Dudu Levi hit the tour for the first time in 2018. Since then the level of the 26 years old Israelian sailor has skyrocket. Levi put the time in and sailed in some of the best freestyle spots in the world with some of the best sailors. Read why ‚Back to the Game‘ would be the movie title of his life right now and why you shouldn’t sleep on the top of a bunked bed after a windsurfing session.
EFPT: Tell us about the winter training Capetown. Who is in ‚the team‘?
This period in CT was quite long, like two and a half months. Lots of people came in and out because it’s the main place to train in winter. In the beginning I spent lots of time with Adam (Sims) and some good friends from Israel, that I arrived together with. I spent my time with them between wave an freestyle sessions.
The main reason to come here for me was to have a break from everything. I was injured last season and I knew Adam and Julian (Wiemar) will come to South Africa as well. I thought it will be nice to spend time with them and sail with them without pressure because they were also recovering from injury.
After New Years new people arrived, like Marco Lufen (Duotone/Fanatic) and Adrien Bosson (Duotone/Fanatic) so I started to sail with them a lot. When riders with a high level sail with me, I like to see their crazy moves and make some nice tricks in front of them – I think it pushes the level a lot.
(Pic by Adam Sims)
EFPT: What is aircamp?
Aircamp is a small project that we launched with the guys that stayed here in Capetown. We were setting some goals for ourselves and shared it with the others. Whenever we were pursuing those goals, we tried to capture them with the camera. The idea was to perform better in the waves and to go out of the freestyle comfort zone.
EFPT: What are the rules of aircamp?
I can tell you the second rule of aircamp: Do not sleep on the top of the bunked bed after a session, because you might never come down again.
The other rules are secret, but there is a video dropping soon where you will learn more – so watch this space! Haha!
Dudu Levi in Scarborough, South Africa (Pic by Juls Dorer)
EFPT: Can you think of a movie title that best explains your life right now?
‚Back to the game’
EFPT: If you could go anywhere on Earth for a day, where would you go and why?
I would never go anywhere for one day only I think…Actually maybe I would go to Antarctica for a day to see the glaciers and the lights!
EFPT: Favorite Place to sail
This is always the closest place to ‚home‘ or to where I am staying when I am abroad. Even if I am somewhere on a trip, I like to sail close by. I don’t like it to drive far to score conditions.
Freestyling at Rietvlei (Pic by Ron Barel)
EFPT: Best setup: Best Board / Favorite Sail
My favorite set-up is the 87 liters Ignite from Starboard and the 4.4. YEAH Gunsails.
The 87 is the perfect size for me, because I am of a medium height and weight. I like this compact board and the way how fast it reacts. For me this is the best board on the market.
EFPT: You first showed up on tour in 2018 and improved your sailing ever since. We asked you what’s your best trick and you answered ‚a huge culo‘. What’s your best trick now?
Huge air bob into culo!!! But seriously a huge culo is still a super nice feeling – the best ones I did in Jeri with a one meter wave – it’s like doing a forward! So sick!
Dudu mastering the air bob (Pic by Malcom Reid)
EFPT: What’s your motivation?
My motivation is just to be on the water as much as I can and that I still want to improve. So if the session is good that’s my motivation. Part of the fun is the competition with a super cool group of friends and it pushes me a lot. But the nicest thing is the time I spend freesailing with nice people at new spots.
EFPT: Tell us one good thing you are really proud of.
The moment I decided to let the windsurf direct my way in life – when I changed it from a hobby to the main thing in my life.
EFPT: Tell us something we don’t know.
I had really long hair, still one year ago, but I got to one point where I wanted to cut it a bit. I asked around if it’s possible to donate it, so people could make wigs out of it for cancer patients. I found out that they need as much as anyone can give so I decide to cut it all completely off! I actually wanted to cut it to the shoulder only…