BEYOND THE PODIUM: WHAT BRANDS REALLY WANT FROM RIDERS!
BEYOND THE PODIUM: WHAT BRANDS REALLY WANT FROM RIDERS!
BEYOND THE PODIUM: WHAT BRANDS REALLY WANT FROM RIDERS!
Andrea Cucchi from Point 7 gives his take on what makes a rider worth sponsoring.
In modern windsurfing, sponsorship is no longer just about podium finishes. With social media and constant digital storytelling reshaping the sport, the role of a professional rider has evolved far beyond simply winning races. Few people understand this shift better than Andrea Cucchi, founder of Point-7 and a man that has sponsored world champions, as well as lower ranked riders that put in the grind.
Having worked with world champions, rising talents and some of the sport’s biggest personalities, Cucchi has spent decades deciding who earns a place on the team…and why. In this conversation, he shares his honest perspective on what brands truly look for in sponsored riders today, why passion still matters more than statistics and how the balance between results, visibility and value for customers has changed. From letting top riders go, to building long-term partnerships and developing sails with the world’s best, Cucchi gives a candid look at the realities of sponsorship in modern windsurfing.
Photos: Inna Bru / Point 7 / PWA Carter
WINDSURF: When you sponsor a rider what do you look out for when picking a sailor to join the team?
ANDREA CUCCHI: Effort, results and media used to be our focus. At least two of these three points had to be fulfilled. Today it is even harder for riders.
Now the real question is: why should a client be interested in following this rider? What will he give to our clients? With all the channels available today, whether you finish first or last you can still produce your own content and be visible. The rider who can tell his story better and create more interesting content for the clients will be more valuable for the brand.
Why do we sponsor? To sell more, to give extra service to our clients and to bring value to the brand. If you win but remain invisible, give nothing back to our clients and do not put the same energy into the project as the rest of the team, then it is far from the mentality required to be part of the project.
WINDSURF: You seem to have a knack for spotting potential of future top-level riders…how do you get to spot the potential of a new rider?
ANDREA CUCCHI: It is quite simple. You need to see that he truly enjoys windsurfing. I love windsurfing, if it is windy I cannot work. I need to go on the water to test, train, feel the sport. It’s still part of my job, but of my fun too. 10 minutes can be even enough if I really have no time. Then later I’m happy to work even till 3am to recover time spent on the water. Often in my session, I saw kids who stayed till last gust, or like the parents angry with them as they cannot get off the water in the dark…they come out from the water with fire in their eyes… these are the right guys.
If someone starts talking about how many sessions he did in one day, how many hours he spent on the water, or how tired he is after the gym, usually it means he did not enjoy it. No fun means no success. Some athletes do sports because they love the competition or the idea to be a pro, but they might not actually enjoy the sport itself. That is the wrong mindset if you want to become strong, either on YouTube or on the racecourse.
WINDSURF: What do you expect a rider to do for the brand and what will you do to help them?
ANDREA CUCCHI: If I do not see effort, I completely lose interest and I would not give one minute of my time. That rider will not stay longer than one year on the team does not matter if they are champions or not. My team in the office and behind the scenes works without looking at the hours they do. They feel they are part of the brand and part of the project to make Point-7 the best. This is how we all work. I cannot have a team rider who gets paid and does not respect their work. The rider has to feel the same. If their priority is to do four PWA events and then disappear for the rest of the year, we have no interest. The rider should be excited to do as many events as possible because he enjoys them. He should want to promote the sport, bring fans closer to windsurfing, motivate them to improve and spend more time on the water, not just promote his own ego. If their effort is there, we are the first to give more budget, gear, technical support, more development to their feedback. In the past, personally, I gave up my racing at the event and started caddying as they deserved the extra help to go get that title they worked for. I jumped in the car and drove 2400 km to give them the chance to test the latest prototype to have them feel safe with the changes. It’s give and take. No first ladies.
WINDSURF: How important is it that they are a solid ambassador for the brand on social media etc?
ANDREA CUCCHI: It is about one third of their job, but what matters most is what you post. Of course we are happy to see riders windsurfing, but we can also see that from our friend next door. A photo of the gear on the beach is something anyone can post. The content needs to bring something more to the community.
WINDSURF: Would you rather have a champion like Johan Soe or an exceptional social media / You Tuber like Nico Prien promoting the brand on the team?
ANDREA CUCCHI: When we had Johan Soe on the team, he was the young talent who surprised everyone by beating champions in the events he entered. This created a lot of noise and great visibility for the brand. Later he decided to focus on IQ and his Olympic campaign and roads were not the same anymore. For our brand this made him less visible to our audience, because of course he had other priorities. So we stopped sponsoring him, even though we knew that if he showed up at an event he could beat almost anyone we might sponsor. For brand to sponsor such a champion is a high responsibility and hard work, as the gear performance needs to support his level.
Nico Prien, on the other hand, constantly creates value. He shows new spots, promotes his gear daily, gives tips, organizes clinics and takes clients behind the scenes at events. All these projects create continuous engagement. His great skills, make his videos, tips and communication very reliable to clients, and a brand has a high responsibility to take advantage of his great work.
Winning events is great. But at the end of the day we have to ask who gives more value to the clients and fans of the brand. Johan can make users proud to use the product. Nico gives useful content that enriches windsurfing knowledge.
WINDSURF: How much do you rely on your team riders to help develop new sails?
ANDREA CUCCHI: It is very important to have their feedback. They are the ones pushing the sails to the extreme and they can explain what could be improved. Then its in my case my responsibility to test the product myself, understand what they mean, and transfer this feeling into the change to be done in one exact point in the sail on the cad files. But the feedback needs to be precise. If they say, that they need a faster sail, thank you, who would not want it… that is useless feedback. If they explain what disturbs them or what they feel while sailing, then I can work on improving the sail and make them more comfortable, which ultimately makes them faster. Very few riders can give really good feedback. Sometimes less talented riders have a better feeling for their equipment because they rely more on it to improve their performance.
WINDSURF: Has the whole business of sponsorship changed recently now there is a bit less money involved in the sport?
ANDREA CUCCHI: It depends on what the rider offers. As I said before, you can win, but if your victories do not increase sales, it becomes difficult to justify paying good money. The same applies if your media presence does not generate sales. If your results excite customers, if your videos attract people who want to buy the product, if your clinics or YouTube content convert views into participation and sales, then you become more valuable. The riders business, it’s now working for the brand to generate sales. I once had sponsors outside windsurfing who told me clearly: you want 10,000 euros free tickets, help us sell 20,000 euros tickets to your community. Very far from getting up, 6 hours on the water 2 in the gym and racing. It is give and take. Today sponsorship is not only about image. It has to convert into sales.
WINDSURF: How does it feel when one of your riders wins a race or a world title?
ANDREA CUCCHI: The first time a rider wins with your sails it is an amazing feeling. It means you found the right synergy, the right harmony and both sides respected the work that was done. Winning a second title is even harder. Everyone who came close wants revenge. They will study your equipment and your moves, so you need to raise your level even higher. But success is not only about titles. Sometimes finishing tenth with a lot of effort can be more meaningful than finishing second without pushing hard, especially if the rider was twentieth the year before.
WINDSURF: How tough was it to let a top rider like Johan Soe leave the team?
ANDREA CUCCHI: Personally, I had tears.
When you work together with a rider for years, checking every detail and putting a lot of time into the project with the same passion, it is very hard to let them go. You become friends and spend a lot of time together on the beach and on the water. You both give everything to make success possible. Often this success also involves other people behind the scenes and the support of the rest of the team. But eventually you need to be realistic and ask if the collaboration still transfers into sales and value for the brand.
WINDSURF: For Point 7 how many riders do you ideally like to have on the team?
ANDREA CUCCHI: We can have many riders. It really depends on what they bring to the brand and to our clients. Some riders help our clients improve their fitness. Some coach clients to improve their technical level. Some create YouTube content. Others mainly focus on product development. In recent years there were not many events for pure competition, so having one rider per discipline worked well. But if racing grows again we would be happy to bring more riders per discipline on board.
WINDSURF: Do you feel like many sailors can make a career out of being a pro windsurfer these days?
ANDREA CUCCHI: Yes, but they need to diversify what they do. Results and prize money are not where the money is anymore. Counting only on prize money actually blocks the possibility of becoming a professional windsurfer. There are still a few riders with strong support from brands, but that will probably become even rarer. That does not mean riders cannot earn a living. They just need to build income through coaching, media, events and other activities around the sport. There are influencers who are nobody on social making amazing money. Sure, it takes skills that might not be liked or against the philosophy of I want to train and win…and f…. the rest.
WINDSURF: Do you expect your team riders to all the events on the PWA tour or can local events or events like the Defi work just as well?
ANDREA CUCCHI: The PWA season starts at the end of July, when the sales season is almost finished. From a sales point of view, it has limited value today, which is a pity. I really hope things will change. Events like the Defi are fantastic. They connect fun racing, professional riders and our clients. You have exhibitions, parties and the whole windsurfing lifestyle around it. This kind of event is what keeps the sport alive and helps it grow. Wasn’t this what windsurfing was about. I remember when I started PWA in the 90’s, each rider was very special. They all had their strong crazy looks, style, image…it all kind of died and become flat. Yes, also party animals, and the next day I could not believe how fit and focused they were. I don’t make names, but I’m sure we can all think of many names.
WINDSURF: Are sailors getting paid as much these days as the old days?
ANDREA CUCCHI: The platforms that used to promote racing results are not as strong as they used to be. Because of that it is harder for riders to earn good money purely from competition. Some youtubers get more than those making results. So the few who do both are those who make still ok money. I understand the frustration, because in the past winning events could bring strong financial support with only one focus. Unfortunately, things have changed.
WINDSURF: What advice would you give an up and coming rider who is looking to approach a brand for sponsorship?
ANDREA CUCCHI: When I was twenty, I was sponsored by O’Neill and they gave me a book on how to be a good promoter for the brand. At that time, I had to send weekly reports with photos, stories and results. I fought to be on the magazines, tried to give back what was given to me. Many of those things seemed normal, but today they often do not happen anymore. Contracts are hardly respected, in my times we had big fines in the contracts.
Nowadays some riders almost feel offended if the brand does not ask how things are going. The mindset should be the opposite. Be proactive. Be part of the brand. Bring ideas, feedback and opportunities to your sponsors. The brand should not have doubts why the sponsor you.
WINDSURF: Describe the perfect team rider?
ANDREA CUCCHI: Taty Frans. He loves windsurfing. He is smiling all the time. He is having fun on the water. He cares that the gear work and is good for his clients, followers, his racing and to feel proud that his sponsors offer the best gear. Available to travel, test and race any events because he loves the windsurfing vibe and challenges no matter the level. He does not post his energy and love for the sport that gives motivation to go on the water and jibe like he does. He has his centre, he has his clients test our gear and pushes client to discover the brand.
Riders need to love windsurfing and share that passion with the windsurf community through content that people find useful, motivating and inspiring. We have a lot of riders like this. Josep Pons, Sasha, Cookie, Bob, Matteo, Arxon, Tycho, Temu, Jimmy, Eric and many more.
WINDSURF: Do you think the money you pay for sponsored riders actually comes back in sale or is it all about brand awareness?
ANDREA CUCCHI: Depends on the riders and on the discipline. Now that PWA needs to restructure, for sure we prefer to focus on riders who are able to bring back in sales, as they offer the information and support the clients need.
WINDSURF: Have you ever seen a correlation between having a world champion and an increase in sales / new customers or a drop in sales after a rider has left the brand?
ANDREA CUCCHI: Not at all in both cases. There are a lot of ingredients which build a brand. We had Matteo Iachino who won the world championship, but at that time we were not able to grow our brand due to other structural organization points we had to be ready with, so we could not take advantage of the situation. We took out Johan Soe as he decided to share his time also with IQ racing, and due to innovations and services we were able to offer, we increased sales even if he left. Sometimes you align many points and you have an increase of sales. Most important is to stay sharp on the product you offer and services to make your clients feel supported and loved. Credibility is important and this is why we focus only on windsurfing rigs, without losing focus. For our brand is also a bit different as I’m a super active windsurfer with a strong team on top of the riders, I stand behind the development myself in and out of the water, so we have a very steady and strong brand, which is not depending purely from riders.
WINDSURF: Can a brand survive without sponsoring any riders or without a flagship big name on the team?
ANDREA CUCCHI: “Today there are many more marketing options than in the past. But a sport without competition, without riders and without racing becomes much less interesting and exciting.
You need competitions and you need riders to keep the sport alive. They create motivation for people to follow the sport, get on the water and try to improve.
We have also seen brands disappear when they stopped supporting riders. And honestly, it would also make our work a lot more boring.”
WINDSURF: How come you did not continue with Amado Vrieswijk this season?
ANDREA CUCCHI: “We decided not to continue the sponsorship with Amado, as logistics and objectives were no longer aligned with both our needs and his. At the moment, the PWA is going through a transitional phase and will likely need a couple of years to confirm stable growth in terms of events.
For this reason, sponsoring established top 5 riders whose main focus is competing in the PWA to secure podium results is not a priority for us right now. The uncertainty around the calendar and organization makes it difficult to justify that type of investment.
Instead, we are shifting our marketing budget towards riders who are more actively involved in supporting product development and working closely with us to improve what we offer to our customers.
This direction is clearly reflected in our recent developments. We have introduced a full range of Qbond body seamless production sails, the first of this kind on the market, along with a completely new construction also applied to our stitched sails. We have also launched new models such as the Rush-1 and the 9+ and implemented many practical improvements across our rig components.
This approach allows us to focus on innovation and deliver real value to our clients.
At the same time, we remain open to supporting young talents who are willing to work hard, as we have always done over the years. Looking at today’s top 10 riders, many of them have grown within our program from a young age.
We currently have a strong group of young riders who are also contributing significantly to product development, such as Bob and Matteo, among others. The selection of young talents happens naturally: those who are committed and willing to put in the work grow within the team, and their results follow accordingly.”
WINDSURF: Would you rather have one big hitter like Kai Lenny on the brand or a team of solid workhorses with mediocre results?
ANDREA CUCCHI: “We always go back to the same question: how much does the flagship rider engage with the clients? How visible are they and what activities do they do to promote the products?
The difference between a top rider who might achieve top results at four events a year and solid workhorses who work every day for the brand makes the choice quite clear. If a big name does not only focus on racing but also supports the brand through other activities, then that can be gold.
However, if the rider’s name becomes stronger than the brand itself, it can sometimes take over the spotlight and that can become a disadvantage.
For clients, having a top rider using a brand used to be like a stamp of approval that the product works. But over the years we have also seen top riders switching brands more for financial reasons, so this has lost a bit of credibility. Often this is even the first comment you hear on the beach.
In the end, I think the best solution is a combination. It also depends on what the brand needs at that moment, how many events are on the tour and how good the top rider is at multitasking beyond competition.”
POINT-7 | The Darkside of Windsurf
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