His favorite element is the water, but windsurfing star philip koster won his fifth world championship title on land. The 25-year-old and his competitors had been waiting for wind for days at the world cup finals off the coast of maui in hawaii in order to start the second round.
On thursday, the race organizers decided against another start. For koster, this was tantamount to a repeat triumph in the king's discipline of waveriding, after 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2017. But olympics in tokyo next year not an option for son of hamburger expatriate who got rough in gran canaria.
"I am so incredibly happy about this title. Especially after my serious jumping injury in 2016, I appreciate moments like this even more," said koster. Three years ago, he had to sit out for a long time due to a cruciate ligament rupture, then fought his way back to the top of the world in a feat of strength and already won the title in 2017.
"It was very close at the end and a real nail-biter," said koster. He didn't want to celebrate in hawaii. "Those who know me know that i am not a rough party guy. I'm going to spend a cosy evening with my lifelong companion and a few friends and enjoy the moment," said the new world champion. He has also found happiness in his private life: he and his slovenian girlfriend manca notar will become parents of a daughter in the coming year.
In 2011, at the age of 17, koster was the first german windsurfer to triumph in waveriding. That's when his nickname "windsurfing prodigy" was born. The 1.93-meter athlete has lost none of his jumping power to this day. He owes his successes mainly to his parents rolf and linda. "I learned my first tricks from them, they always believed in me, always supported me," he said.
The athlete, who weighs a good 90 kilograms, spends 300 days a year on the water with his spectacular surfing style. Every year he has about 30 different boards under the fuben. For him, the career should go on for a long time. When asked where he sees himself in ten years, koster said: "i want to win as many titles as possible. And maybe open a surf school."
But one dream may remain unfulfilled. "Windsurfing is olympic. But not my discipline, the waveriding. If it wasn't, i would do everything i could to be there and maybe even win a medal," koster had already said before the games in rio.