The two Swiss freestyle windsurfers Jeremy Plüss and Loick Spicher decided to book a last minute trip to Egypt, because the long term wind forecast was not showing any sign of good wind in Europe. So, far they had every day wind and are enjoying their time.
Jeremy Plüss – Pic: Nata Lapina
Continentseven: Why did you decide to travel to Egypt?
Jeremy Plüss: Since Fuerteventura I had no opportunity to train at all. My plan was to meet Loick Spicher in Holland with the hope to catch some wind before the PWA Indoor Event in Warsaw. However, we could not find any windy place in Europe and I wasn’t on the top of my form as I had a little injury at my shoulder. After checking out many places, we chose to fly to Egypt as the forecast was just looking amazing. We also knew that it’s pretty cheap in Dahab and that we could save money not on the travel cost, but on the apartment, food etc. We struggled a bit to find a flight but in the end booked a comfortable one from Amsterdam over Istanbul to Sharm el Sheikh with Turkish Airlines.
Continentseven: How long are you staying in Egypt?
Jeremy Plüss: We arrived here the 1st of September and we’ll be back in Amsterdam the 16th, a car ready in Amsterdam to go trip and chase the wind in the north.
Continentseven: How are the windsurfing conditions at the moment in Egypt?
Jeremy Plüss: Since now we were sailing every day and the forecast is looking like there is even stronger wind coming. We had pretty much light wind days here in Dahab but still enough for 4.8. The huts, which were blocking the wind in the Baby Bay, were taken away which makes the wind more constant. The Blue Lagoon is also an amazing spot, just as everybody knows who has been there.
Jeremy Plüss & Loick Spicher – Pic: Lene Kyte, Nata Lapina
Continentseven: Has the country changed since the revolution?
Jeremy Plüss: Well honestly I don’t see and feel any big change, apart of the fact that there are so less people. It’s all quiet and friendly here, can’t imagine any harm done here! The Egyptians are even friendlier than I had them in my mind and you really feel like a welcomed guest in Dahab.
Continentseven: Are there a lot of other tourists or is it empty?
Jeremy Plüss: It’s really empty and quiet at the moment. I like that it’s less crowded on the water, but I really wish that there would be more life in town. Almost all the restaurants and shops are open and it looks exactly like it was some years before, just the people are missing.
Continentseven: What is your goal for the final freestyle tourstop, Sylt?
Jeremy Plüss: What is important for me is to stay in the top 20. I set me the goal to make my highest possible performance and I will keep on training hard, filming for a clip, enjoying the nice vibes in Egypt and to come back to Europe in super form. Let’s hope the wind will be strong in Sylt this year and brings some good conditions for crazy action for all the riders in every discipline.
Loick Spicher – Pic: Nata Lapina
Pic by Lene Kyte
