Rafael Dewindt
I started windsurfing at the age of 11 years old. My stepdad bought a 4- lesson starting package at Windsurfing Curacao. The first time on the board felt amazing, I never wanted to stop. My love for the freestyle discipline started when the owner of the surf school/ my mentor did a big ponch right in front of me. That was the moment I knew that wanted to go and freestyle.
I started competing at the age of 12 years in the local Caribbean competitions. From the age of 16 years, I started with my first international IFCA-freestyle and PWA competitions. Becoming youth IFCA freestyle world champion, that year (2011) was a high point. At the same time experiencing how though the competition on the PWA-tour was a great learning moment. This only motivated me the keep pushing myself.
Competing on the PWA-tour was an amazing experience. For example, it gave me a chance to surf at the indoor event in Poland, where I became third, something I will never forget. Or the moment when I broke through in top-10 result a the PWA-Fuerteventura event, ending that year as the 14th best freestyle windsurfer on the tour. During that time I learned many important life lessons. It even made it possible for me to enter med-school and in 2 more years I will be a licensed medical doctor.
So windsurfing has given me so much in life, that I can’t imagine life without it. And during all those years of windsurfing, I have always sailed with Hot Sails. Jeff and the team are amazing and they listen to the riders‘ feedback. I am thankful that they have given me the chance to excel in freestyle windsurfing during my competitions days. For now, I am more focusing on my studies. In my free time, I am teaching and coaching the younger generation from Curacao or elsewhere.
Birthday: 03-30-1995
Discipline: Freestyle
Sails: Freestyle Pro’s 4.0/4.4/4.8. My sail number is CUR-45.
Favourite spot: Spanish waters of Curacao, Sorobon beach Bonaire, Fuerteventura