Interview with Taty Frans and Kiri Thode

The producers from the Sofa Movielab chatted with the top freestylers Kiri and Taty from Bonaire about the movie production, their career and their lifes.

What can you say about your days with the Sofa Movielab Crew during the shootings for the DVD “From Monday till Sunday”?

Taty: Well I haven’t spent much time with Sofa Movielab Crew but having their presence here on the Island and filming was great. Well, it was a great time with the Crew, and we did all our best for the short time with them.
Kiri: Really funny stuff – was great!

Were there some situations you would have prefered to stay at home, chilling on your sofa?

Taty: Not, really, but sure we didn’t have wind all the time. But whenever we had wind, I was out sailing. I never chill in the sofa. I always try to keep myself busy.
Kiri: If there was no wind sometimes, it was a bit boring.

Martin Schalk using the boom crane to catch the action (pic: sofa-movielab.com).

Tell us something about your home spot!

Taty: Bonaire is the place of relaxation and the island of friendly people. The wind is most of the time good, especially in the end of the winter through summer. We have crystal clear sea and it´s ideal for fishing, snorkeling and windsurfing, what we are doing most of the time.

Kiri: My homespot is so good to practice freestyle, it´s so easy – we have perfect conditions. It’s shallow, crystal clean saltwater. It’s just a sick spot. We have also more conditions in the bay, from flat water to choppy, and sometimes big chop. So it’s really good to improve my skills.

As you were a kid, were there an idol for you?

Taty: I grew up watching the Robby Naish R.I.P video. And this video I watched over and over again. He really inspired me at that time.

Kiri: Yes, Matt Pritchard and Josh Stone.

What has been your biggest success so far?

Taty: My biggest success is to live as a professional windsurfer and travelling the world. My biggest defeat had been the years 2007 and 2008 PWA tour. I was just loosing myself and had a lot of bad results in those 2 years. But that’s how life is, with many ups and downs. But that makes a person strong in the end.

Kiri: To be ranked 2nd overall in the PWA Freestyle discipline at the end of the season is really special for me, because I always wanted to be as close as possible to the the top or on top.
And in PWA Lanzarote 2009 I won the last double elimination. That was so far the greatest moment in my life! It was the very first time I had won a double elimination on the PWA tour.

Kiri loves windsurfing, but he also loves to win (pic: sofa-movielab.com).

How many broken bones and injuries have you had?

Taty: No broken bones yet. I thank god to that. Injuries, well, nothing really that serious. But I had a lower back problem back in 2000, but I am okay after many weeks doing excercise and training to prevent it to happen again. I am definitely okay now.
Kiri: Nothing yet! I really hope it stays like this, haha.

What advice do you have for youngsters, who wish to be like you?

Taty: When I had the opportunity to leave Bonaire competing in the Junior Olympics I was 15 years old. I had to travel by myself and at that time I didn´t speak English so well, but because I was really loving this sport and I took the courage, I went for it. I made the best out of myself with no coach and finished in 15th position. But I knew one day, if I keep doing it, I will be in the top. So when you have the chance to do something, put your heart into it and never stop believing in it. You will make mistakes at certain points, but don’t let that bring you down. Winning can be hard, but keeping yourself at that level is even harder.

Kiri: Just windsurf so much as you can and try to get the real feeling.

Taty rotates extremely fast (pic: sofa-movielab.com).

Have you ever searched yourself in google.com?

Taty: Yes, I did.
Kiri: Yeah! Haha, so many things about me.

What did you find out?

Taty: I found so many stories, videos etc… I was very surprised myself 🙂

Kiri: I just search my name to see what happens and I found a lot, so I was really surprised, t00.

Three options, how you would earn your money with, when not being a professional windsurfer?

Taty: Work, administration, but I hate working in the office. I am working at the windsurf shop here on Bonaire. I love it. Just work.

Kiri: I love working. Fishing, fishing, fishing.

How do you prepare yourself before starting a competition?

Taty: I just concentrate on doing what I think, what would work. I already plan in my thoughts and always have a plan B ready.

Kiri: I train with my cousins Tonky and Taty and making all the power moves to be more constant.
And I sleep early the day before the event and stay focused a lot during the event.

Taty with Robby style (pic: sofa-movielab.com)

Three persons you would change your body with for one day?

Taty: Antoine, just to get the feeling of the speed. Rapper Lil Wayne to have so much fans , Rapper Jay-z to be able to kiss Beyonce hahahaha…..
Kiri: No one, I want just being myself, haha.

Three things you cannot live without?
Taty: Water, friends and family to love and share life experiences with.
Kiri: Windsurfing, water, wind.

Just one extra question for each of you. We start with Kiri this time:

Three things you still want to do in your life?

Kiri: Build my own house, have an own windsurfing shop and create my own gear brand.

And Taty: Why has windsurfing such a priority to you?
Taty: It’s just because I love the sport, I love the feeling of the wind the water and everything, it’s just you and nature.