At the end of our video interview, Ralf once again pans the camera 360 degrees - Cape Town's landmark, Table Mountain, the slopes above his house - which recently caught fire once again - the dense urban canyons of the "Mother City" and finally the Atlantic Ocean pass me by. Ralf has lived in Oranjezicht, a neighbourhood of Cape Town, for more than 25 years. Back then, in 1995, he was still surfing successfully in the World Cup, won the slalom at the World Cup on Sylt that year and was a permanent guest in the top ten in the slalom and in the waves. He won the jump contest at the Indoor World Cup in Paris-Bercy three times. "But to be honest, I hardly stood a chance against Naish and later Dunkerbeck." Nevertheless, for someone who doesn't come from an island spoilt by wind and sun, his record is more than respectable. In any case, he considers his greatest success to be "that I was able to travel the world and windsurf everywhere - 13 years on the World Tour were incredible fun and extremely privileged." But 1997 was the end - and not just for the contests.
Your last World Cup was in Fiji in 1997. Actually a dream for every Worldcupper - why did you stop so abruptly in the World Cup?
I was often in the top five in the wave and found the thought of continuing to fight for nothing terrible. I no longer saw any point in it. I realised that I couldn't get any better, or that I could only have maintained my level in the wave with an extremely high level of effort. I wanted to be really good in the wave - and at some point I couldn't do that anymore.
You then switched to kiting very quickly and consistently. What attracted you to it?
I just wanted to try something new. I've always been interested in the speed on the wave.
You can see countless kiters on the water around Cape Town. But your style always stands out. You fillet the waves with your board like a sushi knife. Have you never ridden kite contests?
I was never interested in that. This whirling around in the air with spins, I thought that was terrible even in freestyle windsurfing. I also never understood why people ride directional strapless (without straps on a surfboard, editor) when kiting. Maybe a handful of people can do it, the rest just float around.
You also have your own board brand - RB63.
I've been doing this since 1999, but it's only a small custom-made forge. There are only three different sizes and I have them built in Muizenberg. RRD also has a kiteboard of mine - the Baracuda.
Do you do this for a living?
I always say you have to spend less than you earn, then it works. I also rent out a few flats.
You've also been a father for a year now.
Yes, Leni is now one year old. She was born in Hamburg and my partner Jasmin comes from Hamburg and is also a kiter. We got to know each other because she ordered a board from me.
Could you imagine moving back to Germany?
Heavy. Germany is very expensive compared to South Africa. But above all, I don't like the cold. I hate having to wear socks. I'm always barefoot.
Have you got back on a windsurfing board since you started kitesurfing?
Yes, maybe once or twice. But I don't want to say that I don't see any point in it, but I've been doing it for 20 years, lugging the stuff back and forth, and I'm fed up with it.
But if you were to windsurf privately today, you would need very little equipment.
But even that would be too much for me. With kitesurfing, I have one board and two kites. But I still think windsurfing is great, it's totally justified - it was my life back then and now it's just something new. What's more, kitesurfing is much less strenuous - you can tell at my age.
Have you ever tried the new trend of wingfoiling?
I did this on Lake Rietvlei in Cape Town and am slowly testing myself. I think it's great, but I still need to get a lot faster. Speed and style is actually my motto and I still need to get there.
Do you still watch windsurfing?
Yes, of course. I actually owe everything to windsurfing. I did my apprenticeship as a machinist in Ingolstadt when I was 15. When I was 18 and a journeyman, I quit and went to Lake Garda. I flew for the first time at the age of 19. Windsurfing allowed me to see the world and experience a completely different lifestyle. That was great. You have to imagine that I didn't speak any English, but I learnt the language through windsurfing. I am infinitely grateful to windsurfing and the people from back then.
FACTS
- Born2 August 1963 in Ingolstadt
- Place of residenceCape Town
- Surfing since1979 on a quarry pond near Ingolstadt
- Regatta debut1984 Euro Funboard Cup Lake Garda
- Greatest successesWorldcup Sylt 1992, victory at the Worldcup in Scheveningen 1995; three victories at the Indoor Worldcup in Paris-Bercy in show jumping
- Webpage: www.facebook.com/ralf.bachschuster
