Windsurfing at 86: Greek senior citizen defies age and preconceived notions

DW (English)

At 86, Anastasia Gerolymatou holds the Guinness World Record for the oldest female windsurfer. For this inspiring Greek senior citizen, age is definitely just a number. DW paid her a visit on the island of Kefalonia.

Transcript

00:00Anastasia Geromilatou from the Greek island of Kefalonia

00:05holds the Guinness World Record for the oldest female windsurfer.

00:09She recently turned 86 and is still demonstrating

00:13not only her remarkable dedication to the sport

00:16but also her lust for life and adventurous spirit.

00:22When I surf, it's fantastic.

00:25It's like you're on top of the wave,

00:28you lift your fins and you're gone.

00:31Without a motor, without anything,

00:34it gives you so much air, it fills your soul.

00:40Anastasia has always been very active and loved sports.

00:44She got into windsurfing completely by chance at the age of 41.

00:49She's never taken windsurfing lessons and is entirely self-taught.

00:55We were in Las Palmas on vacation with a friend of mine

01:01and we wanted to get to know each other better.

01:05And he started talking to me.

01:08He said,

01:09I haven't been to New York in days,

01:12I haven't been to any sport.

01:14Nothing, nothing at all.

01:16Nothing, dead.

01:17Suddenly, deep inside, I see someone doing windsurfing.

01:21Honestly, I don't know how to put it,

01:23it's the first time I've seen it.

01:25And I say to him,

01:26my husband,

01:27my husband, my friend Louise,

01:29do you see that?

01:30That's it, that's what I like.

01:34Anastasia also rides a motor scooter

01:37and has a self-made trailer which she uses to transport her equipment.

01:41She's always ready for the next adventure,

01:44living life to the full.

01:48Everything is fine.

01:50I do it in Sanida,

01:52we go to Kopi,

01:53I really like it here,

01:54there's a little bit of air.

01:56That's why I love it there,

01:58it's quite far,

01:59more than 300 meters.

02:01And I've done it in 5 minutes,

02:047 minutes I went and came back.

02:06And I even cut a candle

02:08and I brought one,

02:09I can't believe I've been to the island.

02:11It had to start,

02:12not with this weather,

02:14with a little bit of air.

02:17Or at least a little bit of breath,

02:19to try to lift the sail,

02:21to do these,

02:22the others,

02:23balance,

02:25to get the air,

02:30to stay in the sail and not go to the sea.

02:33You have to learn first to turn back

02:36and not to go too far.

02:38It would be very nice to turn

02:41and learn here in front,

02:44because you haven't learned

02:47that there are rocks,

02:50rocks,

02:51and you might break your fin

02:53and not be able to turn back.

02:55It's dangerous,

02:57that's why you have to learn here first.

03:01In June 2024,

03:03Anastasia made another of her dreams come true.

03:06Breaking her own record,

03:08she surfed across the part of the Ionian Sea

03:11between Kefalonia and Zakynthos,

03:13a distance of 11 nautical miles.

03:17This time I wanted to go to Prague

03:20after October 16,

03:22to do the last part,

03:24where they add the 86,

03:27so no one will tell me to go to Koutsa.

03:31Anastasia has one more wish,

03:33to find the man from whom she first rented out

03:35windsurfing equipment all those years ago,

03:38on the day her lifelong passion for this sport

03:40was born.

03:42Please, if you hear my message,

03:46call me,

03:48contact me,

03:50and I'll give you a vacation in Kefalonia.

03:53I'll stay above the airport,

03:55Kefalonia,

03:56five minutes from the airport.

03:58I'll take him anyway,

04:00from the airport.

04:01If he tells me that he's coming,

04:03I'll be very happy.

04:06Until then,

04:07Anastasia will continue to surf

04:09and live life on her own terms,

04:11inspiring many others with her philosophy

04:14that age is nothing but a number.

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