Third world championship title for Yentel Caers: "The pressure of the younger riders is present, but I actually like this pressure"
Yentel Caers has reached the top - once again. With his victory on Fuerteventura and a strong second place on Sylt, the Belgian has won his third freestyle world title. But anyone who thinks the 30-year-old is sitting back now is very much mistaken. In conversation, Yentel is focussed but also reflective: about the pressure of competition, wild heats with young star Lennart Neubauer, getting older in professional sport - and the pure joy of windsurfing. Between triple moves, intensive training sessions on Lake Como and the upcoming trip to Brazil, one thing in particular sticks in his mind: Yentel loves what he does and wants to keep up the freestyle spirit and his life as a pro for as long as possible.
Hey Yentel, congratulations on your third title! With the victory on Fuerte and a second place here on Sylt, you have once again proven your absolute top level and your consistency.
Yes, I really wanted to win Fuerte because it's THE pure freestyle event of the year, where everyone is at the start and everyone is particularly hungry. After I won there, everything went really well and I was in the flow. Thanks to Lennart's little slip-up (6th place on Fuerte), the title was already within my grasp. He is definitely the young star to beat at the moment.
How did you deal with the pressure?
I can perform quite well under pressure, which helps me to work even harder. I had a good summer in my second home on Lake Como and was on the water a lot. The more time you spend on the water, the better prepared you are for all conditions.
In the final against Lennart, I had already secured the title after winning against Steven (van Broeckhoven). So I had the most pressure beforehand, in the quarter and semi-finals. I was very focussed and put in solid heats. I'm very happy with that. The final was the icing on the cake of the day. Lennart delivered an incredible performance - that was an insane heat.
The title was already within my grasp after Fuerte.
What do you think about the Triple Culos that Lennart did? You already jumped the move in the lagoon on Fuerte almost ten years ago.
I think they are perhaps over-hyping it as a new move. It wasn't the first in a competition either, but the first in a World Cup heat. Anyway, huge respect to Lennart for doing the triple Culo here in these conditions in competition. That's crazy and definitely a step forward, and it's really nice to see.
What is the current situation with your Triple Culos?
I also tried one, but I didn't really have the right run for it. But the conditions were actually quite good for it. I think if I really focussed on it, I could do it here too. But it didn't work out in the final. But I know that Lennart and I have the move well under control by now, for example when we surf the flat water lagoon on Fuerte. It's really cool to see that he's now managed it here in the heat.
You are now 30 years old and no longer the youngest member of the freestyle fleet. How do you feel?
I feel like I'm at my peak in recent years. There is certainly pressure from the younger drivers. But I actually like this pressure. Because I like the kind of extreme freestyle and pushing for the double and triple, and even more radical. And I think I set the bar pretty high for the youngsters. And maybe that's one reason why Lennart, for example, is pushing so hard now. Just like I did back then because of riders like Steven or Kiri (Thode). They put the pressure on, they were already double jumping everything when I was still working on the single manoeuvres. Then at some point I was able to raise the level and now I'm pushing the next generation to do even more. So it's like a rolling thing that makes our freestyle scene grow. It makes it more extreme, crazier. Who knows what the young Japanese will do in the future. But I know that under certain conditions I still have an advantage over the younger generation in certain things.
It's really cool to see that Lennart knocked out the triple Culo here in the heat. That's definitely a step forward.
How does your body play along? You never seem to have any problems in the form of injuries. Are you super fit?
To be honest, I should knock on wood. Because I hardly ever have pain with anything. It's not like I don't have a bit of sore muscles from time to time. But luckily I never really have any problems with anything. I do a lot of endurance training and I surf a lot. I've always surfed a lot - my body is pretty strong. So again, I'll knock on wood.
It's damn intense to jump double and triple combinations... Overall, the discipline has become more intense over the years, hasn't it?
Yes, even if we do, for example, shifty shakas or similar - the wave guys land nice and soft nose first or on the tail on most jumps - we often land flat on our front feet, with a lot of weight on the base plate. The impact is hard. You have to be able to deal with impacts. In the past, things were perhaps a bit more elegant, more flexible. Now you need more explosiveness and rigidity to really absorb the impact. So you don't tear up your shoulders or your knees or whatever. It's definitely become more extreme and you have to be fitter.
The impact is hard. You have to be able to deal with impacts.
And if you have perfect, let's say rough 4.0 conditions, for example during a training session at your home spot on Lake Como, how long can you perform at full power?
Let's say that when I train, I do about an hour of concentrated, proper training. But then I often do another hour afterwards, just doing individual, fat moves here and there. Not so many combinations. So the intensity goes down a bit, but I'm just too addicted to windsurfing to stop. The first hour is the sweet spot of training, even just 45 minutes, I would say. And after that, I just ride for fun and do the moves that come up.
You're now travelling to Brazil and are stepping on the gas. It seems like you're hungry for more titles.
Of course, as long as I can keep pushing and maintain this level, I will try.
My goal for Brazil is to do the triple air-culo! I'm one hundred per cent sure that a triple air rotation will happen sooner or later.
I do a lot of endurance training and I surf a lot.
How are you doing with foilstyle?
I like the foil, but I'm still more into the fin. I find it a really good option when the wind is light. I'm not the type for big sails. So when it gets thin with 5.2 and fin, it's nice to go 4.8 with the foil or even 4.4. I did a bit of training on the foil in the spring, but after I won on Fuerte and then up to here, I didn't touch the foil again. I tended to train with bigger sails and fins because you never know what you're going to get. Foiling is more of a fun thing for me, an extra. But I see a lot of potential in it.
What will life be like as a true professional freestyle windsurfer in 2025?
It's definitely going to be a lot harder. "Status" might not be the right word, but I have this sponsor thing, you know, with the world titles, with my consistent results... My sponsors know that I work hard. So not just during the event, but also when I'm testing, taking pictures, etc. That's how you keep the contract. That's how you keep the contract. But it's definitely very difficult at the moment for young riders who are really good to reach this level because they just don't get the support. There are far fewer real professionals than you might think. And the ones who are professionals do it out of passion because it doesn't bring in much money. I have enough money to live on at the moment, but it won't make up my entire future. One day I will have to do a "normal" job. I'm living my retirement now and will work later (laughs).
I have enough money to make a living from windsurfing at the moment, but it won't make up my entire future. One day I will have to do a "normal" job.
Ha! That's a good final word.
What we're experiencing now is so amazing. We're travelling the world, you're just out with your friends, you're surfing together. So life is fantastic. There's pressure, and some things aren't easy, but there are so many more good sides than bad.
Yentel, thank you for the interview and good luck in Brazil!
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