Types: Contest machine vs social media queen - interview with Nia Suardiaz & Paula Novotna
Two self-confident women, both highly successful as wingfoil professionals. Nevertheless, they could hardly be more different. On the one hand, Nia Suardiaz, the serial winner and by far the most successful athlete in the Wingfoil World Cup. On the other hand, Paula Novotna, the Wingfoil Queen of social media, which has now bid farewell to the World Cup Tour. Time to meet them both for an interview.
Nia, you live and train in Tarifa, where the foundations for all your successes were laid. You almost ended up in Munich, didn't you?
Nia: Exactly, I have a Spanish father and a German mother. We live in Tarifa, at the southernmost tip of the Spanish mainland where there is almost always wind. A few years ago, we lived in Munich for a year on a trial basis. It was a great time. We went biking and hiking a lot and luckily it was a winter with lots of snow. But somehow we missed the beach life. Going out on the water with friends every afternoon is just the best, so we went back.
And that's how you "slipped into" the Wingfoil World Cup so early on.
Nia: Yes, my first World Cup was at home in Tarifa, although I had only started the sport a few months earlier. I was successful straight away and got a taste for it. In 2023, I took part in a total of 17 competitions. There were ten GWA World Cups in different disciplines, the Youth World Cup in La Palma, two wingfoil racing events, two Spanish competitions, the Roca Cup in Hyeres and the Defi event.
There is probably no one in the world who takes part in more events than you. And it's fair to say that you're the world's most successful wingfoiler, isn't it?
Nia: I think so, In view of two World Cup titles in 2023. I was on the podium at all events last year, always at the top in the slalom.
Paula, your path is completely different...
Paula: I come from the Czech Republic, a country without access to the sea. Before wingfoiling, I was a professional kitesurfer for ten years. I discovered wingsurfing in 2020. It was a sport that captured my heart, just like kitesurfing had 15 years earlier. At the beginning, I also took part in many competitions, and in 2022 I managed to win the World Championship title in freestyle and racing. I was so incredibly happy!
Despite these feelings of happiness, you turned your back on the World Cup. Why?
Paula: Life is beautiful and has so much to offer. At the beginning of 2023, I decided to take a break from competing. It took me a lot of effort to come to this decision. After all, I had been in my comfort zone for more than ten years, taking part in the World Tour and travelling around the world with kite and wingfoil equipment. But it was necessary to step away from that.
Did you get fed up with the pressure to produce results at some point?
Paula: The level on the water is literally crazy, especially the speed at which new tricks are created. But for me, wingfoiling is mainly meditation, I like to dance on the water, ride waves and jump high. I also enjoy doing a few freestyle moves when I have people around me who motivate and push me. But I think the magic of wingfoiling is the feeling of flying effortlessly over the water and riding wave after wave. Over the years, I've learnt that I don't like to compare myself to others. I am who I am, so I have given up the competition. adé but that doesn't mean that I've stopped wingfoiling professionally.
Nia, you're pushing harder than ever, your successes are unrivalled! What motivates you to take part in competitions?
Nia: The travelling, the different spots and conditions, the people, the adrenaline and, above all, the winning. You always have to practise new tricks to stay ahead, it's a mixture of overcoming, respect and fun. In the end, tricks like front and back flips are usually easier than many other moves, but you have to overcome yourself and get out of your comfort zone. And you keep thinking that there can't be any more new tricks and then another innovation pops up. There will certainly be more to come, also in terms of material!
You always think that it has to stop now. But there are always new tricks, it never stops
The constantly rising level - isn't that stressful? You must never let up, or you will be left behind...
Nia: Of course, there is now a lot more pressure as I'm no longer just taking part and seeing how things go, I definitely want to be on the podium! It's also difficult for me to study online for school without physically attending lessons. I have a lot of friends in Tarifa, sometimes I would like to have more time at home to maintain friendships and see each other more.
Sometimes it seems like you run out of opponents. Chris MacDonald is currently the measure of all things for men. Wouldn't he be a suitable training partner for you?
Nia: I've actually already trained with Chris on the Columbia River, which was an amazing experience. We trained together for a few weeks and I learnt a lot from that.
Paula, how happy are you to have these times behind you, given Nia's busy training and competition schedule?
Paula: I competed for several years and now I just want to have fun with this sport. I organise my time myself, but my days are also timed: I get up at 6 a.m., go to the gym from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. and at 9 a.m. on the dot I sit behind my laptop and answer emails, have conversations or edit my videos. My mornings are full of office work, my afternoons are mainly spent on the water, either wingfoiling or kitesurfing or creating content for my social media.
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You are now the most successful Wingfoil athlete in the social networks!
Paula: As I said, I love creating content and it's been my passion for a long time. It takes time and work to have a lot of followers, so I'm proud to have over 385,000 followers on Instagram and counting. Of course, I'm also on TikTok, YouTube and Facebook.
What motivates you to regularly post your everyday life on these channels?
Paula: Social media opens many doors for me. If you bring followers closer to you and show them your daily life, they will be entertained. You have to constantly interact with your followers, otherwise they will leave. I mainly work with professional videographers and photographers. I edit the content myself, which is a lot of computer work.
I don't party, I don't play video games or watch Netflix every day, I don't do stupid things that only take up time and get me nowhere
Your postings naturally show beautiful wingfoil action, but often also a lot of naked skin. Is that part of the concept?
Paula: I'm a professional water sportswoman and practically live on the beach, wearing bikinis or surf suits most of the day. Not to mention that I train for hours in the gym every week to get a feminine, strong body. I'm proud of that and yes, I think it's part of me. My social media posts capture my life as it is. I don't really care what others think about it. I just know that a lot of people enjoy watching it. My mission is also to help people live a more active lifestyle. I believe that what I do is appealing and can also motivate others: I get up early, I keep fit. I don't party, I don't play video games or watch Netflix every day, I don't do stupid things that only take up time and get me nowhere.
Nia, how do you feel about social networks?
Nia: I only enjoy it as long as it's on the side. I'm happy about every follower. But at the moment I'm mainly focussing on my sporting goals and school, I simply don't have the time for social media.
