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Championship Dream Interrupted: Vince Duschneit’s ISA Worlds Journey Stopped by Accident

We were just about to publish this “Road to the 2024 ISA Worlds” story when devastating news broke. Just a week ago, we sat down with Vince Duschneit — German U18 Champion, Long Distance Vice Champion, and Indiana Paddle & Surf Co. Team Rider.

After an impressive return from wing foiling to reclaim podiums in SUP racing, this 18-year-old, incredibly versatile athlete from Corralejo, Fuerteventura, had just qualified to represent Team Germany in Copenhagen, marking his final year in the Junior Division.

Despite the accident and subsequent surgery, Vince was determined to share his story with the SUP community. We’re now bringing you the original interview, where Vince reflects on the accident and what lies ahead for his SUP journey.

Image source: The EuroTour, Scharbeutz

Hi Vince, welcome back to TotalSUP! What have you been up to? Where can we find you training?

Hi, thanks for having me. After finishing my last year of school now I have been training hard during the summer to qualify for the ISA world championships in Copenhagen, between these race SUP training sessions I also took my wing foil gear for some sessions.

Image source: SUP & Wingfoil Festival Fehmarn

We thought we’ve completely lost you to wing foiling until we saw your amazing performance at the SUP & Wingfoil Festival in Fehmarn, Germany! Has your focus shifted to foiling or are you still invested in SUP racing?

When the wing foiling boom kicked in, I invested a lot of time in foiling, it was something new and it was so much fun to learn new moves by winging everyday. I nearly didn’t do any SUP racing anymore. I never forgot about SUP racing but due to not being able to travel to SUP racing events due to competitions at the same time as exams I thought it was a better idea to push my windsport skills (kite surfing, windsurfing, wing foiling) and take a little break from racing during the past two years. This year is my last year as a Junior. That’s why I wanted to get some last good results before shifting up to the Open category.

Right now my focus is completely on SUP racing but not forgetting I also want to have a very good level in sup surfing, surfing, foiling, kiting… My goal is to be one of the best watermen in the world so I never focus on just one sport for a too long time.

Image source: SUP & Wingfoil Festival Fehmarn

Could you tell us about your recent projects with Indiana. We’ve heard you’ve been doing some DW SUP Foiling with Gunnar Biniasch?

With Indiana I often do photoshoots in the beautiful water colours of Fuerteventura. Between these, Gunnar and I test all type of prototypes in the open ocean. Downwind (DW) SUP Foiling has increased in its popularity a lot, that’s why we obviously did some nice and fun downwinders, testing different foil set ups and boards to get the best feedback possible and develop the best possible DW Foiling material. DW foiling is a real addiction that is why we give our best to understand the ocean in a better way and create the best gear for every type of downwinder.

Could you tell us more about the upcoming ISA Worlds and your participation?

It was always one of my dreams to be participating in the world championships and represent my country and hometown. This year the hard work paid off and I am finally able to fight myself to the top and not watch it on the livestream and just dream about being there.

It was a real challenge to believe in myself that I’m able to qualify for the ISA Worlds, due to last year of school and lots of exams I wasn’t able to do any SUP race events at all (travelling from Fuerteventura to Europe isn’t easy). I didn’t know where my level was at and if it will be worth it travelling to Germany to try it, I bet all my training on that one competition in Fehmarn – At the end I believed in myself and in my training, I went, and I qualified.

Which formats will you be competing in in Copenhagen? And what’s your Indiana set up?

I will be competing in the Open Long Distance and Junior Tech Race, it’s expected to be a flat water event that’s why I will be probably using my DHC HOLLOW CARBON 14×21,5 INDIANA with the OPEN OCEAN 14×23 as an backup in case it gets wavy.

Image source: The EuroTour, Scharbeutz

Are you still training with Espe Barreras? What’s the focus of your training?

Yes, I’m still training with ORtraining. The focus of my training is to make an improvement everyday and trusting the process without getting desperate, but the most important thing is to have fun while training and seeing it as a will and not as an obligation otherwise it won’t give the same results.

What are your expectations from the upcoming ISA Worlds?

My goal is to become Junior Tech World Champion, now I know where my level is and I definitely want to be on top in this category. I haven’t done any long distance race at world class level ever so I just want to enjoy this race, learn a lot and give my very all to have the best possible result.

Image source: The EuroTour, Scharbeutz

What are your plans after the ISA Worlds?

Now that I have finished school I want to put my all into becoming a world class waterman, after the ISA Worlds I will be in Germany for one month doing two SUP racing competitions and the German Championships in SUP Surfing in the o2 surftown in München. This next season will be my season to take my watersport skills to the next level.

Image source: SUP & Wingfoil Festival Fehmarn

The accident…

These were my plans until Sunday, 8 September. I was heading to North Germany for the last training before the World Championships. But life had other plans for me, I had a car accident where I injured my elbow. After realising that I’m “okay”, my next thought was “what about Copenhagen now”?

The adrenaline in that moment made me feel no pain in my elbow and I thought that even if I had no car anymore I would be able to go and paddle…

I went to the hospital where my elbow had to be operated. After waking up the next morning and talking with the doctors I had to accept it was over, the dream I finally achieved fell out of my hands just one week before.

Of course I had physical pain but what really destroyed me was questioning myself, was all the work for nothing now? Thanks to the help of my family, now I’m heading back to Fuerteventura, I will be out of training for a while now, recovering physically and mentally.

Even if it is really hard to accept this step back and it really breaks my heart, I have to take the positive out of this, work on myself and get back even stronger. My focus now changed to being back on the board as soon as possible and continuing my progression to professional waterman. The comeback will be there for sure, I won’t give up and I will achieve my goals. Good luck to my Team mates in Denmark, I will be cheering and watching from home this time.

Thank you Vince for sharing your story and we’re devastated to hear about your injury. We’re wishing you a speedy recovery and an even stronger return to competing. Take care!

Image source: SUP & Wingfoil Festival Fehmarn

Revisit our chat with 16-year old Vince here and follow Vince Duschneit on Instagram 

To find out more about Indiana Paddle & Surf, visit:  Indiana Paddle & Surf

Explore Indiana SUP quiver here

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About the Author

Anna Nadolna

Anna is the Founder of SUPer Whale, a Cambridge(UK!)-based emerging watersports brand and a stand-up paddleboarding community. She is a certified SUP Flat Water Instructor accredited by International Surfing Association (ISA). Anna is also a digital marketing, storytelling aficionado and a growth hacking enthusiast.

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