BEN PROFFITT: THE BUCKET LIST!
We hand over the Bucket list debate to the voice of windsurfing himself, Mr Ben Proffitt, for the items he would like to tick off his personal and windsurf to do list!
Photos: John Carter and PWA/ Carter
WAVES: My main one would be Jaws! I have to sail Jaws! It will probably be me on the shoulder just cruising down the wave but that would be enough. When I first went to Maui and watched it break the noise put me off a bit! I am not really a big wave sailor. But it feels like that is one place I should sail. I have not been to Chile yet either and I see some amazing locations down there. Peru also looks sick and I have a few friends over there who have shown me videos of some killer spots up north. Taranaki in New Zealand also is one on my list. I went to New Zealand quite a few times with the Olympics, but I never got to sail there. I am not really into those waves of high consequence of rocks and shallow reefs. I kind of like the head to logo high smackable fun waves, so Baja also appeals to me. I know this is a long list, but I started watching videos when I started windsurfing at 9 and I am 42 now! In my teens all the videos I was watching were from the Gorge and I just have to go there as well! I will go there at some point. I will still be here for a few years to tick a few off. Oh yes Diamond Head as well on Oahu, that looks pretty sick and it is port tack.
MOVES: When I was training super hard and I was pushing to make the top five in the world in waves. I started landing clean doubles and push forwards before injuring myself. That was about seven years ago. Then I had a run of five years with niggling injuries. I would love to get back to landing consistent double loops. I have lost the bottle, I wont lie! I have been coaching people to forward loop and I can still do full planing loops with my eyes closed. So, I should be able to do doubles. As for push forwards, you really need the right conditions and you need to be pumped up. I would also like to learn a few freestyle moves but I might be getting a bit old for it. The Culo is a pretty cool move as well as the shifty. I had a go at a shifty but that didn’t go very well. I am still pumped to learn new moves. I would also like to improve my wave sailing…it sounds boring but just being able to do a late crack is an art in itself. That is what I get the most enjoyment from, especially as I have now moved to Portugal.
TITLES: I would love to win our fantasy football league. We have a windsurfing group that do this league and it is very competitive. I am not so motivated anymore as a professional windsurfer as I think I am past my best on the PWA after all the injuries. I still would like to win the Tiree Wave Classic again as that has been one of my contests over the years. I really enjoy it up there and I love the place. I would like to achieve something in slalom also. I am sailing slalom gear a bit more now and am enjoying it. I have always been into racing and started my career in that department. I am not made for slalom but I am enjoying it. I would maybe like to race in some national races just for fun. Its tough because the big boys are faster and there is nothing a guy my size can do about that unless they do weight divisions!
CRAZY STUFF: I am so locked into what I am doing right now I really need to think of some of these other things in life. I have moved to Portugal this year and that has been my focus. I am 42 and this is the first house I have ever bought. This house has taken up a lot of my goals but I am enjoying it. We have the dogs, a good local scene and great waves. I am enjoying building that up. So I guess that is one of my goals, to live a normal life. I have lived a crazy life in the past with all the travel so living in one place is quite nice.
CONCERTS: I would like to go and see a big gig. When I was young I always listed to Guns and Roses so that would be a band I would like to see. To go and see a big band like that pumping out the classics I would love it!
MOUNTAIN BIKE AND GOLF: I am quite into my mountain biking so there are a few challenges I would like to do. There are a few big black runs to do out there I would like to tick off. In golf I would love to improve. Now I am in Portugal, I would love to play a bit more and that one thing I would love is a hole in one! I have been close a few times plus I have hit an eagle before which is a two on a par four but the hole is one still eludes me!
ELITE WINDSURFING CLUB: We came up with this list at windsurfing TV, of things in windsurfing to join the elite windsurfing club. This list started with winning a world cup, going over 50 knots, Landing a double, landing a push forward, landing a goiter, a shaka and a wave 360. I ticked them all off and I thought I was the only person on the list and then they added Jaws. So that is definitely something to think about. We thought it would be a cool thing in honour of Peter Volwater. So I need that Jaws tick on my Bucket list.
50 KNOTS: I would love to go back to Luderitz and make that whole run at 50 knots! I hit a fifty peak but to do it over the whole 500 metre course is super hard. It might be impossible for me but I would like to give that a proper go when I am at full fitness!
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