Micah, please tell us how you got into the sport of windsurfing, you are from Utah right?  Is there windsurfing there?

I started windsurfing in 1983 with friends of mine and my sister on a very small lake in Stansbury Park where I grew up in Utah.  It was on a windsurfer one design and it was just sort of for a laugh that we did it.  Then my dad tried it and really got into it and got me into it even more.  There wasn't a lot of windsurfing in Utah back then but we were skiers so we just needed something to do in the summer time and this seemed to be what all the skiers were into as well.  We met a lot of people through windsurfing and this took us all over the western United States and then eventually to Hawaii.

And when did you make the move to Hawaii?

I moved to Hawaii when I was 16, my Dad came over for a vacation and ended up staying and I really wanted to windsurf every day so I decided to go as well.  Even though I knew it was going to be tough being a windsurfing haole coming to Hawaii, it was well worth it!!

What were the early years of being a pro like as compared to today?

Well when I first started in 1990 it was still three disciplines, course racing on 12' boards, slalom and waves.  I did all three and I just remember having a lot of gear when I travelled and it was a pain.  I had some very good people that helped me out though so this made everything a lot easier and my learning curve wasn't so hard.  I did have to pay a lot of dues though, not making much prize money(results were slow to come at first) having to borrow money from friends, family and the bank to make it all happen.  I was serious about it back then, I worked hard on my equipment and spent a ton of time on the water testing and training everyday.  I was testing partner with Pierre Jeangirard and he really helped me in all aspects of becoming a pro, it was Pierre who really introduced me to the pro scene and showed me how it was done right.  He had years of experience from the competitive level to the coaching level and all his hard work and dedication rubbed off on me, between his coaching and friendship and my parents being such positive role models and so supportive as well I really think this is what led me to where I am at today. Back then it was always on custom gear as well, boards and sails would evolve throughout the year.  I personally really liked this better because we knew we were always pushing the sport to its limits.  It was a lot of work doing it this way, it involved a lot of testing of gear and changing the boards and sails a lot but this for me is what really made it interesting, always knowing that there was some small change that might make a huge difference!! I think being a pro today has changed quite a bit, the first being that it is much harder to make money and be able to live from windsurfing.  However it also seems easier to get sponsored now days, at least in the industry.  The sponsorships are much smaller than what they used to be but there seems to be a lot more people who are sponsored??  Being successful today also seems to be harder, most people are specializing in one aspect of the sport more and more so it is tougher to get top results on a consistent basis. Racing on production gear has also made a big change in the pro scene today, for the most part it has been very positive.  It has brought a lot of people back into racing who had slid out of the scene, it has also been a big boost for the board manufacturers.  Now the big companies can truly say that the boards the team are racing and competing on are the exact same boards that anyone can buy in the shop.  I personally miss the aspects of the custom gear development but in the big picture I really think that production gear has made windsurfing more accessible and enjoyable again.  Plus the production gear that you can buy today is every bit as good and in most cases better than the custom gear out there today.

What do you think of the current state of the PWA racing scene?  Is only having slalom a good thing, or would adding Formula course racing be a positive thing?

I really think that the way the PWA racing program is today is a very positive direction for racers and the sport as a whole.  I think that the general infrastructure and personnel could use some small improvements in areas(what and who can't use some improvements though) but as a whole it is by far the best set up and best run system for professional windsurfers there is. I am not sure if having only slalom is the best thing or not??  I know that Formula is still a very big part of windsurf racing world wide and is making another come back in numbers.  I would really like to see the Formula tours and the PWA come together and at least work more closely on growing windsurf racing.  Maybe this would involve brining Formula back to the PWA format or maybe this would be just having a closer cooperation between the two groups and help each other promote their products.  I really don't have a definite answer one way or the other, I do feel very strongly though that they should form some sort of alliance to promote our sport to more people in more ways.

You always do very well when you sail Formula, do you enjoy it?

I personally still really enjoy Formula, especially going to events such as the Blue Water Regatta in Miami.  This is not a kiss ass at all but I really think that the Florida Formula scene has it together in all aspects.  I know that the San Fran scene is also very big, to me these two areas are the best places to race Formula and have the best run regattas anywhere in the World.  I don't enjoy Formula when it is more wrestling than windsurfing but it is all what you get used to and what you train and tune for.  If I had it my way I would start a class that is 3 boards and 6 sails, one board would have to be a formula board and you could only register one sail over 10.0.  Wind limits would also be enforced and Formula would only be run in winds below 18 knots.  I know there would have to be a lot of other stipulations made but this would be the general outline for the class.  This to me would give you the best of all worlds, slalom when it was slalom conditions and formula when it was formula conditions. 

What is your opinion on the results of team USA WINDSURFING  in the olimpics ( china)?

Very poor, we have so many great windsurfers, sailors and athletes in our country that we should be vying for a medal every time.  This is not a reflection of Ben or Nancy I think that they worked very hard to get to the Olympics and compete for a medal.  I think this is more a reflection of windsurfing in the USA and the lack of support that windsurfing receives from US Sailing.  You can't blame it on the equipment because everyone is on the same gear and the gear went through rigorous testing procedures and was chosen as the best gear for a very large range of conditions.  If there were more support from our federation then I think more people would think of it as an option and be able to put more time and effort into it without having to struggle so much just to survive.  

Would you ever consider represent USA  in case that FOD  will be the next olimpic board?

I considered trying to represent the USA with the RS:X but the little research that I did showed that there was no support structure in place to be able to do this.  I certainly think that if Formula were to go in as an olympic class that we as a country would have a great shot at a medal, but I am not so sure that Formula is the right way to go.  I haven't seen the proposed equipment so I can't judge this particular gear but they current FW class rules would not be the best way to go, imagine racing in China on your 11.8 or what ever your biggest sail is and having to go around the course sub planning and pumping the whole way.

How is your recovery going?  What sort of things are you doing to make the come back both physically and mentally?

My recovery is going pretty well, much slower than I would like but the Docs say that it is looking very good.  I have been doing a lot of stuff in the gym, everything I can do without having to use my left leg.  I have also be doing a lot of work with my Chiro/Physio guy, Matt here in Maui, different soft tissue work mostly ART and different exercises specific to my foot and lower leg.  I have also been riding my stationary bike, nothing hard just getting my range of motion and a bit of aerobic work.  Mentally I have just been trying to make the time go by as fast as possible so I can get back on my feet, lots of family, computer and TV time.  I am so close to being back on my feet right now that it is really driving me crazy, there are so many things I want and need to do and being this close to being able to do them but not really being able to is a maddening situation. 

Once again you were on top in the PWA rankings this year until your injury.  what is your projection for next season in terms of performance and goals  ?

Well I guess in a way this injury has made me appreciate what I have even more.  So I am already preparing for next year, mentally, physically and equipment wise.  I know that Sylt this year is still not out of the question but even if I were to go there I am not sure I will be 100%, and with a win I still wouldn't have a chance to make it into the top three overall.  So with this I am hungrier than ever to come back next season more prepared than ever.  I am really excited about my new boards and sails as well!!!  The new JP slalom boards are going to be the best ever by a long ways, all the testing that we did on them showed huge improvements over a lot of boards.  Then the new Neil Pryde racing sails are going to be insane, these are going to be the best slalom sails ever, these new designs are so perfect for slalom it is going to be exciting racing with these things!!!  So I am already full of confidence for next year, my goals will be as high as ever.

What do you see as the best format for racing in the US?  Racing participation is a lot lower than in Europe, but improving it seems, how do you think we can change the situation?

I don't really understand this as we have so many good locations to race all over the country it just seems hard to organize a real tour that will attract large numbers or big names.  I think that in Europe it is a bit easier to get around to all the events as most people can drive to all of them.  I don't really see a big difference in the formats between Europe and the US so I think the current formats that are in place are the right ones.  I think one of the biggest differences is the level of support that sailors in Europe get from local dealers and importers.  There are a lot of guys with some level of sponsorship inside and out of the industry so they are able to travel and race.  There are a lot more events with prize money as well, this really helps people to at least cover their expenses to get to events and make it more feasible to compete.  I agree that it does seem to be improving in the US but I really wish there were more events with some prize money and some status because I would really like to be able to do more events all over the US.

Any oportunity to see you racing on the next  MIAMI PRO-AM  in november ?

I am not sure I would really like to do some more racing in Florida, I always enjoy the sailing and people there.  But right now I am just focusing on getting back on my feet and back on the water as soon as possible.  Once I get back on the water and feel comfortable then I will make a plan for the rest of the year, I want to take it one week at a time though and make sure I am 110% before I get back on the water, I certainly don't want to injure my leg again.  I am planning on doing a clinic next year at the Banana River Resort though so I hope to get this put together soon, I will let you know when the dates are set and hopefully will see some of the MIami boys there!  I am sure I will be back for the Blue Water Regatta as well so it won't be to long before I get back to Miami !!!!!!

by: www.miamiwindsurfing.com               to keep update check : www.micahbuzianis.com