Playing with the wind - Lennart Neubauer

Windsurfer Lennart Neubauer on injuries, mental strength, and the path to the top of the world

He is the rising star of the windsurfing scene: Lennart Neubauer. Half German, half Greek, 100% surfer. He started competing in professional contests at the age of 15, then suffered a setback due to injury, last year he became vice world champion in freestyle windsurfing, and now, at the age of 20, he is aiming for his first world championship title. And many more are expected to follow in the coming years.

Long curly hair peeks out from under his cap around his ears.

His face is tanned, his shoulders broad, his smile just as broad.

He wears a leather cord around his neck with a small shark tooth attached to it. Lennart Neubauer looks like everyone imagines a surfer to look. And he cultivates this image a little. Why not?

The days when windsurfers were global superstars and every third household in Europe had windsurfing equipment hanging in the garage are long gone. Back when Robby Nash and Bjørn Dunkerbeck dominated the windsurfing scene in the 80s and 90s, Lennart was not even born yet. He was born in Bremen in 2004. His mother is German, his father Greek. And Lennart is growing up in Greece, on the island of Naxos to be precise. Less than 20,000 people live on this Aegean island, which is known for its many sandy beaches, picturesque villages, and windsurfers.

Lennart observes the windsurfers from an early age. And wants to become one himself. 

Weighed and found wanting

At the age of ten, he makes his first attempt. But during the summer holidays, the surf schools are fully booked and, according to the surf instructor, he is too light. A few months and a few extra plates later, Lennart is accepted into the surf school. His success story begins. World championship titles follow European championship titles – and so on and so forth.

Lennart is too good for his age group and, at 15, is already surfing with the pros.

Suddenly, he finds himself competing against his childhood heroes, nine-time world champion Gollito Estredo from Venezuela and 2013 freestyle world champion Kiri Thode. “Competing against these guys was a very special experience. As little Lennart back then,” the still young professional recalls his first freestyle windsurfing competitions.

Free in the water

Lennart attributes his introduction to freestyle windsurfing to his first coach. But also to the fact that windsurfing is a sport for individualists. "I didn't have too many friends at the time and wasn't really a team player.

When windsurfing, you are responsible for yourself; if a trick doesn't work, you can't blame anyone else. It was the perfect sport for me," says Lennart.

And that passion continues to this day. “I still feel like I did when I was 13. All I want to do is surf. I feel free on the water, and when I'm feeling down, I know where to go to get back in a better mood. Windsurfing is the best sport ever for me,” Lennart enthuses.

A great deal of self-confidence

Mental strength is something that Lennart values highly. He states that 90 percent of freestyle windsurfing takes place in the mind. "Physically, many people could do what I do. However, in windsurfing, it depends on whether you can execute it in the heat. In a heat, you can perform 50% worse than you normally do or 50% better. It all has to do with adrenaline, preparation, and a great deal of self-confidence. Many people fail because of this. And in the end, when two athletes of roughly the same level compete against each other, the mental aspect is definitely decisive," Lennart knows.

To gain self-confidence, Lennart repeats his tricks over and over again, gets in top shape at the gym and on his bike, and places great emphasis on recovery between training sessions.

Another very important factor for him is working with a mental coach.

He also helped him stay strong after a protracted knee injury and quickly return to the top of the world rankings. And he worked with Lennart on his mindset.

On the way to the top

Although the rising star finished second in the world championships and is second in the world rankings, he says without sounding arrogant: "For me, I'm currently the best in the world at freestyle. Of course, I'm second in the world in the world rankings, but I've been training so damn hard lately that I know it will pay off. At this level, it's part of being an athlete to believe that you're the best. I don't think there's any athlete, any Greatest of All Time, who didn't believe in themselves," says Lennart.

Lennart's mindset is inspiring and contagious.

We are also firmly convinced that Lennart will be able to celebrate many world championship titles in the coming years, and we want to support him in this endeavor as best we can.