Some kids were born to windsurf, and these kids are some of them: Lennart Neubauer, Liam Dunkerbeck and Giulio Gasperini. They are some of the youngest talents in windsurfing and they grew up next to the ocean. Lennart lives in Greece, Naxos. Liam on Gran Canaria and Giulio is from Italy. We asked them about the sport, their dreams, and their favorite tricks. We are excited to follow them for the upcoming season and see how they can inspire more kids to windsurf.
How did you start windsurfing?
Giulio: I started windsurfing at the age of 4 with my father Raimondo Gasperini. He placed me between his legs while standing on the board. I immediately felt the adrenaline and the sensation of the speed. As soon as I got older and could try to windsurf alone I loved it even more. It was a good windsurfing community in Sardinia and I will never forget my first glide on the water alone on the board at a beach called Murta Maria. I was sailing on a 1.6 m sail and the Starboard Kode 114.
Liam: My first time windsurfing was in the lagoon in Fuerteventura when I was 4 years old, and my first time planing was with my dad Bjorn Dunkerbeck on the Starboard tandem board.
Lennart: When I was 9 years old I saw the freestylers out from my room, and I wanted to do the same because it looked like fun. My mom brought me to Flisvos Sportclub in Naxos where we live. They told me that I should be 30 kilos before I could start sailing.
One winter long I ate a lot and trained track and fields to gain weight. The following spring I was weighing 30 kilos and went back to the surf club. From that day I was on the water every day when there was wind. The first time as I was planing it felt like a dream. It felt like I was totally free!
Lennart Neubauer
What is your favorite board?
Giulio: My favorite board is the UltraKode 65 and the iGnite 87.
Liam: My favorite board it is my UltraKode 65.
Lennart: iGnite 87 liters for me. It´s a great freestyle board!
Liam Dunkerbeck jumping at his homespot: Pozo
The coolest trick in windsurfing?
Giulio: Forward loop!
Liam: I like the stalled double forward loop because it looks very high.
Lennart: The coolest trick is the double air culo.
Giulio during the kid´s contest in Pozo last summer.
Your best move? And how did you learn it?
Giulio: Forward loop is my best move. And I love wave riding. I live in Rome near the sea in Italy. There are often waves, and because I am passionated about this sport, I take the opportunity to windsurf as much as possible.
Liam: Now I’m landing one handed back loops! I learned how to do it looking while looking at how Phillip Köster does it and then practicing a lot on the water.
Lennart: My best move is “spock into culo”, and I learned it on Bonaire in the Caribbean, 20 minutes before my heat.
How do you combine school and windsurfing?
Giulio: I try to combine school and homework so that I have time to practice my windsurfing passion as much as possible.
Liam: I normally go home from school at 16.00 every day, and then I go to Pozo to windsurf if I don’t have to many exams…but it is not easy.
Lennart: To combine school and windsurfing is possible! I get up every morning at 6AM and study for 1.5 hours. When I have tests I study also on top of that one hour in the late afternoon after windsurfing.
Liam Dunkerbeck
What are your biggest dreams?
Giulio: My dream is to become a World Champion in windsurfing
Liam: I would like to became World Champion, training and having fun inside and outside the water.
Lennart: My biggest dream is to first become World Champion in freestyle and maybe also in wave one day.
Giulio and his dad Raimondo Gasperini.
Why should more kids learn windsurfing?
Giulio: Because it is a fantastic sport! It helps growing muscles in your body and allows you to be in contact with nature. You also feel the power of the sea. Windsurfing also becomes such a strong passion that it helps you to stay away from negative things.
Liam: Because it is a very nice sport! You are in the nature and every day you will have different conditions. The sport makes you see different places.
Lennart: Windsurfing helps me to feel free and forget all my problems when I am on the water. I just play with the wind and my gear. I also meet so many great people from all over the world on the water. Every day I meet new friends, and that is one of the most important things in windsurfing. It´s great to have friends you can windsurf together with. A shared sessions is the best feeling and that makes you happy! It´s better than being inside playing online games.
Lennart freestyling on the iGnite 87.
Photos by PWA/John Carter.
