Day 3: Interview with Francisco Goya

With the swell dropping right off the radar, day three of competition gave the sailors a chance to relax and mend their wounds after the brutal first two days of competition.

Goya Sails have just become one of the PWA World Tour’s corporate partners; what made you decide to invest the PWA?

FG: "I’ve always backed the PWA through my career as an athlete, and it’s the same story now I have a brand with riders on tour. I’ve always believed you should back the people that are pushing the sport forward, and it’s good to give something back to the sport of windsurfing after I’ve got so much from it."

You’ve just signed Levi Siver to the Goya Sails team, are you excited to have one of professional windsurfing’s icons riding on your gear?

FG: “It’s a dream come true. Watching him grow up and seeing him sailing Hookipa at just 12, I used to wonder how good he’d get. Now I watch him pushing the boundaries of the sport every single day. He’s simply ahead of all the equipment out there. Now we’ve developed a really natural relationship, we meet everyday at the loft or office, then we go ride and do it all over again the next day. Good things usually come out of this!”

Will Levi be involved in the future development of the Goya Sails range?

“For sure, this summer we’re launching his sail range. He’s a big influence in the development of our gear. Not only that, but he has ideas for promoting the sport through his projects like the windsurfing movie two.”

You’ve just put yourself firmly back on the map with regards to PWA competition, having made a dream come back in Cabo Verde. Is this a one off, or are we likely to see more of you on the World Tour?

FG: “I’m really playing it by ear, I just had this window of opportunity. Back in Maui we’ve just finished the ‘10 gear, and I had a few weeks to come ride here with a great crew: Levi, Kai and the guys from Poorboyz so I just went for it.”

Did you expect to do as well as you did?

FG: "You come to an event and you always hope that you’ll sail your best, but you have no idea how well the others are going to sail. I thought I sailed pretty good though. I’m much more relaxed competing now than before, that helps!”