The 2009 European Freestyle Champion has just signed on to ride Gaastra Sails for 2010. Steven is a natural talent on the water and looks to put his
mark on the 2010 PWA Freestyle World tour. Hailing from Belgium, Steven teams up with an already amazing crew of Freestylers to round out the Gaastra
International Freestyle team...

Stats: Steven Van Broeckhoven (B 72)
Residence: Lommel, Belgium
Favorite windsurfing location: Sorobon Bonaire, Grevelingenmeer Netherlands & Feurteventura
Favorite move: Kono

Steven van Broekhoven interview with Matt Pritchard
MP: Hi Steven, How are things going? You had a great year last year and are on a roll- tell us a little more about yourself and how you got to this stage of your life!
SB:Hi Matt, Last year was indeed amazing. It was not easy to realize what I did. Because I didn’t expect this to happen. The last 2 years my life changed totally from a normal job with 2 hours driving for windsurfing to my homespot to fulltime windsurfing at the best spots. It started in 2008 when I stopped working to head to Bonaire for 4 weeks. I entered the first efpt event in Tarifa to score 4th place immediately. Since then I believed more was possible and I trained hard for it. At the start of 2009 I didn’t have the budget to go training to the best places so I did it low budget during 3 months in the south of Spain in epic freestyle conditions. It paid off and I won every efpt event. In PWA I surprisingly ended 5th overall. I was announced as PWA rookie of the year as well, so things went amazingly fast for me. I hope to continue my performances in 2010 with gaastra, the best freestyle sails ever.
MP: What is a normal day in your life- how do you prepare yourself for competing with the big boys?
SB:Every day is different as I want to go windsurfing. I travel a lot and every place is different. When I’m at home I check the wind conditions and for how many days it will blow. Than I drive to my homespot, the Brouwersdam in Holland to train together with Davy Scheffers. I stay there untill the wind stops. If there is no wind, I go working.
MP: The moves you are doing now days are out of control! Who do you look up to and where do you come up with the tricks you are doing? Who are you training with?
SB: The Bonaire guys, They always find new moves and ideas. I have also my ideas for new moves, but they simply do it. That’s why I like to be in Bonaire to train with Tonky, Kiri, Taty and Davy, always 100% fun guaranteed.
MP: What is the scene like in Belgium? Are there many contests there? Are there lots of people windsurfing there?
SB: The windsurfing scene in Belgium is rather small. There are very cool events and freestyle events, but less wind and less competitors than in Holland. In Holland you find more spots too. That’s why my homespot is in Holland.
MP: If you look at guys like Kiri Thode, Tonky Frans and other top guys, what do you think you will need to do in order to beat them?
SB: What I need is a good heat haha. No, it will always be extremely difficult to beat these guys in competition. Now I’m focusing specifically on jumps,
because that’s what I needed to improve. I believe the top 5 will stay very close and it’s hard to say who is the best, because everyone has his own style and favourite moves.
MP: What is your favorite Freestyle move and why?
SB: All the powermoves are my favourite, but I think the culo. Because I like the quick rotations and flat landing with full speed.
MP: Who is your favorite freestyler to watch and why?
SB: No doubt, that’s Tonky Frans for sure! He’s got the best style and the best smile, which is also important.
MP: Your favorite location to sail?
SB: Brouwersdam Holland., Bonaire and SA
MP: How about your goals for 2010?
SB:I’ll do my very best to perform even better in 2010.
MP: Thanks for your time- Good luck out there! Can you leave us with some words that you like to live by?
SB: Life is too short. Don’t waste it, go surfing.