Interview Gianni Verschueren, Surfer from Belgium

Le surf en Belgique est assez méconnu mais il y a une grande communauté de surfeurs et des vagues bien cool! voici un interview d'un surfeur belge, Gianni qui nous parle de sa passion pour le surf!

When and where did you arrive ON earth?

I was born on the 24th of January 1989 in Mechelen, Belgium.

When did you started surfing and why?

One of my friends was going to France to visit his brother who worked on a surfcamp. It sounded cool, so all of our friends ended up joinng him. I must have been about 16 at the time I guess.

You live in Belgium! I know because I was student at lille! Concequently I went surf in Belgium! It was fun!Where do you live and is it a good place to make surfing?

Right now I live in Leuven, a student-city near Brussels. So it's pretty far away from the sea :D luckily Belgium isn't all that big so if I want to go surf it only takes me about 90 minutes to get to a good surfspot.

Which is your favorite spot and why?

In Belgium, my favourite spots would be the old pier in Ostend and our local secret spot. the secret spot is never crowded and it works at pretty much all tides, which is very rare in Belgium because ussually there is only surf at high tide. The old pier has some of the best banks in Belgium, but it's not really legal to surf there...

Could you surf often in Belgium?

That depends on what your standards are. I know guys that surf every week, but if you want to surf solid to good waves i'd say you could surf 1-3 times/month, depending on what mood the surfgods are in.

 

Do you surf in france in the North coast?

I've surfed the French North Sea a few times, but Holland is a bit closer to us and the difference in wave-quality isn't that big. However, a bit further south the waves in France can get really good and the crowds kinda stay away.

 

What is your biggest Wipe Out?

Biarritz, 4 years ago. Crashed into the rocks at Cote Basque when the tide was already too high to surf. Won't be making that mistake again!

 

What do you prefer in this sport?

The fact that it's not really a sport. No one is keeping score or trying to outdo the others. It's all about having fun and let's face it, there is no feeling like riding a wave. Also, the travelling and meeting other surfers is really cool.

 

What is your best anecdote when travelling ?

Surfing is still pretty basic in the Carribean, but those kids are crazy about it and they'll ride anything. In Tobago, I once saw a kid on a bodyboard with no wax, a cardboard fin and a string of rope as a leash trying to stand up and get barreled in overhead surf. Kid got pounded on every single wave but he was still having the time of lis life. Few hours later I found out he didn't even know how to swim.

 

One morning, you wake up ,You arrive in your kitchen and suddenly,you see a genius in wetsuit! He say:” Hey Man, I can offer you 2 magic gifts! What do you want?

I guess I couldn't wish for a 1000 wishes? Uhm, I'd probably wish for nice fulltime job as a surf instructor, somewhere near some good waves. That, and a good health for my friends and family.

 

Do you often ride skateboards?

Sometimes, yes. I used to be really into skating but I quit for quite some time. Then I discovered longboarding and I have to say, I really like it.

Island Slalom Tour is a series of skateboarding contests on tiny french islands where nobody has ever skated! We are as Captain cook at Hawaii in 1600! Except we have now motor boats and concrete roads... What do you think about this?

I think it's pretty awesome :D It's exactly the surfing-spirit of trying to discover new places and doing things no one has ever done before.

 

How would you define a good session ?

If I leave the water smiling, it must have been good.

 

Do you like patatas fritas?

I'm assuming you mean frites? Hey, I'm Belgian, we invented frites!

 

What other sports do you partake in?

I love basketball and football (both the european and american versions). I'll also work out to stay in surfing shape and do some bedsport ;)

 

Do you know paté henaff?

Never heard of it. Sounds like food? Damn, now I'm curious.

A last Word!

Cheers to all the people participating in the Island Slalom Tour, and thanks for having me! Mahalo!

Pura Vida Surf School:

http://www.puravida-surfschool.com/en

http://www.surfreport.be/
http:// www.puurs-titans.be/
http:// www.puravidalodge.com/