3 questions to Nico Prien

28/03/2024

Elected President of the PWA World Tour, as well as Chairman of the Board of Directors, Nico Prien succeeds Jimmy Diaz at the head of the world circuit. We talk to him about his appointment and his ambitions for the future...

Windsurfjournal.com: How did you see the PWA World Tour before you became a professional windsurfer?
Nico Prien: I grew up idolizing the PWA. I’ve been following and watching the events and wanted to be one of them. I am honoured to take on this role within the PWA, an organisation I've admired since my youth while following the athletes. Having trained to one day compete among the very best, I am excited for the chance to give back to my favourite sport, whilst continuing to compete at the highest level. I'm looking forward to the journey ahead, eager to contribute to and lead positive changes, together with the PWA Board. An exciting new chapter, fuelled by passion.

WJ: What is the role of the President of the PWA World Tour and how can he act?
NP: The president is the face of the PWA and will represent the riders and organization towards sponsors, event organizers and outside world. In my case, I was not only elected president, but also Chairperson of the board. This role is arguably the more influential one. Just like the other board members, I have a vote for critical decisions. But also I have to lead meetings and maintain a helicopter view of the issues at hand and guide discussions into a productive direction.

WJ: Between Covid and the arrival of the foil, the last few years haven't been easy for the sport... What are your plans for the short, medium and long term?
NP: In my position, I can’t just take decisions and everyone has to follow. That can be good and bad. A good leader certainly can be super beneficial, as you can see in successful companies. On the other hand it can play against an organization, which is why the PWA has a constitution and a board. Therefore, decisions will always be political and you have to lobby for your ideas. Luckily, I feel like in certain areas the board trusts my opinion a lot and I hope to lead a positive change. The goals remain the same: Find sponsoring partners and event organizers for the tour. Improve the tour, which basically is our product. More tour stops and bigger focus on the riders' personalities. The support for the PWA is highly influencing what we can do in terms of media and story telling. So for now we need to efficiently refine the PWA Show with our resources.