Q&A with Janina Zeitler: Germany's first born and raised professional surfer
December 1, 2023Janina Zeitler doesn't have the typical professional surfer’s backstory. She wasn't born on a surfboard and she doesn't live by the ocean, but this Munich woman still defeated the odds and made it to the big leagues and put both herself and her country on the surfing map. We sat down with her and asked her about her journey, “Flow like Water" and one of her favorite surfing destinations.
Janina Zeitler, 23, is a professional surfer with a rather unusual backstory. Unlike many of her competitors, she wasn't born with saltwater in her hair and stood on a surfboard before learning how to walk. She first picked up a board at the age of 12, in a city without a coastline. Janina was born and raised in Munich, Germany, where she still lives today. A place where surfing wasn't seen as a career choice unless you moved away. She started her surfing career by doing river surfing in the famous Eisbach River located in a park in the heart of Munich, the perfect spot for a landlocked surfer with a big dream of going pro.
Janina stuck to her dream and is now considered to be the world's best Rapid Surfer, and has competed for the German National Team of Surfing and is the reigning European and two-time German Champion.
Through the lens of JZ Media Productions, Janina’s own media production company, we got to follow her surf journey in “Flow like Water”. There, Janina talks about her inspiring story of how she beat the odds and became a professional surfer and paved the way for Germany as a surf nation.
VIDEO
FLOW LIKE WATER: THE UNIQUE STORY OF PROFESSIONAL SURFER JANINA ZEITLER
During the last few years, Janina has, as often as she can, switched the cold German winters to warmer days with turquoise ocean waves on the island of Fuerteventura. (Psst! Did you spot the clips from Fuerteventura in the video?)
How long have you been surfing in Fuerteventura?
– I have been traveling to Fuerteventura as much as I can during my winter season for a few years now and am truly in love with this unique island. The local community is incredible and protective of their land and waves, something that I think is missing in some other parts of the world. That I find really important and worth learning from my friends in Lapoint as you are starting to surf. The waves are incredible, the food is amazing and it is just a short direct flight away from my home in Munich, so I personally really love it.
When did you start surfing?
– I only started surfing when I was 12 years old, in a small river wave in the middle of Munich, an age when my current competitors had already been surfing for many years and were starting their competitive careers. I started very late myself and as I have been living my whole life in Munich, I never had the chance to be in the ocean, apart from during my school holidays. Still, I always had this dream of becoming a professional surfer and with a lot of dedication, I am so happy to have surfing as my profession nowadays.
What is something you wish you knew earlier about surfing?
– That is a really great question! I would say that I wish I had known earlier on that in surfing, being patient and completely leaving my comfort zone would be the key to success in it. I would have also loved to know a few years ago the true power surfing has nowadays in our society, and that it would help me reach, connect and inspire people all over the world. That would have given me even more strength to keep believing in myself and in surfing during some rough moments I had in my journey where this dream of becoming a professional surfer truly seemed impossible.
Is 25 years old too late to start?
– Absolutely not! It is never too late to start surfing, I have witnessed people over 65 years old trying it for the first time and having a lot of fun, so don’t let age get in the way of you finding your passion for this sport!
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