Top German-Spanish talents: Interview with Alexia and Carlos Kiefer - "A life as a full professional is wishful thinking"

Spanish mother, German father and the sea on their doorstep: at the ages of eight and eleven, their father, who used to be a surf instructor in Gran Canaria, taught Carlos and Alexia Kiefer how to windsurf, and it quickly became clear that this sport was the right one for them, as nothing had ever appealed to them so much before. Swimming, football, tennis and dancing quickly took a back seat. Alexia began studying in Munich, but her great passion quickly drew her back to the windiest Canary Island, where she can now be found on the water almost every day with her younger brother Carlos, who is taking his A-levels this year. In this interview, we discuss where the two junior champs want to go, the hurdles they are facing and who is better at jumping and riding.

Carlos, you're currently finishing school and therefore couldn't take part in the World Cup Sylt? Your sister was at the start, though. Was that hard for you?

Carlos: I'm a bit sad because I would have loved to have travelled with her and taken part in the World Cup Sylt.

Have you ever been to Sylt before, Alexia?

Alexia: In 2019, when I was 14 years old, I went to Sylt for the first time and I really enjoyed it. The conditions weren't easy at all, the wind was onshore and it was very difficult to get out. But I loved the atmosphere and the food. I was also fascinated to see so many spectators on the beach.

We have the same big goal: the world championship title in the wave." (Carlos Kiefer)

Did you always prioritise school over surfing, or the other way round depending on the wind and waves?

Carlos: Learning comes first for us. Our family has taught us to prioritise school. However, if conditions are particularly good on a particular day, I might miss a lesson, but that's not usual.

You're already at university, Alexia ...

Alexia: Yes, I'm currently studying business administration and tourism at the university in Las Palmas. When I finished my A-levels in 2022, I initially went to Munich to study. But I missed my family and the sea, and the distance forced me to return. I couldn't do without windsurfing. Now I'm back on Gran Canaria and have time to train after lessons whenever it's windy.

Do you live in Gran Canaria directly at the spot?

Carlos: Our father lives in the south of the island, towards Playa del Inglés, about 20 minutes away. Our mum now lives in Pozo, so it's very easy for us to go windsurfing when we're with her.

Alexia, do you already have your driving licence and can you cruise around the island to other spots with Carlos?

Alexia: Yes, I've had my driving licence for a year and a half. We don't normally drive to other spots because we really like Pozo. It's the best spot for us and my car is also quite small. However, I often pick Carlos up from our father's house or from school to go windsurfing together in Pozo. Carlos will also have his driving licence in a few months' time and then we'll be off to explore the island.

So windsurfing is absolutely integrated into your everyday life?

Alexia: Yes, when I get home from university and it's windy, I go windsurfing, and when it's not, I go to the gym. When I'm finished, I study and do my homework. Because of the double degree programme, I have a lot of exams and therefore a lot to study.

Carlos: If I don't have to study, I also go out on the water in the afternoon. And at the weekend anyway. If there's no wind, we also like to watch the videos that our father recorded during the last session to learn from them. Otherwise I go to the gym or go running.

A life as a full professional is just wishful thinking, it's not possible at the moment. (Carlos Kiefer)

When you finish school soon, will you be fully committed to a professional career or would you also like to go to university?

Carlos: I would also like to study, either here on Grand Canaria or in Germany. The life scenario as a full professional is just wishful thinking for me at the moment, as it looks like that's not possible. I would love to continue racing in the World Cup with my sister. I will also continue to upload my travel vlogs to YouTube (channel: PozoBros) because I enjoy it without pursuing financial goals.

What does that look like for you, Alexia? Would you like to try to make a living as a professional windsurfer after university?

Alexia: I won some prize money this year, but it doesn't quite cover the costs. I don't know how the others do it, but I would love to make a living from windsurfing after my studies or combine the two. I'd also like to visit the spots around the world to train and not just arrive the day before the World Cup and leave again straight away. My level would increase enormously, but so would the costs. I don't yet know exactly what I will do for a living one day, but what I do know is that I want to dedicate myself intensively to windsurfing for several years.

I was able to win some prize money this season, but it doesn't quite cover the costs of the tour." (Alexia Kiefer)

You want to be world champion, don't you?

Alexia: For sure. After achieving several podium places in the adult category this year, I'm more motivated than ever to achieve this goal. I hope that the winter in Pozo will provide us with good conditions so that we can train a lot for next year. Without a doubt, I won't stop until I'm world champion.

Is that your goal too, Carlos?

Carlos: My big goal in windsurfing is also the wave world champion title, yes, and I won't stop until I've achieved it. In the meantime, I want to travel a lot, meet windsurfers all over the world and, above all, continue to have fun windsurfing.

Do you have role models among the professionals?

Carlos: Lately I like Marino Gil the most - without a doubt he is one of the best windsurfers in the world. I hope I can jump like him soon. I also really like Marc Paré.

Alexia: My brother is one of my biggest role models. Although he is not yet one of the very best in the world, I am impressed by how much and how quickly he has improved over the last few years and how well he windsurfs at just 17 years old. I love watching him and windsurfing with him. I'm also impressed by how rad Julian Salmonn surfs and I try to copy his style on the wave.

Carlos is a great role model for me - he taught me how important it is to be patient and persistent." (Alexia Kiefer)

As siblings, you must often surf together ...

Carlos: Almost always! That's how it's mostly fun. I like finding a good wave near my sister or doing jumps like the double loop in front of her.

What do you think, Alexia? Do you spray Carlos in the face with your radical cutbacks whenever you can?

Alexia: We love doing tricks in front of each other, whether it's jumping or on the wave. The other day, for example, we had a competition to see who could do a taka first in very small waves - we always come up with something.

Can it get boring surfing so much in Pozo, or is it exciting every time?

Carlos: Pozo is never boring for me. Of course it's much more exciting to try out new spots, especially in other countries, but Pozo has exactly what I like overall.

Alexia: After spending almost every day in Pozo this summer, I got a bit bored. That's why I love going to Cabezo on Tenerife, for example, to spend time with my friend Maria (Morales, note from the E.) to windsurf.

Which spots would you like to travel to in the next few years?

Carlos: I would love to surf in Matanzas and Topocalma in Chile soon and definitely also in Mauritius.

You already know Matanzas quite well, Alexia. You almost won your first World Cup there at the beginning of the year in waves over the height of a mast ...

Alexia: Chile was without a doubt my favourite windsurfing trip so far. The landscapes, the food, the people, the atmosphere in Matanzas, the windsurfing conditions, the spots and the country itself... I loved it all. Also, it was a contest without jump scoring, which is my favourite thing. It was incredible to come second in a World Cup in the Pro Division for the first time in my life and to finish on the podium alongside Lina (Erpenstein, note from the E.) - and in the biggest waves in the history of the Chile World Cup to boot. Unfortunately, the flights were so expensive that Carlos couldn't come with us. Hopefully next year we'll have the opportunity to travel there together.

• World Cup Chile: Lina Erpenstein wins in mega conditions, podium for Alexia Kiefer

Carlos, you once said that your sister is the better surfer and that you are better at jumping. Would you say that's still the case?

Carlos: I'm of the opinion that I now surf the wave better than my sister. But my sister and my father don't think so (laughs).

Alexia, please ...

I still think I'm better on the wave because I invest a lot more time in riding. However, Carlos has learnt some moves like the Shaka or the Wave 360 that I can't do yet.

You recently switched from German to Spanish sail numbers. How did that come about?

Carlos: As we have not received any financial support from Germany, we have switched to a Spanish sailing number. There is a chance that part of our travelling expenses will be reimbursed by the government. We have German and Spanish citizenship.

Do you identify a little with Germany?

Alexia: We have a lot of relatives in Germany, so I'm often in Munich. But I've never really warmed to the weather in Germany. I feel more like a Spaniard, for sure.

Carlos: I always say that I'm Hispanic-German or vice versa. That's also how I identify myself. I like being in Germany very often and very much, I go to a German school in Las Palmas, I'm going to do my German Abitur here and will therefore very probably study in Germany.

What do you think is decisive for your sporting success at such a young age?

Alexia: Without a doubt, consistency was the key to success. Windsurfing whenever possible, no matter how good or bad the conditions are. And above all, not giving up when we have a bad day. If we want something and believe in it and work hard to get it, we will achieve it. I realised this when I watched my brother learning the backloop: he made hundreds of attempts every day and it seemed like he wasn't making any progress, but he didn't give up. After a few months of effort and patience, out of the blue he started landing almost every backloop. Today he masters almost every jump to perfection. Carlos is a role model for me who taught me how important it is to be patient and persistent. And our father has always got us surfing, rigged, filmed and trained us since we were little. Our mum has also always motivated us a lot and encouraged me when I wasn't having a good day. Thanks to my family, it was easy for me to keep going.