At just 13 years old, Peter Gobisch won the Windsurf World Cup in Gran Canaria 2022 in the U-15 category in the summer and caused quite a stir. We asked Peter for an interview about his career to date and his plans for the coming years.
Hello Peter, first of all, congratulations on your victories in the U-15 category. How did it go for you? And how is the general atmosphere among you Young Guns?
Thank you very much! I'm really happy with my result. I had a lot of fun on the water and was able to impress the jury with my forward loop and good wave rides. But for me it's much more important to push myself on the water with friends and have fun off the water. Our conversations don't just revolve around windsurfing, but also other sports. After the surfing sessions, we like to play basketball and go swimming.
You already had your first competition in 2019. You must have learnt a lot from it, right?
Yes, that's right. When I took part in my first competition in 2019, a European championship in Denmark, I was very excited. Fortunately, my father has a lot of experience of competing himself and can therefore always give me lots of tips. In the years that followed, I took part in the Danish Open Championships and even won the U-13 classification at the Youth PWA in 2020.
You come from a family that's crazy about water sports. What does it look like when all six of you go out together?
My whole family is active in windsurfing. That's my mum Jule, my two younger siblings Anton and Trine, my older brother Hannes and of course my dad Lars. My dad taught me to windsurf when I was six years old, and by the age of nine I was already surfing in the surf in Cape Town. Back then, my dad was still surfing the PWA World Tour with his brother Stephan and winning national competitions. My other three siblings also surf. I can also learn a lot from my older brother Hannes. He's currently teaching me the backloop and higher forward loops. It's not always easy to go out on the water together. But when we all have time off after school, we often go out together. We don't really care about the weather in the far north, because you get wet on the water anyway - and as long as you're having fun, the rest isn't really that important. I still remember sessions when the air temperature was three degrees and it was raining - and yet I never lost my desire to surf on days like that.
You also started wingfoiling. Do we have to worry that you'll soon go rogue?
I also really enjoy wingsurfing. Last year I landed my first 360s and I'm currently working on my backflip. For our family, however, the focus is clearly on windsurfing. When the wind is strong enough, we actually always go windsurfing.
How do you manage to combine all your hobbies with school? As you also take part in competitions outside the holidays, it's not that easy. Isn't it?
Fortunately, I not only get a lot of support from my parents, but also from my school. If I miss exams during competitions, I have to rewrite them. But it means a lot to me that I can be released from school. However, school is my top priority and luckily I'm not having any major difficulties there at the moment.
What are your goals for the future? Would you like to continue taking part in international competitions?
Of course, competitions are a lot of fun for me at the moment. It's also always great to make new friends - and to be able to compete with others on the water. This year is my first time in the U-15 category, so I still have a bit of time before I can join the adults. But that's definitely a goal.
What about new moves?
I'm currently practising higher forward loops and back loops. For the future, I've decided to train wave 360s, takas and a few other manoeuvres. But more radical surfing is also on my agenda. I'm really excited to see what progress I'll make in the near future.
Who is your role model on the water?
In fact, many people would probably think that my role models are called Philip Köster or Victor Fernandez. But my role model is actually just two years older than me and is called Carlos Kiefer. I'm always fascinated by how cheerful he always is. He also surfs at an incredibly high level and always has fun on the water. I can learn a lot from him - and this year I became very good friends with him during the World Cup.
We don't really care about the weather. We have fun even when it's three degrees and drizzling rain. (Peter Gobisch)
Facts about Peter Gobisch
- Age: 13 years
- Place of residenceMönkeberg near Kiel
- ProfessionPupils
- Size/weight160/51 Kilo
- Surfing since: 2014
- Regatta debut: 2019 - European Championship in Denmark
- Successes: 4th place European Championship in Denmark Junior (2019); 1st place PWA Denmark U-13 (2020); 3rd place PWA Denmark U-13 (2021); 1st place PWA Pozo Izquierdo U-15 (2022)
- Favourite spotsMelkbos/Cape Town, Hanstholm
- Favourite moves: Radical top turn
- HobbiesTennis, swimming, sailing, volleyball
- SponsorsFanatic, Duotone, ION
- Social Media: Instagram->
