Hockey was the favorite sport of Tycho Smits (14) when he still lived in Den Bosch. Four years ago, the Smits family emigrated to Bonaire. They didn’t have a hockey club there, so he took a different tack. After searching for a new sport, he chose windsurfing and turned out to be good at it. Very good indeed, because Tycho has been world champion under fifteen since this year.
The rain is pouring down, the wind is blowing hard and with temperatures around 10 degrees, a thick winter coat is needed. Tycho Smits does not miss the Dutch weather. “Here on Bonaire it is always between 30 and 35 degrees. I almost always wear swimming trunks in my spare time.”
That Tycho lives with his brother and parents on a tropical island has been a dream of father Bart and mother Femke for some time. They decided to make their dream come true and left for Bonaire four years ago. After a year they returned to Den Bosch, but within three months they were homesick. They took a plane again, this time for an indefinite period.
“My hobby became more and more serious.”
Tycho goes to school, but he also stands on a surfboard six days a week. He had never done that in the Netherlands, but on Bonaire he took a windsurfing clinic. “I enjoyed doing it, although I wasn’t very serious about it at first. Just before our return trip I bought surfing gear so that I could continue in the Netherlands. When we quickly returned to Bonaire, my hobby became more and more more serious.”
“To win the world title is very special.”
His first international race was in Aruba. This year he was at the start of a competition in Italy and was allowed to participate in the World Cup in Turkey. There he took gold in the slalom event, where you have to surf a course along a number of buoys. “There was no strong wind, that is my preference. I am a bit lighter than most competitors and I get going faster. To take the world title with such a strong field of participants is very special.”
“I can think about everything while surfing.”
He wants to get the most out of his sport. But Tycho is mainly on the surfboard to enjoy himself. “The conditions on Bonaire are perfect, I can train for many hours. It is a wonderful way for me to find my peace. The waves beneath me, the nice warm and beautiful blue water over my feet and that feeling of speed. I can think about everything while surfing. But when I participate in a competition, that’s when the switch is turned.”
Does Tycho miss the Netherlands and Den Bosch in particular? “I surf the competitions with number 11 11. This way, Brabant always stays with me.”
