Other arrangements for booking transport and reserving a meal that evening should be made through Carlos at Cafe Creolo.

Mitu… Why Mitu ?
To begin with, it was Nitu, a nickname given by my mother. But my aunt and grandmother could never remember it and called me Mitu. As time went by, the whole village remembered Mitu, so it stayed.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, in general, from when you were a kid until now?
My first contact with the sea when I was four or five years old, with my uncle. I was actually frightened by it (the sea). By the time I was six, I would go fishing or playing with small boats (cuttlefish and wooden sticks) on my own in the lakes created by the shore break that gets stuck inland. When I was seven, I got on a bodyboard for the first time. It belonged to a South-African and as soon as I was on the wave, I fell in love with it. I immediately tried to surf on a windsurf board. I bodyboarded until I was twelve years old, taking part in every single local competition and winning most of them! Whenever I had some free time, I was in the water. Then my interest turned to windsurfing as there were more and more windsurfing tourists arriving in Sal every winter. Back then, it was hard to learn and after a few attempts with a garbage bag as a sail, my aunt offered me a real board. From that moment, I learned quickly and in 2003, I was taking part in my first PWA international competition in Pozzo.

And kitesurfing?!
Hold on, I’m getting there! At that time, kiting was starting to appear and in 2001 I got my first 2-line & a directional board. Right after, I got myself a 4-line. Once I was sixteen I started working in a windsurf centre and I was kiting, windsurfing and surfing. In 2003, I ranked 5th at one of the first legs of the Wave Masters of KPWT. Back then, it wasn’t easy to ride Ponta Preta with a kite with the off-shore wind and the wings with no real depower but we were already exploiting the site differently than what we could do in windsurf. After breaking a lot of very expensive windsurf equipment, Kitesurfing became a much more interesting option even though we still didn’t have good directional-strapped boards. A regular board was good enough and each session brought new sensations.

And your introduction to competition?
In 2005, F-One started giving me some equipment, which really helped me to progress more and more each session. In 2006, I went to Como, Italy for my first freestyle competition. I ranked 9th, same thing the following year, 7th in freestyle and 5th in race. I went on to Guincho but there was no wind. I dropped the competition because I had no sponsor to carry on the tour; here, it’s not easy to find sponsors and it’s expensive to travel to Europe. It’s at that moment that Jerome got me back on track and helped me with the sponsors so that I could participate in all the stages of the Wave Master 2008. At the same time, I was opening my own kite school in the Italian hotel Vila do Farol (Bravo Club). In Portugal, last summer, I won the titles of Water Man and Wave Master of the KPWT. I gained a huge amount of experience from the other competitors. I’m the first Capeverdean to win a World Title in a watersport and it was a real national pride.

You’ve travelled quite a lot. Looking back, what do you think about your country, kite-wise and life-wise?
My island is a paradise for kiting. We have all sorts of conditions, off-shore, on-shore side-winds, portside, starboard side, lefts and rights… There are 10 islands in Cape Verde, each one different from the others with an amazing landscape, quietness and a good climate to live well, no stress!

Your island has been changing a lot these past few years, what’s your view on this?
Every year, there is more construction and more people living on the island. On one part, it’s advantageous since it brings a lot of jobs but on the other side, it’s destroying the landscape and it’s beauty. The government is aware of the importance of the watersports and wants to get more involved… But it’s clear that the first thing they need to do is to preserve our spots.

Living in Cape Verde, how do you go from the kid who watches to the kid who rides?
By freely taking a step towards the ocean…

Where did your love for the waves come from?
From bodyboarding.

What do you like so much about waveriding?
Finding the tube, I think.

You’ve developed a particular style, aerial, feline. You use the power of the wave but also the power of the kite. Where did that style come from?
I think it’s a mix of all the watersports I’ve tried, probably also combined with my knowledge of the ocean.

Why do you think you are so comfortable in waves?
It’s a very beautiful, very pure sensation of fusion. You have to experience it to understand. It’s hard to explain.

Are you scared confronted with heavy conditions? You give the impression to have demystified all that…
You’re right, I’m not scared. However, I’m very respectful therefore conscious of the risks. After the first wave, it’s gone…

What relationship do you have with the sea?
The ocean is my source of energy; the noise and the power of the waves, the wind and the sun contribute to my peace of mind and my confidence when I’m riding the waves.

Describe riding the wave at Ponta Preta?
The wave is very fast and the wind almost always off. It’s therefore very hard for re-entry tricks. It’s a wave with a lot of down-the-line to place your bottom in order to hit the lip of the wave at thedeepest point of the break. Then you have to slow down to find the tube if that section allows it.
The greatest danger is if your kite goes down – if the kite starts surfing on the lip of the wave, you end up getting dragged underwater, which can be painful!

What does your World Champion title represent to you?
The title is very important since it opens a door for the young Capeverdean athletes. There are many young talents here but very few sponsors and no structure to supervise them. It’s also a great pride for my country.

I know that you have a special relationship with Raphaël Salles?
Raph has been coming here to Sal for a long time. At first, I only knew who he was when Jerome, who uses and represents F-One in Cape Verde, introduced me to him. That’s how I started using his wings. I love his style in the waves and I learned a lot by watching him to improve my own. He’s an adept of work well-done and I’m the same. Maybe that’s why we get along so great.

What kind of board do you ride?
Bambu 5.6 strapped for big waves, choppy water and a strong wind to be as radical as possible in my manoeuvres.
Bambu 6.0 Strapless in light winds to use more the power of the wave with the board.

Strap, strapless, hooked, unhooked, how do you ride?
It really depends on the conditions but generally in descending order: Strap, hooked, strapless, unhooked.

What makes a quality session for you?
Being able to make the most of the wave’s energy. You have to be able to exploit each opportunity of the break to make manoeuvres and feel in harmony with the sea.

Which is the nicest wave you’ve ridden?
Fontana and Ponta Preta.

You’re one of the best strapless freestyle riders… You do that while you wait for the waves or is it a real passion as well?
I do that a lot when there’s very little wind, to learn new tricks that I can integrate later in the waves.

Your favourite freestyle trick at the moment?
F-16, kite loop, back loop strapless.

What are you hoping for in the future?
To improve forever and always, always riding more quality waves and to keep on travelling. And then to make my kite school tour.

Can you comment on the photo session we just had?
Nothing else than yet another perfect session in my back garden…

One more thing… Why are all women crazy about you?
I had never noticed… But if you say so, I’ll pay more attention from now on.

Thanks Mitu

Source: Stance Mag France
Translation from French: Yseult Laganière (y_laganiere@hotmail.com)

Images:
Front Image & Profile shot: Courtesy of Pascal Laborde
All other images: Courtesy F-one/Gilles Calvet

The best Surfwear and Surf/kite gear place in town. Tout’ Sab Surf Shop Sal
www.caboverdewaveriding.com

Villa Praihina: Beachfront accommodation in Santa Maria
www.caboverdewaveriding.com

Looking for pictures of your daily water sports in Sal?
www.pontapreta.net

Click on the image of Titik Lopes to view the final top 10 event standings for the 2009 competition.

Titik Lopes

This exclusive event based at the jewel of the Atlantic “Ponta Preta” has become renowned for its big waves, big air and big action. Ponta Preta has gained a reputation worldwide as the absolute best location for wave riding and has quickly developed as a must visit location for windsurfers worldwide. Ponta Pretas natural stadium was created in a way that the waves break perfectly down the rocky point only meters from spectators and journalists, making for one of the most exciting shows on the planet.

Josh Angulo Flying High

Fans get the chance to be within shouting distance of competitors flying 30 feet above the waves, massive wipeouts, and glorious moments in windsurfing’s history which have been generated by this natural amphitheatre feel that only Ponta Preta can provide… 2007 Champion and 2008 runner-up, Josh Angulo comments on this close proximity to the crowd“ In the finals in 2007, I could hear the crowd yelling on every wave, I got such an uplifting power from my home crowd that it gave me extra strength to win the event that year, as well in 2008, although I got second, I can still remember hearing the voice of my wife and son and family and friends that were only meters away from where we were riding the waves, once again that gave me the strength to lift up my game and do my very best… Ponta Preta is like no place in the world.”
Schedule

Defending Champion Kauli Seadi

February 13
20:00 Ceremonia de abertura. Dj and festa “flippado”

February 14
Dia de Enamoradas | Valentines day
10:00 Competition start
14:00 Football Championship (Group A)
15:00 Football Championship (Group B)
20:00 Group Musical de “Peso”

February 15
10:00 Competition start
14:00 Campeonato de Futebol (Group C)
15:00 Campeonato de Futebol (Group D)
20:00 Party Starts. DJs & Live Musix

February 16Harmony
10:00 Competition start
16:00 Live music
21:00 Djs start

February 17
10:00 Competition start
16:00 Football Championship quarter finals
17:00 Quartas finais

February 18
10:00 Competition start
20:00 Beach Party Birimbau na Starts. Live music… djs de “peso”

February 19
10:00 Competition start
16:00 Football Championship Semi-finals

Ladies, ladies, ladies…February 20
10:00 Competition start
20:00 Party “so bomba”

February 21
10:00 Competition start
11:00 Football Champioship 3rd / 4th place Drummers on Sal
12:00 Football Championship Final
21:00 Closing Ceremony

About the Event
The Cabo Verde Windsurfing World Championships was born as a dream by windsurf legend, Josh Angulo, who fell in Love with Cabo Verde, Ponta Preta and the people of Cabo Verde in his first visit in January of 1998. Josh’s love affair of riding the perfect waves at Ponta Preta, many times alone, formed into a dream of realizing and winning a World Championship event in Cabo Verde. As Josh was and currently is a full time professional windsurfer, he had yet to share with his new found friends and family that extent of what this windsurfing was about and dreamed of showing Cabo Verde to the world and bringing the world to Cabo Verde. His dreams of competing against the best windsurfers in the world at the best spot in the world finally became a reality in 2007.

Images Courtesy: PWA/John Carter