Ke-Kai-Malu

Name: Michiel De Vogeleer Birthday: 13/06/1986 Place of residence: Ghent, Belgium Local Spots: Oostende and Wissant

Since I was a little boy we went sailing every weekend with the whole family. My parents were very motivated sailers. On days with high winds or storm we went to see the windsurfers shreading the waterpark up at Brouwersdam. Nevertheless my father was a windsurfer back in the day, it was my first contact with what became my drive of life. In '99 we bought our (my brother and me) first board and sail, the first years went pretty slow. No driving licence, still at school ... But the older I got, the more frequent I could hit the water.

Windsurfing became after every session more important to me. I always have been very sportsmanlike and I have been practising all kind of different activities. A logic choice for me to go study Physical Education and Movement Sciences at the University of Ghent. It is from that moment that my windsurfing started to boost. I got to know more people with the same passion with whom I could go on trips. (In the meanwhile my brother went to the Netherlands for his studies). In '06' I started windsurfing at the sea and 'wow' a new door was opening for me. Nothing was as fun as that extra dimension that enlarges the freedom on the water. As part of my study I did a course to become an instructor at the VTS (Flemish TrainerSchool). In June 2008 I ended my studies and I could finally put this silly board and sail of mine first.

Now I enjoy the fullest of life a man can enjoy. Since '09' I have a nice deal with Windgear.nl / Gearfreak.nl who always helps me with the best gear (SimmerStyle) arround and besides that they support me to achieve my goals. What always had to come on the second place became my priority. Every minute on the water you learn and the learning curve never stops rising. If it isn't on the water it is about physics of nature, shapes, etc.... No way to know or do it all in a lifetime. The challenges stay high on every level and that is what brings the spirit and good vibes in this sport.

My lifestyle, values and norms are pretty similar with those of a professional athlete. My sport is the centre of my existance. I value my freedom pretty high and windsurfing can answer that need with ease. With the word freedom I mean mainly a ‘state of mind’. I try at all times to be honest against others but especially to myself. My lifestyle is more than healthy, which means that I exercise a lot even when it is not windy, I eat healthy, don't drink alcohol (what doesn't endanger the fun!) and I frequently look for the purity of nature. Because of my education I contain a lot of knowledge about the human body with the do’s and don’t’s.

Like every athlete I have that urge for competition that I can't deny and the need to transcend my boundries. You could say I am sometimes selfish about time and priorities. But I am of meaning that if you have goals, you have to pursue them without any doubts. I must admit that getting older makes me relativate life more and priorities change a bit. Still windsurfing is at the top of the pyramide. I have no problems being on my own, but I need often people around me of whom I know they like me for who I am. To conclude I would say I like some (very weak) humour so that my abdomical muscles feel sour the next morning.

I regret that the success of windsurfing in the eighties vanished as soon as it came. The success was gone just when the sport began to blossom and the sport created more possibilities. The success of windsurfing still has it roots within the popularity of the eighties. Although we are now in a quasi stable situation it would be great that the sport would get more recognition among the general public.

Now is a superb time to windsurf. The technology improves every year and still there are some innovative ideas, the sky is the limit. Windsurfing is one of the most underestimated sports ever, because it asks every aspect of sport: power, endurance, coördination, balance, insight, perception of yourself and the environment, even more and more flexibility, … not to mention wind- and waterfeeling. I strive to put windsurfing on the map again, but not like in the eighties. Letting people realize themself what windsurfing has become and what it could mean for them.