My name is Tim Elter, and I am 22 years old. I’m an island boy born to German parents who grew up on Fuerteventura, where I lived full-time until I finished school. After that, I moved to France to pursue my dream of becoming a professional surfer. I spend around seven months a year traveling the globe to compete, train, work with sponsors, and create and showcase film projects. At the same time, I manage to make a living from it while squeezing in university exams here and there.

Lately, I’ve been injured. I have a herniated disc in my lower back, so I dedicate a few hours a day to recovering as quickly as I can, doing yoga, stretching, and physiotherapy. I also stay away from alcohol, as it’s very dehydrating. The rest of the day, I’m either fishing at sea or spearfishing, having BBQs with my mates, or eating bocadillos in town.

I have always felt and always will feel most at home when I’m actually at home. I know every wind and swell direction, every tide, and every pattern that works for my waves there. I feel deeply connected to these waves, the people, and the sense of home they give me. The more I travel, the more I recognize the beauty of the place I come from. I’m usually in France from March to November. During the offseason, I spend as much time at home as I can.

Honestly, there have been no wins so far. I feel like my surfing has stagnated over the past three to four months. I was preparing for the ISA Worlds, which meant spending more time in the gym and allowing more recovery time between sessions. This resulted in less time spent surfing. I know I don’t need to surf a lot to show my best performance in competition, since it comes down to strong mental and physical endurance. However, time in the water always plays a role in my technical development. 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 taking any steps toward the bigger leagues.

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

In competitive surfing, Leon Glatzer inspired me for many years, as he is the first German Olympic surfer. He opened the door for German surfing to believe in this dream. I was fortunate to grow up around him in the surfing world, and he always gave me good advice during my Olympic run.

In freesurfing, Russell Bierke is nuts. He paddles into unbelievable waves and takes off really late on relatively long boards. That guy is a real core lord. He especially inspires me when it comes to Aileens, a wave in Ireland that I’ve already surfed and definitely plan to return to.

On a daily basis, my yoga routine and my diary humble me and help calm my mind. When I’m at home in the Canary Islands, spearfishing is especially humbling for me. You can’t be more exposed to nature while hunting for food than when you’re spearfishing. Imagine being 15 meters deep, with your head inside a cave, trying to shoot a fish that you’ll eat that same night with your family or friends. To me, it’s deeply humbling because I completely leave my comfort zone and put myself 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 finding food, and I only shoot the fish I intend to eat.

Yoga, breakfast, and then either surfing or the gym. I have no trouble getting out of bed, which I’d say saves me a lot of time.

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

My little analog camera.

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

I can be brutally honest, but I do have feelings, hahaha.

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

I’m always chasing a better version of myself. Someone more empathetic, more caring about what truly matters, less concerned with what doesn’t, more disciplined, and more focused on my goals. I’m doing everything 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 I’ve received for surfing came from my sport psychology: “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 gratitude.

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

What came first, the chicken or the egg, and why?