While the professionals had to take a break last year, the youngsters were at least able to put on a bit of a show. The 18-year-old Nick Spangenberg showed that you can keep up even without a youth with access to the beach. His windsurfing career almost came to an end before it really got started. We spoke to him about his plans for the future, stickers in his sail and his most difficult time.
How are you doing during the corona period, how is the situation for you right now?
It's pretty stupid that you can't travel at the moment. I only get out on the water very rarely here in Kassel, but otherwise it's actually quite okay. I'm lucky enough to go to school, so at least I get to see a few people. But I'd still be happy if things picked up a bit and I could at least fly to Gran Canaria in the summer.
2020 was also characterised by the pandemic, but you were still able to take part in a few competitions.
I was surprised, the year actually went really well. In the summer, we were very lucky to be the first to be allowed back to Gran Canaria. It was great to be allowed back on the water. And the summer holidays were the best time of last year: Gran Canaria and two trips to Denmark. The autumn was also good, with the Junior World Cup in Klitmøller and I took part in a slalom competition at Steinhuder Meer.
Do you have a main focus or do you ride all disciplines first?
My favourite is wave, because I just think it's mega cool and every day is different. I think it's more fun than slalom or freestyle, but when the wind blows offshore, it's worth it if you can do a few freestyle moves. It's also great fun to learn new tricks. Slalom is primarily designed to get out on the water more often. But it's also fun to compete with other people. That's been really useful.
Do you also have plans to compete more in slalom contests?
Yes, I'm finishing school in the summer and after that the plan is to travel a lot, train a lot, learn a lot and explore new spots. I've already decided to take all the equipment with me. In winter, I want to see if I can go to Tenerife to the TWS training camp and train with the pros there. And then see if I can keep up with them or not. But my primary goal for now is to train as much wave as possible in the summer and enjoy the days by the sea.
Will you take some time off after your A-levels until you start studying, or do you want to try your hand at a professional career first?
My original plan was to take a year off after my A-levels and go to Hawaii, but the coronavirus has made that almost impossible. I've just bought myself a campervan, which I'm now going to start upgrading. I'll finish school in June, so I've decided to go on a few road trips in the van with my girlfriend until September. A week at the Baltic Sea, maybe a month in Denmark or something. Then I'll start studying in the autumn and see what's possible. Maybe I can take a break for a semester to do more training, it can all be arranged.
Do you already know what and where you want to study?
I would like to study to become a teacher, sports and English, which are also my honours courses. I've decided to study here in Kassel for the first year because it's cheaper. I can live here for free and also work a bit. After that, my goal is to go to Kiel and finish my degree there.
What are your sporting goals, do you want to take part in the PWA Tour or rather national contests?
My short-term goal is to enjoy the surfing life and the freedom. Then my plan is to take part in the Youth World Cups in Gran Canaria and Tenerife and maybe even Klitmøller and finish in the top 5 to top 7 there. I also want to take part in the DWC events in St. Peter-Ording, Sylt and Kellenhusen. And then see where there's wind and go there spontaneously. Later on, I want to see if I can take part in the PWA or ride at the top of the DWC, but that's all still open.
You've also competed in the International Windsurfing Tour (IWT) in Morocco in 2018, which isn't exactly the typical beginners' contest, how did that come about?
I went to Morocco for the first time in 2017 and really liked the culture there, the people were super nice and I was on the water every day with a 4.0 or 3.7. I then realised that an IWT contest was taking place there and persuaded my dad to take me there. We spent two weeks in Moulay and also experienced the monster swell with eight metre high waves. That was a mega-successful first international event for me, I came fourth. That motivated me even more to give it my all.
You live in Kassel, so quite far away from the water. How did you get into surfing?
The incentive came from my father. When I was four years old, I was in Greece with him, where I used to watch him windsurfing and wanted to learn too. When I was five, they said at the surf school in Denmark that I was still too young and I wouldn't be allowed until the following year. Then we went back a year later and I was really happy that I was finally allowed on the water. But they said again that I was still too small and too young. My parents just put me on the board and that worked out pretty well. I quickly mastered jibes, tacks and so on, and at twelve I did my first jumps. Back then, I actually only got on the water during my holidays. When I was 13 or 14, I decided to take it up professionally.
What motivated you to do this back then?
A friend of my father's was quite good friends with Flo Jung at the time, I bought material from him and thought he was very nice. My parents then gave me a trip to a training camp with Flo in Morocco, and from then on I was hooked. We've since become quite good friends and we sail the same sails. It was through him that the deal with GunSails came about.
Looking at your pictures, you have an impressive number of sponsor stickers in your sail. Did you actively work on them or how did the deals come about?
I've already worked hard to find sponsors for financial support. Without them, it would be completely impossible to travel so much. I've sent out lots of applications, including to companies here in the neighbourhood. I've also asked them several times, told them what my plans are and asked them for support. But it can also work differently: The boss of my sponsor Härtewerk watched me surfing in Denmark when I was alone on the water at sunset. He approached me the next day and said that he thought it was super cool and asked if I could send him an application.
Do you have any tips for other young drivers on how to get this support?
When it comes to sponsors from the surf industry, I think it's important to have good content on Instagram and to be pretty active there. When it comes to sponsors for financial support, I would look around to see if there are people who are also interested in the sport and then don't be afraid to ask. You can't get more than a no. That's how it was for me too. Of course, you always have inhibitions about asking for money at the beginning, but in the end it paid off for me. Of course, I still have to put some of my savings towards it myself, but they take quite a big burden off my shoulders.
You had a serious back operation a few years ago, which was quite dramatic. What happened back then?
We were in Denmark, I wanted to go surfing and I suddenly thought a shark or something had bitten my foot. I had a massive cramp, it wasn't an accident. I went to bed and when I woke up I had extreme back pain and could hardly feel my feet. We travelled back the same day and went straight to an MRI in Kassel. It turned out that there was a fistula in my spinal cord and the blood could no longer flow properly. I then had a first minor operation, during which the doctors looked at it from the inside, and a few weeks later the real operation followed, during which the fistula was sealed. But now everything is perfect again.
That could have ended in a wheelchair, right?
Yes, if the fistula had enlarged, it could have been from one day to the next that I would no longer have been able to surf. That's why I was really glad that we quickly found out what was there. It happened in autumn 2018 and the operation was in December. Fortunately, everything is fine again, but I had a lot of concerns and fears during the time. The following year, I went surfing here on the lake again for the first time in February, and later I joined the PWA in Gran Canaria and Tenerife for the first time. That made up for all the drama.
How do you juggle it all with school, work, surfing and so on?
It's not easy, but it's fun, and I don't have any major problems with studying. Of course, I'm currently preparing for my A-levels, but everything is going well. I've also started working at the vaccination centre here with us.
What exactly are you doing there?
I'm assigned to a counter and take people's details, tell them where they need to go and so on. You always get very positive feedback, people are happy to get a vaccination.
What moves are you currently working on, and what's next?
The pushloop is my goal this year, but I think I should be able to do it quickly if I can train a lot. The one-handed backloops are already pretty good, and now I'm working on the one-footed backloop as well. When it comes to freestyle, I just try whatever I feel like, but the Kono would be a goal for this summer.
What are your favourite conditions?
Actually 4.2 sails and a 75-litre board, I find that the most relaxed. Gran Canaria with a 3.2 and a small board fully overpowered also has something, you learn a lot there. If you can do the backloop in Pozo, you can do it anywhere. You learn so much about control in the air when it's blowing like that. I have to say, I actually prefer wind from the right when riding waves, I learnt that in Morocco. I like jumping more with wind from the left, but over the last year it's become pretty much the same that all manoeuvres work on both sides.
What are your favourite spots?
Definitely Hanstholm, then also Hvide Sande, because you can get on the water there in any wind direction. If not in the waves, then you can freestyle or slalom on Ringkøbing Fjord. I also liked Morocco, Moulay is a really good spot.
FACTS
- Age: 18 years
- Place of residence: Kassel
- ProfessionPupils
- Size/weight: 180 cm/68 kilos
- Surfing since: 2009
- Regatta debutDM Sylt 2017 #
- Successes: 4th place U20 PWA Klitmøller 2020, 2nd place U21 IFCA Wave-EM 2019
- Hobbies: Handball, meeting friends, editing videos
- SponsorsGunSails, JP-Australia, Maui Ultra Fins, ION, Tunnel Energy Drink, Ullrich Bau, Götte Immobilien, Härtewerk Chemnitz, Surfshop Andreas, Autohaus Herrman Klein
- Instagram: nick.spangenberg.ger141
- Facebook: NickSpangenbergG141
