Here is the English version of the pre-Sylt interview for Windsurfjournal.com
2nd in Gran Canaria and Tenerife last summer on the first 2 stages in waves of the PWA World Tour, 2nd again in Sylt on the Mercedes-Benz Sylt PWA World Cup which is currently taking place in Germany, the Polish Justyna Sniady is the waverideuse of the moment, she's at the top of the annual ranking in the discipline! She talks to Windsurfjournal.com, about the season so far and about how little chance she's got go to Maui for the grand finale...
Windsurfjournal.com: Did you ever imagine you would be leading the PWA Tour on the wave ranking?
To me it all still feels a bit like a dream. I knew I was able to make a podium this year, but even in my wildest dreams I have never imagined to make every final of the first two stops of the PWA Wave Tour.
WJ: How are you managing this unprecedented situation after 2 decades of domination by Moreno sisters? Is it extra pressure or just satisfaction?
After the second in the single elimination in Pozo, no one really believed I could repeat the result I think. When I managed to defend my 2nd in the double elimination and then come 2nd again in Tenerife, I started to feel more and more confident.
Of course there is extra pressure as it feels like it would be a shame to lose a chance for the overall title after sailing good so far. However, it feels much less paralysing then the pressure to finally make my first podium that I felt before this season. I felt I had it in me for a few years now and something always happened, wind would run out, I’d break a nose in a heat or just not put it together when it mattered most.
Knowing how much I improved my sailing this year I felt tremendous pressure before the season to finally convert my sailing into better results.
Handling the pressure to sustain a good position is much easier especially that it hasn’t synced in yet and it does feel like I am dreaming. And in dreams everything is possible :)
The next event in Sylt is one of the most unpredictable of all and there’s a lot of luck involved, so whatever happens after this point for sure I feel great satisfaction and am super happy already, but of course I will fight hard to try to keep the lead.
WJ: How do you approach the last two events in Germany and Maui?
I approach them with maximum preparation, confidence and excitement.
I really hope all the events will happen and that the conditions will be great. I love to compete, and losing is part of it, so I am not scared of it. I’ve got enough experience at it over the years, so it doesn’t paralyse me. Now, that I also tasted victory, I am even more excited for the next stops of PWA. Women are sailing at such a great level it is really a pleasure to watch them all and a privilege to be able to compete against these long standing amazing pros.
Sylt is a challenge and one of the most technically and physically challenging spots to compete at. Anything can happen, but I also trained for all possible scenarios and did my best to prepare well.
I had a chance to sail H'ookipa earlier this year when I participated in the Maui Experience Training Camp run by Marcilio Brown and Levi Siver. It was an amazing experience. Competing in Aloha Classic would be a dream come true for me and an amazing end to a great year on Tour. However, at the moment is financially out of reach for me.
I am working on securing additional funding and I have prepared various sponsorship packages for companies who would like to support me in keeping my dream alive. If anyone is interested please view them here.
source: here