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After a year of recovery from foot surgery, Robby Swift is back on top form, sailing a blinder at the first event of the PWA season in Cape Verde to finish fourth. We caught up with him on Cape Verde to ask him about his result and his plans for the rest of the season. |
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Why did you do so well at the PWA Cape Verde event this year compared to the 2007 event?
This time last year I had been windsurfing very little after my foot operation (which was in August 2006). I had only been sailing about 2 months before this contest last year and it was massive and I was scared of doing anything on my foot. But this year now after a whole year on the Tour( last year) and then the whole winter to train, I've managed to get my confidence up. These are my favourite conditions, like Ho’okipa, it should always be a good event for me but last year was just a bad year because I hadn’t been training but this year was different!
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Explain your take on Twinsers
Twinsers just feel much looser than single fins. When you get on the wave you can get more vertical and then you can snap the board around a lot quicker. You may not be able to get a drawn out bottom turn but they allow you to get into parts of the wave that you wouldn’t normally use. You can also use the fatter part of the wave to do nice turns as well. It makes you use the wave more like a surfer. It’s a good progression now people have got rocker lines that work well with the twin fins. It does seem like everyone’s sailing has improved a bit, especially in Cape Verde conditions. |
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You seemed to put weight on for the slalom tour last year, is this now a disadvantage for the wave tour?
I have been gym training to get bigger at slalom. I was 93 kilos at the end of last season which was massive for me but I was about 81 when I came here to CV. It’s not too hard to put on weight or lose it when you’re in the gym all the time. I’ve been slalom sailing at 81 kilos weight and I’m no slower than last year. I think that’s a pretty good weight for wave sailors, most of the fleet are around 80 kilos. As long as I don’t get over 85kilos, I don’t think it will be a disadvantage at all (for wave sailing). |
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Are your ankles fully on the mend?
Touch wood, I’d like to say yes finally! I wear ankle braces because I keep tweaking my ankles when I go out sailing without them as they are still in the process of healing. I will wear the braces for the next six months or so. Sailing is good for them as long as I don’t strain the ligaments. |
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Tell us about your jumping?
I used to be better in jumping events but recently, because of my injuries, I haven’t been jumping too much and I’ve been living in Maui and wave riding is what you do on Maui . I do still remember how to jump! If I practise a bit I’m sure I’ll be able to do ok!! |
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What’s your favourite event on the PWA Tour?
Right now I’d have to say CapeVerde is my favourite venue on the Tour. It was last year actually, the conditions are amazing here. Last year I came here and got three swells in three weeks. This year, I’ve only been here a week and already had good surfing and got to windsurf in the contest. This is the best spot unless we get Maui back on the Tour! |
What will you be working on between now and the next PWA event?
So far, I haven’t been working very much on my port tack jumping. I haven’t sailed port tack since Pozo last year so I’m going back to Maui and sail some port tack spots there. I’ve got to work on slalom as well. My wave riding has come up to speed now; I’ve got some good boards. I used to be good at jumping so hopefully after a few weeks practice I can bring that up to scratch. |
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Have you got any windsurfing trips planned other than going to events?
We’ve got lots of other big wave trips lined up. Jason has got a whole list of spots he wants to visit. If I’m not competing then Jason has asked me to join him which is good. It’s good to sail to different spots and it’s gets good coverage, especially big wave surfing spots that people know around the world. We’re going to go and try windsurf some of them. |
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What about a trip to Cortez Bank, 50 miles off the coast of California?
We are still hoping to sail Cortez bank but it is a logistical nightmare to get out there. Also I don’t know how the people that surf there think about having windsurfers there. Jason has a few contacts but it’s still work in progress. It’s an expensive thing to do; boat, jet skis. For windsurfing you need exactly the right wind as well as a massive swell and then the people willing to take you out there. |
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Now you’re doing more ‘big wave’ sailing, has your priorities changed from just doing well at competitions?
No. I have always wanted to be world champion. I’m 23; Jason (Polakow) is 36 and still doing really well at contests so I’m not thinking of giving up competition just yet. But at the same time I like doing the big wave sailing with Jason. It’s good fun to do both. You only need a few days to go and do the big wave sailing then I can concentrate on competitions the rest of the time. |
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If you could steal one move from one sailor, what would it be?
That is difficult – there are a lot of moves I’d like to steal! I like Kauli’s pushloop forward; they are sick, but it’s a rare trick that you might not be able to use all the time. It would be nice to consistently do 360’s in the waves at any spot that you go to. Jason Polakow does them amazingly at Ho’okipa and then I would need to steal the move from the sailor who does them best at Pozo! |
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Do you ever get scared windsurfing?
I don’t get very scared windsurfing. Maybe when I go sailing in Maui and it's cross offshore and it’s gusty and you’re not confident what wind you're going to get up in the air and you could hurt yourself when jumping. When you windsurf all the time it’s fun when you get big waves. But when the wind is fluky and you could hurt yourself, this scares me. |
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