Ricardo Campello joins Patrik and Point-7

Ricardo’s new sponsors

INTERVIEW WITH RICARDO CAMPELLO

Continentseven: You found your new home at Patrik. Happy about that?
Ricardo Campello: Well, I know Patrik is a great shaper and it was actually one of my first options to ask him. I know they are a very potential brand and together I’m sure we will do great things! No doubt about that.

Continentseven: What was the reason you left JP/NP after so many years?
Ricardo Campello: Well, I was suprised they kind of excluded me from their team as I was their top rider on the ranking in 2013 and everything seemed to be good but honestly from every bad thing there is a better thing prepared on the way for you. It has been 13 years of most success, but we had our ups and downs. By the end I wasn’t super happy with their philosophy. They are changing too much and changing a lot, so at the end it is better that they let me go! Now it will be a whole different thing and this will give me the extra push I need to do well. I have never sailed with a different equipment rather then JP/NP. So it will be a change for me !

Continentseven: Did you test the boards before signing the contract?
Ricardo Campello: No, I didn’t have the time, but this is something I don’t have to worry as I know Patrik is a great shaper and can do pretty much everything we want!

Continentseven: Patrik is a smaller brand with less team riders and you are the man in waves. That’s a completely new situation for you. How does that feel?
Ricardo Campello: This is something I always wanted, but JP and Neil Pryde always had Jason and Kauli and they didn’t really focus their attention to one rider! They had very good riders and now with Patrik it will be a totally different thing!

Ricardo Campello – Pic: PWA/John Carter

Continentseven: Is this even more pressure than before?
Ricardo: I wouldn’t say pressure. I think it is good. I know they won’t put pressure on me like JP used to. It is good to be the main guy and that they will listen to my opinion! 

Continentseven: Do you have any relations with Patrik Diethelm and Karin Jaggi from the past?
Ricardo Campello: Well, the windsurfing world is like a family. It is not that we hang out every time but we always said “hi” everywhere and sometimes we made some jokes!

Continentseven: You for sure were in contact with other brands, too, but what gave Patrik the advantage? 
Ricardo Campello: Because they seemed really interested. I like Patrik’s way of thinking and he made every single possible move to have me on his team and this motivated me a lot!

Continentseven: The decision  is a bit surprising as Patrik isn’t such a specified brand in wave sailing. Will you be able to create this core wave image in the near future?
Ricardo Campello: That’s why I am here! Hehee, they want to focus more on the waves and they believe in me and I will help them to grow and make the best wave boards around!

Continentseven: Do you plan to compete in other disciplines, too?
Ricardo Campello: I freestyle back home and I will definitely compete in Slalom and Freestyle at the PWA event in El Yaque. I hope we have strong winds and some waves here during the event.

Continentseven: Which models will you use in 2014?
Ricardo Campello: I’m not sure yet, we are still working on it!

Continentseven: What are your goals for 2014?
Ricardo Campello: Become wave world champion and hopefully land the triple forward loop.

INTERVIEW WITH PATRIK DIETHELM

Patrik always ready for jokes – Pic: PWA/John Carter

Continentseven: Can you confirm Ricardo on the team of PATRIK for 2014 or even longer?
Patrik Diethelm: Yes, all is signed and done and we hope for a very loooong partnership (-:!

Continentseven: Why did you decide to go for a big name in wave riding?
Patrik Diethelm: It was not on the plan, but as we lost our main wave rider (editor’s note: Adam Lewis). We needed a replacement and coincidence brought us a big name in waves, which makes it all perfect! Our race range is very well promoted through Karin and myself and Ricardo together with our younger riders Omar and Pablo is also the perfect balance in our wave segment.

Continentseven: Has wave sailing such an important impact on the image of a windsurfing brand and the sales?
Patrik Diethelm: I don’t make a difference between all the disciplines and I see the windsurfing sport as a total. When I shape I put as much effort in a Freeride board as I put into Waves and Race. Also my yearly sailing days are divided between racing during the competition season and wave sailing over the summer season in Australia.

Continentseven: Was it hard to get Ricardo after his big deals with JP/NP? Or did he contact you?
Patrik Diethelm: Actually all came along pretty smooth even I wished that the other board brands offering him deals wouldn’t keep offering more – hahaha!

Patrik always busy – Pic: PWA/John Carter

Continentseven: It for sure was a hard decision to go for such a big name as a small brand?
Patrik Diethelm: The most time I spent discussing with Karin as where women are involved in business they are most of the time taking care of the money – hahaha – now she is still crying – hehehe!

Continentseven: In the past Ricardo sailed often custom boards (Quatro) with JP design. But we are sure you will shape PATRIK customs from now on for him?
Patrik Diethelm: Actually I don’t know what kind of boards he was using, but I know that in the future he will definitely use my shapes. I don’t know if it will be easy or not, but as you know me I will not rest until I can see the smile on his face!

Continentseven: Or will he sail on the production Trailer Wave or Thrusters or will you start making Quads?
Patrik Diethelm: We don’t want to force him on anything but rather take the challenge and shape whatever he likes. Sure the first boards will be production Trailer Wave as it has the most convertible fin setup to find out what he likes and then we go from there.

Continentseven: Will Ricardo be involved in the board testing and development?
Patrik Diethelm: Yes for sure and this is part of his deal – anything else would be a waste of talent!

INTERVIEW WITH KARIN JAGGI

Karin Jaggi – Pic: PWA/John Carter

Continentseven: Happy to have Ricardo Campello in your team?
Karin Jaggi: For sure! Having somebody as known and as good as a team rider is simply like a dream come true! I know him since he was a little kid and I really like his attitude of full power and daring to take risks but still having so much fun windsurfing which fits and represents us perfectly.

Continentseven: Is that the biggest team rider deal since you started with PATRIK? You already had Dany Bruch and Adam Lewis in your team.
Karin Jaggi: Yes – we actually always had a lucky hand with wave team riders. Dany and Adam both excelled on our boards, but then unfortunately the big brands took them away from us. But it’s important to stay positive and look ahead – and so suddenly Ricardo came along. Definitely our biggest deal so far! But already the feedback in the past couple days was amazing. We are all together super excited and can’t wait to get things moving and the season to start!

Continentseven: Why did you decide to go for Ricardo?
Karin Jaggi: Everything we do is always very organised and long considered. But when we got the press release from Fanatic announcing Adam as their team rider… – that was really tough on us – still can’t get used to that sort of business behaviour – guess we still take things much too personal. But then personality is also what makes our brand unique. Anyway – we sorted it out with Adam and then Ricardo suddenly came into the picture. Better ask Ricardo how long Patriks emails were to him, but it’s important for us that our brand philosophy is understood by our team riders! I also spent many hours discussing with Patrik if it will be possible to convert Ricardo’s big name and investment into sales instead of enjoying Xmas and celebrating the New Year. But now receiving all the feedback before our official press release makes it already feel good. 

Continentseven: Ricardo is an extremely radical jumper. He is like a windsurfing stunt man. Is that something that fits to your brand?
Karin Jaggi: Taking risks is for sure a big part of what makes PATRIK. We do things most of the time completely different than all other brands out there and sure the “full power” attitude Ricardo represents fits very well to us.

Continentseven: Will he travel to Australia to test new boards soon?
Karin Jaggi: It all came together last minute so there are no plans yet. But Patrik is on his way to Europe and they try to meet either in America or Europe very soon to start working on the first boards. We do prefer to plan a bit more ahead and I think a trip to Australia would only be realistic towards the end of 2014. We also don’t want to interfere with Ricardo’s plan too much – he set his goals high and we are here to help him reach those. 

Continentseven: PATRIK is more known for Slalom, Speed and Freestyle boards and not really wave oriented.
Karin Jaggi: The funny thing is that when I look at my sales figures we sold an incredible amount of wave boards even though our image was maybe not so “wavy”. I think customers just really liked the tough construction and the versatility of our Trailer Wave setup. But we sure did lack a bit the wave image and so far had no connection at all to the most famous wave sailing place Maui. Ricardo will sure change this.   

Continentseven: What do you expect from Ricardo on PATRIK?
Karin Jaggi: Simply to represent us the way he just is. Sure we want him to do good in events and will do anything possible to help him reach his goal. But Patrik and me are both lifelong competitors and know that there are many factors involved in success. But the way he is, the way he behaves and the fun he transmits to other sailors is what really made our decision for him. I think we will put much less pressure on him as he was used to have with his old sponsors – maybe that gives him the freedom ad strength to really excel. 

Continentseven: Will he compete in Slalom or Freestyle, too?
Karin Jaggi: That’s a question for Ricardo not me! No pressure from our side – but let’s say he did order already some slalom and freestyle boards. If that PWA events on El Yaque will go ahead I think it’s important for him to take part as it’s his home spot and unfortunately he can’t show off wave sailing there. Otherwise I guess it will mostly be for fun and a good training back home. Personally I always thought that I had a huge advantage by being good in all disciplines. I have the feeling Ricardo follows exactly the same idea.

And how are the future plans for Patrik with other big named riders?
Karin Jaggi: Not sure what the future brings, but we definitely aim to step up the ladder or at least stay on the same row. Looking around it seems that some of the bigger brands change their marketing strategy and invest more in young and new riders and maybe those are opportunities to get some other big names in our team, but we will see by end of this year.

Continentseven: Thanks for the interview!