9 months after injury Philip Köster wins the 2017 Gran Canaria Wind & Waves Festival. Philip wasn’t able to train much on the water the last months and he only did his first Double Forward Loop a few days ago. He did a lot of cycling and Stand Up Paddling and still sails with a knee brace. Not only the spectators were impressed by his performance, also the judges. Head judge Duncan Coombs stated: “We really see an improvement in Philip’s waveriding. I think maybe this injury even improved his wave riding. The jumping is still phenomenal.”
Interiview with Philip Köster
Interview with Philip Köster about his victory – Gran Canaria Wind and Waves Festivl 2017
Continentseven: Did you expect to win after coming back from injury?
Philip Köster: No, I wasn’t really expecting to be in any heat than the first one. So it was really cool to make some heats and make it through all my heats. After this injury it felt really, really good to advance all my heats and at the end I made it to the final and just tried my best, even with some pain in my knee. I am just really, really happy to win the single elimination. It just feels amazing!!
Continentseven: You sail with a knee brace. Is this brace limiting you?
Philip Köster: Right now I can do everything in the same way. The knee brace helped me that much, that I actually could jump. Before I received the knee brace I didn’t really jump that much. I was always waiting for the right moment.
On the day I got my knee brace I did my first double. It was a little bit painful, but just changed everything for me. Now competing with it I didn’t really change anything. I think when I fell I fell, because it was my fault, not because of the knee brace.
Continentseven: The wind was really strong, you even sailed with your 4.0m.
Philip Köster: Yes, I changed once to 4.0m, because I was a bit overpowered on 4.2 and I didn’t want to destroy myself, because it was very windy in that heat. In all my other heats I was on 4.2. The waves were not the biggest today and that helped me to choose better options on the water.
Thanks to everyone, who helped me with the gear. Jorge helped me a lot! All my family and my girlfriend Manca are here to support. I can’t be happier!!
Philip Köster – Pic: Continentseven
Continentseven: It looked like you started off a bit more “conservative” on the first day and then in the heats on the second day you were pushing more.
Philip Köster: Actually on the water I felt comfortable. I was just having fun. I haven’t sailed at Pozo for 10 months, since the last time before I injured myself in September 2016. It’s nice to participate in a contest again. With all the excitement I forgot about all the pain and just went into the water and just tried all the jumps. It was just really cool. I am really stoked.
Continentseven: Did you feel distracted, because you had to repeat the semifinal because of a timing error?
Philip Köster: I think a flag wasn’t up at a certain time. But you can’t really do anything about. I was also discussing it with the head judge and in the end it didn’t make any difference. I said to myself, just go on the water and don’t get distracted by things you can’t influence. If we have to re-sail it’s like that. Let’s take it like it is.
Continentseven: Will you be able to compete in the double elimination? You mentioned your pain in the right knee is very strong after that intense day with sailing 5 heats?
Philip Köster: Yeah, I think it will be possible to windsurf in the double of course. It’s a final and I will do everything for it. Tomorrow I will have physiotherapy and get massages. I guess till the moment it starts I will be fit again. Now after all the pressure my knee got from the intense jumping in really strong wind I need a rest. I just need to relax, get my knee up, watch TV and stay focused for the double.
©continentseven 2017
