sport and still do. Windsurfing, stand-up paddling, biking and diving - it all keeps me relatively young. And the strong wind here keeps you pretty fresh anyway. It all helps that as a 50-year-old you feel more like you're 40.
5 But surely this is also due to the fact that you are fit again after your hip operation?
My hip had been bone on bone for years. I then had a complete replacement made of titanium and ceramic. I am so happy about it. No more pain at last and my mobility is better than ever before. I can even surf waves again.
6 Was the pain really that bad?
Let's put it this way, I didn't sleep through the night for the last three years before the operation. It was a constant pain the whole time. I can only advise any of you who also have such problems to have the operation. You will definitely feel much better. Of course, you have to find a good doctor and trust him. I saw Dr Ulrich Vielwerth, who is also a windsurfer and has a clinic near Munich. He has already helped some friends of mine with operations on their knees, elbows, shoulders and hips. You can talk to him, he has been a windsurfer for over 30 years and knows what we go through. You can find his contact details on my homepage dunkerbeck.com
7 How long did it take you to get back on the water after the operation?
I had my operation on 17 February 2018. Afterwards, I had to stay in hospital for a week to make sure everything healed well. I then spent two weeks in a rehabilitation centre in southern Germany. After two and a half months, I was back on the water with a SUP board and sail for the first time. At the beginning of May at the Dunkerbeck Speed Challenge during the Défi Wind in the south of France, I was already surfing again with a 90-litre board. At the end of June, I took part in the Défi in the Caribbean and came fourth.
8 How does it feel to watch your son Liam grow up and realise that he is becoming a passionate windsurfer?
Even as a small child, he was always in the water and spent a lot of time there. He was Canary Islands surfing champion in the U12 category several times. He won the under-14 title twice. Now that he's getting a bit stronger, his windsurfing is also getting better and better. He is a real competitive type. He already has a lot of experience from his many surfing contests and that also helps with windsurfing. And when you're travelling competitively, you're always up against the best in the world and that motivates you immensely.
9 Does Liam remind you of yourself when you were young?
Yes, I've also spent an endless amount of time on the water. It's always hard to get Liam out of the water, especially when the conditions are good. It doesn't matter whether he's windsurfing or surfing. You just have to be on the water as much as possible if you want to get good. That's the deciding factor.
10 Does Liam want to become world champion?
At least that's what he says (laughs).
11 And what do you think?
I think he has a lot of talent and all doors are open to him. He lives at one of the best training centres in the world and of course I support him. We have been sponsored by Red Bull for two years now and he has his own limited edition kids board with 65 litres at Starboard. Severne is making his own line of sails for smaller and lighter surfers, which will be released later in the year. Liam will definitely be the testimonial for this line. It all helps him to become a better windsurfer and also motivates him.
12 Are you making sure he finishes school?
Don't worry about that. His mum is quite behind him. But he's also doing reasonably well at school, so it's all going really well.
13 What do you think about the Youth World Cups?
Kids are the future. I always say that windsurfing parents should take their children to a good surf school - just like skiing. It's best if the children are between five and eight years old. I think that's the perfect age to learn windsurfing. Once children have learnt at this age, they will probably remain windsurfers forever. If they only learn at 15, 18 or 20, then it doesn't go into their blood and body in the same way. Then there is a much smaller chance that the children will be gripped by the windsurfing passion forever. So take your children to a windsurfing school as early as possible.
14 Do you miss the competition and the good old days when you dominated?
I don't really miss that. I've been doing it for 30 years in a row. I still do a few competitions, for example the Défi races in France, Japan and the Caribbean. I also organise the Dunkerbeck Speed Challenge and take part in it myself. And then of course the Lüderitz Speed Challenge on the canal in Lüderitz. I always spend three weeks there in autumn and try to improve on my best time of 51.09 knots over 500 metres. So far I've had a top speed of just under 99 km/h. Hopefully I'll manage 100 this year, the magic 100, that's my main goal. I've had my new hip for 15 months now and I feel much stronger than last year. That should definitely help.
15 Can all this replace the days on tour with all the trappings?
But of course, there's hardly a place in the world where I haven't been and competed and then won or stood on the podium. You have to prepare well for all of that, it doesn't just happen by itself out there. That's why I'm really glad that I found the right time to stop.
16 Was it the right time?
Yes, I still had a good ranking and it was time to make way for the younger and stronger ones. I still have a lot of fun on the water now. I go windsurfing almost every day, depending on the conditions, in the waves or for freeriding or training slalom or speed. I want it to stay that way for as long as possible.
17 Do you still like travelling or are you annoyed by it now?
I travel as little as possible. If I have to, then I do, but otherwise I prefer to go surfing in my front garden.
18 Today you are also a successful businessman. How do you like this part of your life?
There's no way around it. I have the Dunkerbeck Windsurf Centre here, which has been around for 42 years now. My parents started it back in 1978 at the lighthouse in Maspalomas. I also have a surf centre with a shop in Playa del Ingles. We also teach stand-up paddling and bodyboarding there. We organise camps there on an ongoing basis and have weekly courses with 40 to 50 kids. We also try to get as many of them as possible aged between five and 16 to windsurf.
19 Is it true that you also have a windsurfing centre on Bonaire?
That's right, together with Philippe Bru (Défi inventor and organiser) and Jan Hendrik de Koningh, the owner of the Sorobon Beach Resort, we have set up a centre. It is an ideal place because there is a 500 metre wide shallow area. It's ideal for all ages, we have five-year-olds surfing with harnesses, but also 80-year-old men and women who enjoy surfing at 15 to 25 knots in 27-degree water - all year round.
20 You are very active on all social media channels. Do you enjoy doing this or is it just part of your job?
It's part of the job, of course. I like to motivate other people to get out on the water. And so I can share my experiences on the water around the world with windsurfing fans. I think this has motivated a lot of passionate windsurfers my age, give or take ten years, to take part in regattas like the Défi.
21 What do you think about foiling?
Foiling is a lot of fun, especially in light winds. I still find it quite difficult in stronger winds. I like foiling with Liam, he's already quite good at it. I particularly enjoy it myself in light winds.
22 Are you glad that there were no foils in your time?
I loved the course races back then. I even liked them better than the slalom. The races were longer and there was much more room for tactical considerations. If foils had been around at the time, I would definitely have gone to the start with them.
23 Do you still have new windsurfing ambitions today?
As I said, I try to keep surfing as much as possible and be happy doing it. I really enjoy spending time on the water with Liam and recently more and more with my daughter Alba. She's getting better and better at windsurfing and we were on the speed course together the other day. The two younger ones, Martina is eleven and Daniel is six, are also on the water a lot. They already surf, paddle and windsurf. I try to spend as much time as possible out on the water with them in the right conditions. Hopefully I'll soon be able to go surfing with them in Pozo.
24 You give the impression of being a real family man. Do you enjoy this part of life?
Definitely. I was lucky enough to meet my wife Maria and have four wonderful children. I think I found exactly the right time to start a family. We had our first child when I was 35 and it has definitely enriched my life. I can't imagine life without children.
25 What do you prefer today, slalom or wave?
The great thing about windsurfing is its versatility. You can go speed, slalom, just freeride or go into the waves. Everything is exciting. So whatever the waves and the wind offer me, I gratefully accept.
26 Would you like to surf Jaws again?
I've been there so often for windsurfing and tow-in surfing, that chapter is closed for me. I could definitely still windsurf in Jaws, but I'd have to prepare myself properly again. You shouldn't do it without proper freediving training. Far too many people go out in Jaws unprepared. I hope nothing bad happens there, but there are too many surfers out there these days. It's only a matter of time before something goes wrong.
27 Did Jaws instil fear in you?
You have to have respect for Jaws. But I was always well prepared when I surfed there and I was never someone who risked everything to hit the lip at full throttle. If something goes wrong, it's like someone throwing ten swimming pools full of water in your face. I always preferred to stay on the safe side.
28 Is there a particular title in your career that means the most to you?
It's difficult to name one in particular. But I think the first titles, when I beat Robby in the slalom and overall rankings in 1988, were really special. But of course also in the mid-90s, when I won the slalom, racing, wave and overall rankings three years in a row. That was very satisfying. And when I was the first European to win the famous Aloha Classic in Hookipa, that was a big moment in my life. Not too many people have been able to win in slalom, racing and waves at every spot in the world. I guess the only other one was Robby Naish.
29 When you were at the height of your rivalry with Robby, was it on a purely professional level or did you also have personal animosities?
We've had our moments. It's clear that if you're always trying to beat the other person, then you can't be their best friend in private. Today, on the other hand, we're very good friends, we talk on the phone from time to time and when we meet at a trade fair somewhere, we talk about the old days. He always says: "You bloody kid just turned up and hit me!" He didn't like that at all. But that's the nature of competition, at some point someone comes along who's better than you.
30 When you look back, did you think it was funny that people called you Terminator?
Oh yes, that was funny because I was tall, blonde and I won quite a lot. That was the time when Arnold Schwarzenegger was making the Terminator films and I used to say "I will be back" like in the film. That was pretty funny.
31 What is your favourite film?
I like films like Braveheart or Gladiator - not too hard, but still entertaining. I want to be entertained and it shouldn't be too complicated. I also like the Mission Impossible series and 007 films. And almost all westerns with Clint Eastwood.
32 Favourite book?
I can't remember the last time I read a book?
33 Your current car?
I've had a Mercedes van for two years now - perfect for transporting family and materials. Everything fits in there.
34 Do you prefer to stay in and watch TV in the evening or go out?
If I've had an action-packed day, I prefer to relax and chill out at home.
35 Tea or coffee?
Coffee - and Red Bull.
36 It was clear that you were coming to Red Bull?
Incidentally, there is now also Red Bull Organic - a healthy soft drink.
37 PC or Mac?
Mac - always! They don't crash and are easier to use.
38 iPhone or something else?
At the moment I'm on Android and I don't think I'll switch to iPhone either.
39 Beer or wine?
Red wine!
40 Your favourite conditions for speed surfing?
35 to 50 knots on the speed channel.
41 And in the wave?
Anything over three metres is fun.
42 Do you still like really strong winds?
I used to particularly like the days with over 40 knots in Pozo. Today, however, I prefer a constant 30 knots.
43 What was your best wave session?
I had so many best wave sessions. That's the good thing about windsurfing - you always get a new best session.
44 Your favourite meal?
T-bone steaks and fresh fish - not together, of course!
45 Vegetables or chips?
Vegetables, always!
46 Are you more of a neat person or more messy?
I'm actually a perfectionist, even if my car looks pretty cluttered at the moment. But that's because the kids are more or less living in the car during the World Cup. But I don't actually like clutter.
47 Who was your windsurfing hero as a child?
Before I surfed competitively against Robby Naish, he was of course my role model. I met him for the first time in 1982 here on Gran Canaria. We went surfing in Pozo after the Mistral World Championship, which was at Bahia Feliz. There was absolutely nothing here then.
48 Which athlete do you admire outside of windsurfing?
Difficult question. I don't have a particular favourite. But I do like the guys who stay at the top for a long time. Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in tennis, for example, or Aksel Svindal in skiing - he also surfs, by the way. Dany Pedrosa, one of the best MotoGP riders, is a good friend of mine. Since he stopped racing a few months ago, he comes to me quite often to windsurf. And of course Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna. I was lucky enough to meet both of them once.
49 Have there ever been any real low points in your career?
Actually, I don't think so. Sure, the story with the hip slowed me down quite a bit for a while. But I have the feeling that I'm coming back stronger now. Of course you get a few scratches in such a long career, but you have to make the best of it.
50 Now comes the last of 50 questions. If you had the choice, would you do everything in your life exactly the same again or what would you change?
With the knowledge I have today, I would definitely take life the same way again. I probably could have been a bit smarter about some things earlier. But you only get better if you learn from your mistakes. So it's hard to say, but I would want to live my life exactly the same way again.
