| interview von umipictures mit Josh Angulo at Ponta Preta
Your style looks very effortless and fluid, even in these massive waves. What’s your secret? ‘I’ve been surfing and wave sailing all my life, I grew up riding waves of all types and I have more experience at Ponta Preta than any one person in the whole world. I have a very loving relationship with this spot; Ponta Preta is a perfect canvas to paint some lines. I’m riding waves the way that feels best to me, the timing and fluidity is crucial to me. I feel it when a wave was really well ridden or kind of jerky; I always want to be fluid. I believe it’s something inside, you don’t think too much about it but you do have to be conscious of your timing and approach.’
Do you enjoy watching yourself sail? ‘I do enjoy watching myself, especially at Ponta Preta where there is so much emotion involved. Even more during those events... I think the clip really shows what’s going on out there and it actually makes the sailing look like it feels.’
Your style seems to have got more radical again. ‘That’s good to hear. I am motivated in waves of consequence such as Ponta Preta and Hawaii and my equipment works extremely well so I want to keep pushing while I can.’
You are the king of aerials, you seem to get them on even the smallest of waves. Do you really plan this ahead, aim for it, or just let the wave guide you? ‘It’s only natural that if you hit the lip in the critical part of the wave, the wave will throw you into the air, so I guess the aerials are more so a testament of me being in the vertical part of the wave at all times, which is especially challenging to do at Ponta Preta.’
What gear were you using? ‘I was riding production gear borrowed from the Angulo Cabo Verde Windsurf Center. Mostly a 5.7 MauiSails Legend and Angulo Chango 88.’
Your boards seem pretty old skool. ‘My boards are so old skool that they are now new skool. I’ve seen the whole circle happen fifteen years ago and people will be riding single fins with longer more drawn out outlines in the upcoming years more than they have recently, simply because the water flow and characteristic make it a much easier and user friendly type of ride. You also gain more control and thus confidence on the wave. That’s extremely important for wave sailing.’
The new Angulo line up has a twinzer as well, have you tried them in Ponta Preta? ‘I haven’t tried the new twinzers in Ponta Preta yet, I’m sure they’ll be fun. I have buddies who wanted twinzers, so why not. We were the forefathers of shortboard twinzers back in the day, so we have the experience and background to support a twinzer model.’
Finally: how did it feel to ride the waves with all the locals cheering from the shore? ‘It’s unbelievable. The local support pushes my energy level all the time. When I am tired and cramping I hear my friends and family yelling and I push through the pain or difficulty in a heat to come out on top. It’s great to have this kind of support in CV!’
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