My name is Tim Elter, 22 years of age. I’m an island boy from German parents who grew up on Fuerteventura. I lived there full-time until I finished school. After that, I moved to France to fulfill my dream of becoming a pro surfer. I fly around the globe for around 7 months a year to compete, train, satisfy sponsors and make and show my film projects. At the same time I manage to make a living out of it while I try to squeeze an exam for uni, here and there.

Lately I’ve been injured. I have a fiscal hernia in my lower back, so I dedicate a few hours a day to recover as quick as I can, I do yoga stretching and physiotherapy. I stay away from alcohol as well, since it really dehydrates you. The rest of the day I’m fishing at sea or spearfishing, doing BBQs with my mates or eating bocadillos in town.

I always have and always will feel the most at home when I’m actually at home. I know every wind and swell direction, every tide, and every pattern that's good for my waves at home. I feel connected to these waves, the people, and the feeling of home. The more I travel, the more I see the beauty in the place of my origins. I’m usually in France from March to November; the offseason I spend at home as much as I can.

Honestly, no wins for now. I feel like my surfing has stagnated over the last 3 to 4 months. I was preparing for the ISA Worlds, which meant more time in the gym and more recovery time between sessions. This resulted in less surfing. I know I don’t need to be surfing a lot to show my best surfing in competition, since it comes down to extreme mental and physical endurance. However, it always plays a factor in my technical aspects. After the ISA, I was told to relax for a bit. I got sick a few times, and then I started having issues with my back. Now it’s time to focus on my rehab. I know I’ll be back soon, and I’m really keen to reach a new technical level, which I need before I can take any steps toward the bigger leagues.

Professionally, I want to train my technical surfing and join the snowboarders for trampoline training, which I can later implement in my air game. Privately, I want to shoot some big-ass fish and play more poker with my mates.

In competitive surfing, Leon Glatzer inspired me for many years, since he’s the first German Olympic surfer. He opened the door for German surfing to believe in this dream. I was blessed to grow up around him in the surfing world. He always had good advice for me during my Olympic run.
In freesurfing, Russell Bierke is nuts. He paddles into some unbelievable waves and takes off really late on pretty long boards. That guy is a real core lord hahaha. He especially inspires me for Aileens, a wave in Ireland that I’ve already surfed and will go back to again.

On a daily basis, my yoga routine and my diary humble me and relax my mind. When I’m at home in the Canaries, spearfishing is really humbling to me. You can’t be more exposed to nature while hunting for food than when you’re spearfishing. Picture yourself at 15 meters depth with your head in a cave, trying to shoot a fish that you’ll eat the same night with your family or friends. To me, it’s really humbling because I completely leave my element and put my life in danger to provide food for myself and others. It’s so primitive that it makes me feel like a human from ancient times. The only focus is to find food, and I only shoot the fish I want to eat.

Yoga, breakfast and then either surf or gym. I have no issues to get out of bed, which saves me a lot of time I’d say.

Spearfishing, driving out to sea with the boat, cooking or chess. All of these activities are always sweeter with good mates around.

My little analog camera.

I do nothing, I eat and sleep, I don’t even surf.

I can be brutally honest and I have feelings ahahaha.

Probably another extreme sport. My mind works in a way where it needs the excessive rush to be satisfied.

I’m always chasing a better version of myself. Someone more empathetic, more caring about what matters, less caring about what doesn’t, more disciplined, and more focused on my goals. I’m doing all I can to qualify for LA28, and I’d like to win a QS. Other than that, I’m chasing happiness, but who isn’t?

The best advice for surfing I’ve received is from sport psych “Your desire to win has to be bigger than your fear of losing”
And for life from my dad: “When is life actually fulfilled?”

With any random 9-to-5 factory worker from Frankfurt in January. After that, I’d have a much greater sense of gratefulness.

Probably a disgusting amount of burgers and fries with a large number of beers, with a few mates.

What was first? The egg or the chicken? Why?