NoveNove Maui Aloha Classic Day 7 – Catching up with Quatro and Goya

by American Windsurfing Tour on 4 Nov 2015 Day seven of the NoveNove Maui Aloha Classic turned out to be another lay day. The wind kicked in nicely, but the waves were just not there at Ho’okipa. Event organizers are strategically watching the forecast and are counting on improving conditions as the week goes on. There will be a skippers meeting at 10:30 AM tomorrow for Amateurs, Masters, and Youth divisions.

Without any competition, the riders and spectators had a plethora of activities to partake in. Since the wind filled in nicely there was a good crew of people sailing. AWT photographer, Si Crowther couldn’t help himself but get in the water for some shots.

With the lay day in full effect, we were able to catch up with our friends at the Quatro/Goya facility located in the Cannery. Brand manager, AWT rider, and fourth place finisher of the single elimination, Vickey Abbott was nice enough to show us around. Quatro was founded in 1994 by Keith Teboul and some close friends while Goya was founded by Francisco Goya almost 10 years later. As Keith and friends outgrew their makeshift factory, they moved into their current location, at the Pauwela Cannery, in 2002.

The Quatro/Goya facility is your one stop shop for all your wave riding needs. Goya sails, Quatro and Goya boards, loads of prototypes, KT Surf boards, and SUP surfboards line the walls and show floor. The space is bustling from the moment we stepped in the door. Customers on the sales floor, Teboul working on board designs, head judge Duncan Coombs picking up a surfboard to demo, the CNC machine cutting blanks, graphic design in the office, glassing boards upstairs, etc.

In between competing, designing custom boards, hand shaping boards, and everything else the wave rider does, we had the chance to catch a few thoughts from Keith Teboul:

You were in a really tough heat in the double elimination and actually led the heat until that last wave. Can you walk us through your thoughts while sailing that heat?

Generally I try not to over-think things on the water, I just try to focus on catching the best waves I can find and riding them the best I can. From experience I can say that sometimes you think you passed and you haven’t and vice versa, so nowadays I just try to keep an open mind. I did make a tactical mistake at the end, I knew I only had 1.38 on the clock with the upwind priority, I should have stalled a little but I went on what I thought was a wave, it didn’t form up and the rest of the riders caught the set … that’s how these things go!!

You still have some ripping team riders in the running. Who do you have your money on as we look to finish the double elimination bracket?

I’d put my money on both Levi Siver and Brawzinho pulling this out of the bag, they are both extremely talented, psyched up and ready to take the challenge. I think especially if the trades kick in like its forecast the end of the week should see some epic riding from our guys.

What are your thoughts on the conditions at the beginning of the holding period? Have you seen conditions at Ho'okipa like that for an Aloha Classic before?

It was defiantly tough and challenging, pretty much as big as Ho’okipa can handle but the waves were clean and lining up so it allowed the guys to go out and push the limits. It was a good call from the judges to run. I don’t think I can recall another event like it at Ho’okipa.

It looks like we have a swell in the forecast for the end of this week. How do you think the wind and waves will line up as we get into the second half of the holding period? The forecast looks promising for Friday and Saturday with the trade winds kicking back in. Hopefully, the trades will show their head and allow the heavier guys to prove what they’ve got.