Bobby stood on a windsurf board for the first time when he was only one year old. After spending four decades at the world’s strongest competitions with more than 150 victories, sports icon Robby Naish decided to travel from Hawaii to the SUNSET Sports Media Festival. On the second day of the festival, he answered numerous questions posed to him by Cindy Marina, TV host of Serie A and the AC Milan Channel.
“In 1976 as a 13-year-old, I won the world title in the Bahamas. I went there unaccompanied by my parents, who could not afford to buy plane tickets for the whole family. With no social media, many people did not even know about my amazing achievement. As a boy, I had problems with concentration in school and had very bad grades, so the teacher advised my mother to choose a sport that would help me focus better. I chose windsurfing and I have not regretted it. It is a sport that allows you to make mistakes; fall and get up countless times. There is a special beauty of falling in the water. Growing up in the mecca of surfing was enchanting and very exclusive. Being blessed with 365 days of good weather meant I never had to get back into shape because I’m in it all the time,” said Naish.
He told the crowd what his daily routine looks like and modestly emphasized several times how much his great success has been a matter of luck. He believes that more than once he was just in the right place at the right time, which is a little hard to believe when we look at the number of trophies he has.
“I never thought I was better than others, just luckier. I often found myself in the right place at the right time. When I became happy and successful, I tried to hold on to it and not lose my head, because athletes often think that they are better than others when they become successful,” he added. In the end, he advised people to step away from technology whenever they can, to switch off and go into nature to engage in physical activity. It is the best thing a person can do for themselves. Of course, without passion there is nothing. It doesn’t matter whether you win or not, find what you love, give it 100 percent and be happy!
After listening to his interesting and inspiring story, attendees watched the documentary film “The Longest Wave” about Robby Naish. Filmed over five years, the film clearly shows that this legendary windsurfer has no intention of giving up his quest of breaking his own boundaries even at the age when most athletes are enjoying a well-deserved retirement.
