Milan Bruner
Year : 1981
Occupation : Head of Posca Pens Department Surfari Surfshop
Hometown : Zurich
Hobbies : Surf & Skate, Travel, Crafts, Family
Stance : Regular
Boardsports : Ocean Surfing / River Surfing / Wavepool / Wakesurf / Skateboard / Surfskate
Homespot : Bremgarten, Aargau
Favourite Destinations : Galicia, Gran Canaria, Maldives
Surfboards : Pyzel Phantom 5'10, Semente Black Tip 5'3, Firewire Seaside 5'5
Love : empty Line Ups, Beer
Hate : Sea urchins, full line ups, no beer
Sponsors : Surfari Surf Shop
Crew : River Rats, Urban Surfari Team, Surfari Wipe Out Team
Contests :
- Swiss Wavepool Jam 2015, 1st place
- European Champs Wavepool 2015
- Swiss Wavepool Jam 2016, 2nd place
- Swiss Champs Ocean 2016
- European Champs Wavepool 2016
- Swiss Wavepool Champs 2017, 2nd place
- Swiss Champs Ocean 2017
- Boat Wave Masters Düsseldorf 2017
- Bremzgi River Jam 2018, 4th place
- Swiss Wavepool Champs 2018, 4th place
- Swiss Wavepool Champs 2019, 4th place
- Zurich Masters 2020
- Swiss Wavepool Champs 2020, 3rd place
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INTERVIEW WITH MILAN BRUNNER
Tell us a little about yourself/introduce yourself.
Well, I am a Surfari team rider and I have been working at Surfari for over ten years. I managed the fashion store for years and now I work in the surf shop. I am quite old, I am married and a proud father. I am a passionate river and Pool surfer and still go skating in the bowl every now and then.
How did your passion for surfing come about?
I was a cool street skater at school and then a good snowboarder and also a freestyle coach. And then, because I was into board sports, I somehow got into surfing. It started with a surf camp in Morocco. But I cursed a lot at the beginning because it was so exhausting and difficult... ;-)
How long have you been surfing?
Since that first surf camp in Morocco. It was a while ago and I can't remember it anymore. My wife Rahel probably knows.
What fascinates you about surfing/why do you do it?
For me, surfing is a total balance. When you're in the water, you forget everything else around you. There's only you, the sea, the waves and the great feeling of gliding on the water and putting your line into the wave. Every wave is different and you have to ride it differently; this challenge really appeals to me.
You can only choose one place to surf for the rest of your life. Which place would that be - and why?
Hmm... difficult to say. If I didn't have to work anymore, it would definitely be some unknown beach resort in the Caribbean or the Maldives. For the surf/life/work balance, probably in a more stable country like Portugal or Spain...
What or who is your biggest inspiration when it comes to surfing?
Most of the time it's just the other surfers and colleagues around me who inspire me. Otherwise I find Mick Fanning's style pretty nice.
Which boards do you prefer for surfing?
We usually go on holiday with our 5'6 Fish and a shortboard, so we always have something for the smaller waves and something for the bigger waves. And then we have various riverboards for river waves and poolboards for artificial, stationary waves.
How does it feel to be a Surfari team rider?
I think it's cool to be part of something bigger. You can achieve something together and represent a great shop. Surfari is an authentic surf shop and has stayed true to its roots despite its size, I like that.
Can you talk about a surfing scene in Switzerland? If so, are you active or passive in a club?
Sure. Surfing is booming and is hip and trendy. There are numerous associations and surfing events with a large community. I am an active member of the SSA, follow the activities of the Flusswelle Luzern, Thun and Bern clubs and am otherwise always up to date with what is going on in Switzerland and neighboring countries.
What has been your biggest challenge in surfing so far?
I actually always have the biggest challenge when there is a big swell. Every time it is really big, I have to overcome my fear of paddling out, only to then realise that it is not that bad.
What is your best surfing adventure? Describe an anecdote from a surfing trip.
The best surfing trip was of course when we were a young family (Felix was only 3 months old) and we went on a 2.5 month trip around Europe in a camper van. Along the coast, of course, from France through Spain to the Algarve and back again. I experienced an incredibly intense moment when I was sitting all alone in the line-up in Galicia at sunset and a group of dolphins swam past me with a hair's breadth of focus.
Is there a surf culture for you? If so, how would you describe it? Or to put it another way: Are there stereotypes in the surfing world about surfing or surfers for you?
Oh, the thing with the surf style and clichés and so on is always a tricky one. I'm not going to add my two cents to it, partly because it doesn't interest me anyway.
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