Sol Degrieck must have been born wearing a surfing suit. Her mother Sigrid Rondelez (53) represented our country at the 2000, 2004 and 2012 Olympic Games. The latter, in London, immediately marked her farewell to top sport. She had already taken daughter Sol with her on her board.
“There was always water in my life,” says the girl, who combines the third year of natural sciences at the College of Veurne with top sport. She still enjoys an incredible performance: on Sunday she was the third best in the world at a World Cup round in her favorite category: the wave. The goal? ‘Riding’ waves in front of a jury that rates them on technicality, diversity and style – almost the Champions League of that sport. At fourteen years old, Degrieck was the youngest ever on stage. The German winner is 27.
For the first time at sea
“I surfed for the first time when I was seven,” says Sol. “On the reservoir in Nieuwpoort. I liked doing it, and it worked out well. A year later I was already trying tricks with my sail.” A little later, when she was ten, her parents allowed her to go to sea for the first time. “It was corona, we were not allowed to go to school. I think I was on my board almost every day during that period.” She was introduced to the waves. “Mom then had to swim behind me to get me back on my board after I fell into the water.” Sol went to camp in Gran Canaria with her surf club Windekind from Oostduinkerke. “There was a competition there and since we were there anyway, we registered. I immediately got a good result.” From then on, the succession for mother Sigrid was assured.
Around the world
Since then, the Degrieck family has traveled around the world. They are often in Gran Canaria. But for competitions they have already traveled to Denmark, Fiji, Hawaii, … “It is allowed at school. I follow distance learning and have regular contact with the teachers. Everything went well last school year, and now I think I’m on the right track again.”
But her heart beats mainly for the sea, the wind and the waves. “They can’t be high enough. Four meters? I’m not afraid of that. It is such a beautiful sport. You can always learn new jumps. What am I most proud of? My front runs, I think I tried 2,000 times and fell into the water just as many times before I succeeded.” With that stunt jump she catches a wave, jumps and does a forward somersault with board and sail and then continues surfing. “You have to be able to do it,” she says. “But you have to dare even more.”
Surfing is still often a man’s affair, which is also what the Belgian federation believes. Less than 30 percent of practitioners are women. And they want to do something about that with the hashtag #girlscan. “I would like to contribute to that. Because it really is a sport that everyone can practice.” Her own ambitions? “My discipline might become Olympic again in Australia in 2032. That is a goal, then I will still only be 22 years old.”
And until then? Practice, practice and practice. “If possible, I am on the water twice every day. And I go to school by bike for strength training. Soon with my saddle a little lower and in a different gear. So I have to push more with my legs.”
