The new generation
Alexia Kiefer
Alexia Kiefer
How did you get into windsurfing?
Since we were little, my father, who was a windsurfing teacher, took us to the beach very often to swim, dive, surf with the bodyboard and we liked it a lot. When we grew up a bit, he taught us to windsurf. It was that moment when we started sailing, at 10 years of age.
It seems he is a really good teacher! Haha, the last time you were competing on the PWA you did incredibly well, being one of the youngest in the fleet!!
2019 was an amazing year! I competed for the first time in the main fleet and I finished 5th being stopped by Iballa, the world champion. I didn’t expect to end up in this position and that made me feel incredible. I'm looking forward to competing hopefully soon again.
After that amazing season for you, with the Covid situation, how was 2020 and 2021 going for you?
The truth is that 2020 has been a really strange and boring year since part of the year we were locked up at home, although it passed very quickly for me. I really like sailing with the Pozo juniors like Julia Pasquale, Liam Dunkerbeck ... because I have a lot of fun. These last few months apart from windsurfing and paddle boarding we have started to skate and exercise at home.
We see that it did not keep you from raising your level! You have been training at home so much! What new moves have you been practicing lately?
Lately I have been practicing the back loop and the taka a lot, so that I can do it consistently. My brother gives me tips to improve my forwards and my backloops and I help him with his waveriding. In this way we both learn from each other and have a great time.
While traveling was banned, we have seen you taking the chance to enjoy your home spots so much. Have you discovered new spots and new conditions to sail?
The island of Gran Canaria is not very big, therefore all the spots are close by. Besides us there were always other windsurfers. We had already heard about these spots, but we had never gone because there weren't good conditions. Although this year we could not travel anywhere, we discovered and sailed in many different spots in Gran Canaria and we liked them a lot. I really like sailing in other spots, because that way I can also train with different conditions and different wind directions, since in Pozo Izquierdo and Vargas the wind is always Portack. It is interesting to see how even the well-known moves become complicated because of different wind directions. But these other spots in Gran Canaria only work very occasionally in the winter and the entrance is very difficult. For this reason they are not that popular.
Pozo Izquierdo is your home spot. What do you like the most about it?
I am lucky to live 20 minutes from Pozo Izquierdo, therefore I can windsurf whenever studies allow me. Pozo is an incredible spot and perfect to improve the jumps, but what I really like is surfing next to the well-known flagstone, where from time to time there are incredible waves! In summer, in Pozo Izquierdo the wind never ends and in winter there is also wind from time to time. For this reason this spot is so well known.
There is now a new generation of young girls sailing incredibly well! How motivating is that for you?
On Instagram I see the other junior Girls of the PWA ripping! This motivates me a lot to keep training and improving every day. As these girls are from Denmark, Germany, Italy, France, Slovenia, USA ... and the covid hasn‘t allowed me to travel, I haven't seen them for a long time, but I really want to sail in summer with them again!
You are very talented wave riding, do you surf too? Do you have a coach?
Before I started windsurfing, I had a basic knowledge of surfing and later I also started doing SUP Wave, when there wasn‘t enough wind to windsurf. The first times I sailed in Pozo, I realized that surfing was really fun and I spent hours surfing. I also watched surf videos and my coach Jorge Vera gave me tips that helped me to improve a lot.
What music do you listen to to get motivated?
The truth is that I listen to all kinds of music: Pop, Rap, Reggae, Trap ... But before going sailing, I really like to listen to rock songs, because they motivate me a lot.
When the competitions start again, which event is the one that you are most looking forward to?
I really want to compete again in Sylt, to train more in these conditions and improve my 2019 result. I also really like the atmosphere there and the city.
And, once we get back to traveling, what would be a dream trip for you?
A dream trip for me would be Pacasmayo. The conditions in this spot are incredible and perfect to improve my surfing although the wind is not really strong. Peru is also an incredible place with very different cultures that I would like to know.
What are your goals in life?
After finishing my studies at the university, I want to live and work near some well-known beach where I can do a lot of surfing and windsurfing. Regarding sports, in the future I want to be a windsurfing world champion and be among the best women in SUP Waves. For this, I will continue advancing whenever conditions and school allow me.
Any wishes for 2021?
I hope this year we will be able to compete again, because I really miss the feeling of competing and the familiar faces from the tour.
MORE: alexia-kiefer-quintana
Pics: Florian Kiefer
