Kids Corner: Kevin Camia, classroom 1997

Posted by RIWmag on 19 Nov 2013 /

His name and’ now very known and given its stature that makes it seem more’ great we forget often of her young age. From Sicily with a huge passion for the sea and for windsurfing: Kevin Camia!

TAB
Name: Kevin Camia
Date of birth: 27/04/97
Nationality: Italiana
Where do you live: Palermo
What is your favourite sport: Freestyle and wave
What are your favorite maneuvers: Backloop, ass and shaka
What boards uses in various conditions: RRD wavecult 83/75 for the wave twintip 101/91 for the Freestyle as it is composed your own set of sails: RRD pro style 4,2/4,7/5,2/5,7 for freestyle and TheFour 3,7/4,0/4,5 and Vogue 5,0 for wave

RIW: Hello Francis, Let's start with the talk about your first approach with a windsurfing board, as it was?
F. C.: I started doing the first windsurfing boards to 3 years, this passion was transmitted by my dad who was one of the pioneers of windsurfing here in Sicily. A 5 years I did the first planing and is since then that I can no longer get off the windsurfing.

RIW: Can you tell us about your first few races?
F. C.: My first race I attended was in Sardinia in Porto Pollo in 2006 only 9 years. He was the European Junior Championship organized by AIWS. For me it was a unique experience and brand new because it was my first experience in a competition: It was very educational and spurred me on to continue to compete. Especially since I got an important result, I arrived 1° under 13 and 3° under 15!!! The same emotion I tried it at my first stop in PWA Fuerteventura 2011. That for me was a unique experience because I found myself confronting athletes bigger and stronger than me. Surf with them for 10/15 days here in my opinion is to go out for 1 year alone, I learned more in those maneuvers 15 days in a year. Even the race itself is served to gain much experience about the tactics of racing, including the choice of manoeuvres to be executed during the heat.

RIW: What has been your biggest sport satisfaction?
F. C.: Let's say there have been several occasions that I was gratified that much. The most important were: the 2° place in the Italian Championship open wave 2011 and the 2nd place at the FIFA World Youth Championship 15 in 2009 and 2011 and 3° under 17 in 2011. This year the stage of PWA Fuerteventura I got a 1° place in the qualifiers by beating strong athletes like Antoine Albert and Olliver Sthollfacher and earning admission to the event without necessity of wildcard.

RIW: Did we see plucky both in freestyle in wave, But if I were forced to make a choice which one would you prefer and why?
F. C.: Ehhh… This is a very difficult question, because in my opinion are two complementary disciplines in as many freestyle maneuvers are also running in the waves and so you have to know how to do before in the pot. For example the taka in wave is nothing but a flaka performed on the lip of the wave, so knowing how to do before a flaka flat water freestyle helps run the taka on waves. Another example can be done with the ponch that you run in freestyle on flat water, While the consideration to wave on wave is the hull. Several people think that for my body shape I am more inclined to wave at the expense of freestyle, but I don't think so. For me now has become a challenge to bring my power and grit, that is evident in the wave, even in freestyle, managing to refute those who think differently. For the rest I guarantee I couldn't leave the freestyle for wave or vice versa.

RIW: Your name is inextricably linked to Puzziteddu, where your parents run a renowned School of sailing, What are the reasons why would you recommend readers to visit the spot?
F. C.: Puzziteddu is a commercial multi-purpose, that is, with the right conditions is accessible to all. Puzziteddu in its perfect condition which in my opinion are: 25 knots of wind, 2 wavelength meters and Sun (conditions that can often be found) is a real playground, comparable to Jericoacoara, with waves far apart from each other, draught-free, constant wind, hot water and very little traffic in the water. But above all, there is the possibility of doing both freestyle wave since the reef where waves break is about 300 metres from riva. This means that from the reef the beach there are 300 flat water meters. In the edge to leave you can take a good speed to jump while back you can do freestyle maneuvers. Obviously these are the classic thermal conditions of the Mistral that occur in spring, summer and during the first weeks of autumn. During the winter, Sandy works mainly of perturbation, with conditions that are often very tough, with winds exceeding 40 knots and waves also 5/6 meters. Fortunately, my family and I have a club right outside the reef (and hence the name of associazione sportiva ASD REEF) and when there are difficult conditions my dad prioritizes surf-rescue, with the jet skis always ready on the beach to help those who find themselves in difficulty. Puzzitteddu is definitely one of the most beautiful in Italy because it is all you need for fun: wind, wave and Sun, in conditions of total safety. Sicily offers a favorable climate even during the winter so I advise you to visit Puzzitteddu, You'll be thrilled.

RIW: You have the advantage of living in a wonderful island but your local spot, Sandy is quite a distance from Palermo, where you live during the school season. How do you practice during the winter?
F. C.: During the winter I try to get out as you can even changing spot because Puzziteddu is 100 km from Palermo. My dad and I usually study the wind maps to see if there is a possibility to come out also in adjacent areas in Palermo. Living in an island however it is not difficult to find the right spot and within a few kilometers away is the spot suitable for any wind direction. Certain, during winter it is more problematic because the days get shorter and the school is at 14,00, also my dad working late, and then it gets a little difficult. Sometimes however we can run right after school and we can surf at least a couple of hours in any spot of Palermo. During settimanta if the predictions are safe anyway my dad takes the afternoon off and run at full speed to Puzzitteddu. Anyway every weekend in winter, We are always at Puzziteddu where even without wind is always something to do, surfing, wakeboard or other sports preparatory to the windsurfing.

RIW: What school are you attending and how do you reconcile the study with workouts?
F. C.: I'm attending the fourth year of high school and combine the study with the workouts is a little’ hard. Fortunately, over the years I have acquired the ability to organize well the week by splitting the time according to the tasks, but mostly according to forecasts (ahahahahah). Then during the days of no wind I try to anticipate all the tasks so as to be free for windy days. The only problem is the weekend because in theory the Sunday I should study instead I am getting a mare. During the school year I make numerous absence and sometimes the teachers complain but fortunately the school performance is not affected. Often Saturdays manco from school because my dad doesn't work and especially because of Aeolus blowing always on Saturdays so I “forces” to play hooky to go on an adventure in search of the wind!

RIW: Classmates are interested in your sport activities? Have you ever managed to involve someone?
F. C.: My companions are often interested to my racing activities, in fact make me many questions about my races or sometimes, Watch my videos, they are surprised and go crazy because they can't figure out how to perform certain “moves” What do they call them. Sometimes the physics professor intrigued instead made me study the laws of physics apply to windsurfing and then sometimes are born of the debates on the subject. Since we have a windsurfing school one thing that I will propose to my fellow for next summer will be just a Surf camp at Puzziteddu where I will teach them to go windsurfing, hoping someone can become passionate about creating a team of young windsurfers like me .

RIW: There are some sports figures that have inspired you the most and which represent a reference point?
F. C.: My reference point is always my dad, that is the model that inspired me for many reasons. From an early age, When we started doing freestyle together, usually he wouldn't shut up first a maneuver and the day after I closed too. It's been that way for the geko, the vulkan and spock. By flaka onwards instead I started to close them first, and in fact he is always stopped at flaka (ahahahah). In the wave though the experience and style that has him are inimitable and, Although the number of operations and in the averages are better than I, for me he is still the best! Athletes who I like best in freestyle are Steven van Broekhoven for aggression and Tonky Frans for the fluency and madness. In the wave instead my favorite has always been Ricardo Campello and jumps Philip Koster.

RIW: Besides the windsurfing, There are other sports that will attract and how do you spend your time during the winter days of calm?
F. C.: Luckily in Sicily the winter days of calm are rare, on the few occasions I go mountain bike to keep myself trained, or practical snowboarding and boxing. Often take advantage of days of calm to repair the severe damage to my boards and those of the school in the small laboratory set up at home, where my dad teaches me tricks and repair techniques, taking advantage of the experience gained over many years as a pioneer of windsurfing in Sicily and lived the era of custom also manufacturer of boards.

RIW: What is your point of view the best freestyle and wave spot where you had the opportunity to surf?
F. C.: As Italian spot one of the best if not the best for freestyle is the Stagnone, because it's not popular, the seabed is low and therefore also with the Gale water is piattissima. Then located within a nature reserve, so the water is clean and the probability of finding wind is very high, especially in the summer thanks to the tramontana thermal. Abroad instead the spot freestyle I've surfed and which I believe is among the best is Jericoacoara, which as I said is very similar to Puzziteddu, because there is everything, from wind to warm to the wave. As for the wave instead, not for parochialism, one of the best spots of Italy's fine, Sandy for the reasons I have already explained. Regarding wave spots outside Italy unfortunately I don't have much experience. The only places wave I visited abroad are the Canary Islands El Cabezo and Pozo Izquierdo. I can honestly say that in those commercials I miss very much but unfortunately you surf a little and I, sincerely, I prefer the waveriding.

RIW: In the dreams of every surfer there are trips. Which countries would you like to see in future?
F. C.: Obviously, like all windsurfers, a trip I would make it absolutely is the one in the mecca of windsurfing, i.e. in Maui. Another country that I'd like to explore is the Chile, that intrigues me greatly to these endless waves bars. Another wish would visit Cape Town, Although on the one hand I cows because I scared for sharks!!!

RIW: Come vedi il tuo futuro nel windsurf?
F. C.: I would love to become a PRO windsurfer and be able to live just by windsurfers, competing to attract major titles and traveling. I would then pursue windsurf school ASD family REEF at Puzziteddu to create a new generation of surfers in a region like Sicily where did not happen the generational change and the wave and freestyle are dying. Imagine that the youngest surfer I can compare myself in my output in water 35 years!!!!!

RIW: In addition to congratulate you for the sympathy and the undoubted technical qualities, We're getting lots of wishes for the future, hoping to see you soon, with the same grit and determination, on the steps of some important podium.
F. C.: Thank you so much for the RIW and especially to Michele Tagliafico for interview. I take this opportunity to thank the sponsors who all these years have believed in me: RRD regarding boards, sails, Mute, Trapeze and clothing, AL360 regarding the booms and extensions, MAVERX as for the trees, ASD REEF (www.puzziteddu.net) and parents for all you are doing for me!
Aloha
Francis Cappuzzo ENG 333