Marc Paré, the interview

09/10/2025

Marc Paré arrived early in Sylt to be ready for all possible conditions. And this meticulous preparation paid off, as he successfully defended his title and won two consecutive victories on the PWA World Tour for the second time in his career. Thanks to this latest victory, E-334 takes the lead in the world rankings ahead of the Aloha Classic, where he will attempt to win his first world title. Interview...

Windsurfjournal.com: Marc, congratulations! You've won Sylt again in hellish conditions. How would you describe the last day of competition on the North Sea?
Marc Paré: Thanks a lot! It feels really specially to go back-to-back wins like last year! The last day of the contest the North Sea showed it’s rawest and hardcore face, with straight on-shore winds, big messy waves and loads of current! Having spend a fair bit of time in the North Sea the last couple of years, I feel weirdly excited and love going out in those rough conditions.

WJ: We read that even Victor Fernandez, with 25 years of experience here, said he had never seen Sylt like this before. What made these conditions particularly dangerous or difficult to manage?
MP: It was the amount of water moving around in all directions combined with the huge shorebreak hitting against the breakwall of the “promenade” that made it dangerous and tricky.

WJ: You seemed very comfortable despite the chaos. What was your strategy for getting out of the shorebreak and finding the right waves in such rough water?
MP: I took slighlty bigger gear than I would normally have for that wind strength and just tried to stick to my game plan. And also, as I mentioned, I've spent quite some time sailing the North Sea the past few years, so that made it a familiar playground.

WJ: You prepared yourself by arriving early at the spot and training in conditions similar to those in Denmark. Would you say that this preparation made the difference today?
MP: Anything can happen with those kind of conditions, and one can easily lose first round. I just wanted to give myself the best chance, and I guess it paid off! I came back from the Canaries at the end of August and spent about three to four weeks around Northern Europe, between Denmark, Germany, and Sweden, chasing conditions similar to what I could expect during the event. I’ve been sailing so much in these kinds of conditions lately, and I really enjoy it. For me, it’s exciting to sail in as many different types of conditions as possible, that’s what makes this sport so exciting.

WJ: This is your second consecutive victory this season after Tenerife, in completely opposite conditions. What does that say, in your opinion, about your progress and versatility on the World Tour?
MP: It honestly feels super nice, it’s been a long time coming and a lot of years of hard work to get to this point. So it is very rewarding to feel all the effort, sweat and tears paying off. I felt comfortable going into Sylt because I had prepared well, lots of training and plenty of time working on my equipment. When you go to Sylt, you know the conditions can be super punishing, so I tried to stay relaxed and just enjoy getting out on the water.

WJ: Sylt often has a reputation for being an unpredictable and unforgiving stage. How important is this victory for you personally, here, two years in a row?
MP: It is super important and meaningful, as it is a proof of all the work I’ve been putting in training and working on the right gear for those kind of conditions. There’s really no other event like Sylt on tour, mainly because of the huge crowds that come to cheer for us on the beach, it creates such an amazing energy. I heard there were around 200,000 visitors at the event this year, which is super cool! It’s great to see that windsurfing can draw that kind of audience. Sylt is also unique because of the challenging conditions, it’s the North Sea at its rawest. You can get all sorts of conditions there, although it’s usually straight onshore with a heavy, pounding shorebreak. I always look forward to going to Sylt, it’s such a unique event with incredible energy.

WJ: You are now leading the overall rankings ahead of the Aloha Classic. How are you approaching this final stage, where a possible first world title awaits you?
MP: Yes, it’s super exciting and nerve-racking at the same time. World title is still really open, still requiring good results from all Marcilio Browne, Philip Köster and I to get hold of the title. For me, it’s just a matter of sticking to my game plan and bring my best sailing out at Ho’okipa. That’s all I can control, the rest we’ll see about!