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INTERVIEW : BORIS THOUIN !!!
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Boris, a GONG Ambassador since the beginning, is a true Waterman. Swimming, Surfing, SUP, Foil and now Wing, he shares his passion for water sports with his wife and two children.
Can you introduce yourself please?
My name is Boris, I am almost 47 years old, married to Jessica, I am father of two boys, Theo 19 years old and Lou 12 years old. Nurse in Hyères at the APHP, I have been taking care for more than 20 years, of very seriously ill and handicapped children and adults and currently of patients affected by covid19. I have always lived by the water, Gironde, Charente Maritime, Var. I spent my teenage years counting pool lengths and Windsurfing. Water, the sea have always been part of my life. I am also a lifeguard at sea as part of my work at the hospital on the Mediterranean coast.Water sports are a family affair with the Thouin people?
This attraction to water, water activities are totally common and shared with Jess and the boys. Our family life is punctuated by swell entries and wind conditions.
What do you get out of surfing and other board sports?
All these shared practices allow me to feel good in my body and in my head, I feel alive. Living with sickness, suffering and death in the hospital every day makes me understand that you have to live the moment intensely. I do it every day with those I love.
Do you practice other sports? And what influence do they have on your surfing?
Sport is a constant in our lives. Every month, I swim an average of 50 km and ride a bike for 500 km. I’m an open water swimmer, so there’s nothing better to get the stoke and make the most of the conditions. For the mind, there is climbing. We climb up a cliff where we find peace and quiet at the foot of the routes up.What’s your current Quiver?
With a majority of GONG Boards and home-made Boards, we have about 30 Boards for the 4 of us. For the little one, it’s the logs with a preference for the Pampa 9’6 which becomes the absolute weapon when the water is clean. For the hollow and fast, I am in total confidence with the Fatal 5’9. Over the years, I’ve gotten a taste for surfing in big water. I like to be alone at sea waiting for the big sets between excitement and concentration. For the big one, my Moodrive PU is ideal. In SUP, I’ve kept my Freaks in 9’2 by 25” and by 24”. When 2 times my size comes in, they row fast enough to be in the right tempo for the start and hold the line without any problem.
Of course, for the last 7 months the Foil has arrived home. The whole situation has changed. New sensations, an incredible range of use, I’m totally dedicated to it whether it’s Surfing, SUP or Wing.
The chance to have a lot of Boards, is to choose with experience the one that best suits the mood of the moment.
Can you tell us about your beginnings in Wing Foil and what do you like in this sport?
At the end of July 2019 we get the GONG 5m wing in addition to the Zuma 6’6. A few minutes on the Couine Marie 10′ to understand the Wing and after 20 minutes on the Zuma, first small flights on the Foil. A terrible and new sensation. All is quiet in the air. The material is easy to use on the beach, it’s light without fuss and when you take off it’s more noisy than gliding with 12 knots of wind.You share many sessions with your son Lou. He’s a real snow sports fanatic, isn’t he? How was his Wing-Foil debut?
Whether it was with Lou or a few years ago with Theo, my guys have always been in the world of gliding. They are both excellent swimmers and live and breathe surfing. For Lou, learning how to Wing Foil was very quick. With a 7’5 inflatable surf and the 5m Wing, it took him two sessions to understand the handling of the Wing. Then the dockstarts helped him to understand pumping in SurFoil. After that, flights came very quickly with the Zuma. 35 kg on an XL Front Wing, it’s super easy for Lou. To avoid too much stress when I see him go and surf the swell off, he always wears a helmet.You’ve been a GONG Ambassador for a long time, can you tell us what makes you recognize yourself in our brand?
Thirteen years ago, GONG came into our life. An incredible meeting with Patrice during a SUP holdup session and our visit in his shop in Marseille. I love the sea, the waves, surfing, the history of surfing, I like to understand the different manufacturing processes (I have a BTS in chemistry). GONG gathers all this approach and I find myself in this philosophy. With GONG, for 13 years I have learned to surf on all types of surfboards, SUP, and in all weather conditions. Now the Foil is there and the story continues. At 47 years old and all these toys, I’m still a kid.We can feel in your pictures a sensitivity to photography, can you tell us about your taste for photography and the choice of your gear?
The camera follows us on each outing, the moment is immortalized and it is with great pleasure that we relive, analyze and work on the photos in the evening accompanied by a little foam. Years go by and through 15 years of photos, we remember the sessions, always with an anecdote. We watch the boys grow up and all those fabulous moments spent in the water together. On the gear side, we have a Canon EOS 70D accompanied by a Canon EF 70-200 F4 USM lens, a perfect combo to immortalize our Mediterranean sessions with a wave that’s never too far from the shore.
Your last surf trip with your family?
Last October, about ten days to discover and surf the Portuguese waves between Sagres and Peniche. A country that offers an incredible variety of different waves just a few hours away by plane.
