by Henry Goldmann / Photos: Bernhard Knell
Enjoying retirement and having fun. That’s how we got to know our reader Henry Goldmann . Excuse me, Doctor Henry Goldmann. Henry has achieved something in his life and has been enjoying stand up paddling for over ten years. When he asked us if he could send his story, of course we immediately said yes and took a look. It turned out that Henry has been paddling for as long as Stand Up Magazine has been around, and he even got to meet one of the great pioneers in the sport. It was immediately clear that we could not withhold his story from our readers. Especially because Henry is not one of those pensioners who sits in the park all day feeding pigeons, but because he goes out on the water – even in winter.
Aloha, dear SUP community! Read my story as your possible vision of what you can look forward to in the next decade or two of your SUP life!
It started for me in spring 2010, with a photo from a glossy magazine: Leonardo di Caprio next to his pretty girlfriend, both standing on a SUP, with a big smile, and the text: “Leonardo di Caprio
discovered stand up paddling in Hawaii.” From then on, I discovered the very few SUP riders on Lake Zurich and it was clear to me: “I want to try it too.” I was 61 years old at the time.
This was followed by a basic and advanced course during the 2011 summer vacation at Lake Wörthersee in Austria. There I met Peter Bartl a year later, in 2012, at a SUP race of the SUP Tour Austria (I came third), a very special experience! “Learn from the best” is a motto, so I booked a private lesson with him. We enjoyed each other’s company and I was his oldest SUP student at the time. He gave me his booklet “Trendsport Stand Up Paddling” (1st edition Mar 2011) with a dedication, which has a place of honor in my library!
Since then I’ve been paddling regularly, first with a hardboard I rented for six months, then I bought a used inflatable (a giant machine), later two no-name boards and then at the boardshop
“supswiss” by Marc Maurer in Zurich, another hardboard Coreban, especially for winter boarding
In the meantime, I had become so experienced that I regularly offered taster courses for hotel guests at our vacation hotel on Lake Wörthersee, for my own pleasure! Here’s a little digression: I even led a totally ambitious 95 kg top bank manager to success, from which we can conclude: anything is possible if you have the necessary ambition.
Maybe it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I paddle all year round, in winter with a modern,
lightweight wetsuit, underneath so much Odlo underwear that I never really freeze (assuming I paddle without falling
). Let me share three individual highlights from my career:
In 2016, I was in New York and paddled across the Hudson River and back – with a professional instructor at my side, because that’s the only way it’s allowed there due to the heavy and strictly right-of-way boat traffic.
Think back to Corona, when many sports were banned. So I made the most of the time and circumnavigated the whole of Lake Zurich in 12 stages: by car to the starting point, then paddling for two to three hours to the stage destination, from there by public transport back to the car, by car to the stage destination, loading up the board and back home!
Forbidden little paddling events give you a good kick: In Barcelona, we waited for the ferry to Mallorca. I used this break to paddle around the harbor of Barcelona in a forbidden way: I entered the water very quickly (jump start!) so that no one could stop me, paddled through various harbor basins for 30 minutes, then quickly returned to land and back to the car!
quickly ashore and back to the car!
I’ll also tell you about my two “lowlight adventures”:
The Limmat flows through the middle of Zurich from the lake, a river with very different currents depending on the weather.
depending on the weather. On a cold November day, I underestimated this current and, coming from the lake, wanted to turn off before the “MĂĽnsterbrĂĽcke” bridge; but the current swept me along, under the bridge and into the no-go zone. In the end, I just managed to hold on to a jetty, but the board was pulled out from under my feet by the current and luckily got stuck between two piles, but was damaged. And I, plunged into the water, just managed to cling on to the planks, was pulled ashore by passers-by, managed to hoist the board up and then had myself picked up from home.
It was deep winter, snow on the roofs, and I wanted to take on water in the small “Enge harbor”. But when the board was already in the water, I was approached by an admiring passer-by – and the board had already slipped away, lying lonely on the water in this small harbor. What to do? Because it was winter, there was no other boat in sight. With all my courage, I called the water police and they actually came to the rescue and fished out my board. As a thank you, I brought a box of chocolates to the marine police station the next day.
Micro-interview with Henry
Aloha Henry,
Thank you for being such a loyal reader of Stand Up Magazine. I just realized here that you’ve been paddling as long as I’ve been writing about the sport. When you mentioned Peter Bartl in your story, it brought back some old memories. Why don’t you briefly tell us what it was like to take a course with Peter Bartl back then?
We were on vacation at Lake Wörthersee in the summer of 2012. There was an Austrian SUP Tour Race at the same time and there was a guest race. I was 63 and signed up and unexpectedly came third. Peter Bartl was there and he was the linchpin of the event and I approached him. I then took a course with him, it was only half an hour and I learned so much. Peter showed me a lot of finesses and then he gave me his workbook as a gift. He was a special guy and a pioneer. I still have the book here with me.
You seem to be a really tough paddler. How was your winter this year, how often did you get out on the water?
Unfortunately, I’ve only been out on the water six times this winter. The main thing in winter is sun and no wind, but I don’t mind temperatures. It’s just important to have the right clothing. Then I usually go to the Enge harbor near where I live. It’s almost the most beautiful in winter because you’re so alone on the lake. There’s something very special about the winter atmosphere and the cold water in the lake is much calmer than the warm water in summer.
As well as paddling a lot yourself, do you follow what’s happening in the active SUP sport?
Yes, actually, but mainly because of Stand Up magazine and I’m not saying that now,
because I’m talking to you. I enjoy the photos and the stories about the lifestyle.
But not so much when it comes to the current athletes. When I look at the rankings, I am of course interested to see if there are any Swiss athletes. I’m more of a fan of the pioneers like Sonni Hönscheid, Fiona Wylde, Kai Lenny and Connor Baxter. Those are the SUP stars for me. As for the Swiss, I know Anna Tschirky of course and I also know Guido Donze, but I don’t go to races now. If there’s one on Lake Zurich, then of course I’ll be there.
But now something else for a moment, you must have some colleagues your age, what do they say when they see you still paddling in your mid-seventies? Do they think he’s totally crazy or are they rather envious?
So I would describe that as a skeptical/envious admiration. They are a bit
incredulous. It looks more difficult for them than it actually is. I’ve already persuaded one or two
persuaded one or two of them to do it, but they were all younger.
Do you still have a few paddling goals? Any waters you dream of paddling?
My big dream actually came true in 2016 and that was the Hudson River, which I’ve already told you about. That was the highlight of my life and when we’re on vacation, I go paddling, like I did recently in Mallorca.
What does it actually take to move like this?
It’s all about balance on the water, so 10 years ago it was easier with the waves.
Now, at 74, I have to make sure the water is calmer.
Thank you again for your story, I found it very inspiring and it shows what you can still do in old age.
DR. HENRY GOLDMANN, 74, LIVES IN KILCHBERG ON LAKE ZURICH, WAS A LECTURER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ZURICH AND A TEACHER AT A COMMERCIAL VOCATIONAL SCHOOL, NOW A START-UP ENTREPRENEUR WITH THE BRAND “SENIOR SPEED COACH” WWW.HGOLDMANN.CH
HENRY IS ALWAYS HAPPY TO RECEIVE VISITORS FROM THE SUP COMMUNITY.