Cullen Ahearn, was recently sponsored by Starboard and Severne.
He has been racing Kona for 2 years and climbed rather quickly to the top of the ladder there. So he has switched to Formula. He borrowed gear and pieced together kit for the Florida Windfest in April where he was starting to make it up into the top pack for some of the races. In July, he traveled to the Gorge for a Formula Race camp in the Gorge with Bruce Peterson before the US Windsurfing’s Nationals. Competing in the Junior Formula, he placed second in lighter 10-18 knots. However he was close to winning the class, before a production fin broke in one of the races. However now he is one IFJU fin and life will be better. This is what he has to say !
What is it that makes a youth like you be excited about windsurfing?
I get excited about windsurfing simply because it’s fun. There is so much you can do with it between racing, wavesailing, and freestyle. You never get bored because you are always doing something different and it is always a good time!
You are from the Tampa area? How do you got involve in windsurfing?
I got involved with windsurfing because I was teaching sailing camp over the summer and at the same place I worked Britt Viehman had a windsurfing summer camp running. One windy day I watched Britt and his friend sail and decided that I really want to learn.
What is the most Influential figure in your windsurfing jorney?
I would defiantly have to say the most influential person in my windsurfing journey would be Britt Viehman. He is the one that got me started and provided me with gear until I could get my own. He also has tried to teach me everything he knows which is very helpful and has helped me progress.
How do you manage school time and sailing?
Well it is obvious that I can’t sail while school is in session… my parents aren’t that cool. After school though I try to get on the water as much as possible. I look at the forecast and if it is windy I will have all my homework done before I leave school that way I can head straightt to the water.
What are the plans for the future?
I am still not 100% decided on the college I plan on attending, however windsurfing will always factor in with my decision. I think I am going to USF St. Pete campus, which is on the water and only 5-min away from 10 different spots. I have not decided what I want to be after college but for right now I think I want to major in business.
It is cool to be a windsurfer? Compared with all those balls sports? Are you cool at school?
It is defiantly cool to be a windsurfer at school. Everyone is jealous of your sport and wish they could do it. I also play Ice hockey and I will tell kids that windsurfing is much more physically demanding and takes more talent. If they don’t believe me I will simply have them try to go in a straight line, and when they fall off about 100 times they start to respect windsurfing.
What will windsurfing industry should do to attract more youth and kids like you in to the sport?
I think that more windsurfing industries need to hook up with yacht clubs and get junior programs going in the area. If there were no program at my club, I would not be windsurfing. Once they do that they need to form a junior racing team and have a group of kids that go out every week. More teams would be awesome because we would have a greater showing at the junior regattas.
Could windsurfing be part of your life in the future?
I defiantly hope windsurfing is a major part of my life when I grow up. It’s one of those things that you can do until you are old and always have a lot of fun with it. I hope to train more and one day be competing on a international level.
What are you plans for next year racing tour?
Next year I plan on attending all of the Florida regattas in the formula class. Next summer I plan on going to Kona worlds if it is in Key West, FL. Also I will be going to the US Nationals in San Francisco
thank you for your answers and keep pushing for this incredible sport…….. www.WindsurfingTour.com
