Eighty-six-year-old Anastasia Gerolymatou from the Greek island of Kefalonia is certainly not acting her age. This Greek senior citizen is as passionate about water sports now as she was over four decades ago.
Guinness World Records even lists her as the oldest female windsurfer on the planet.
But her story is not just about windsurfing, a sport she took up at the age of 41.
Anastasia leads an independent life, rides a motorbike and is keen on adventures. With her positive attitude, Anastasia wants to prove that age shouldn't prevent anyone from living life to the full.
After breaking her own record in windsurfing, she has just one wish left: She wants a reunion with the man from whom she first rented surfing equipment in Spain 45 years ago.
You can read the script of the video here:
Anastasia Gerolymatou from the Greek island of Kefalonia holds the Guinness World Record for the oldest female windsurfer. She recently turned 86 and is still demonstrating not only her remarkable dedication to the sport, but also her lust for life and adventurous spirit.
Anastasia Gerolymatou, Surfer, 86
"When I surf, it's fantastic! You get on the board, raise the sail, open your wings and fly away, saying: 'Oh my God, no engine, no nothing!' It gives you so much air, it fills your soul so much."
Anastasia has always been very active and loved sports. She got into windsurfing completely by chance at the age of 41. She's never taken windsurfing lessons and is entirely self-taught.
Anastasia Gerolymatou
"We were in Las Palmas [one of Spain's Canary Islands] on vacation with my then boyfriend, who wanted us to get to know each other better. But we were getting bored. The days were dragging, the hours were dragging, because there was no sport you could do there – nothing at all, nothing. Suddenly I saw someone windsurfing in the distance. I honestly didn't even know what it was called. That was the first time I saw it. And I said to my husband, who was then my boyfriend: 'Luigi! Do you see that? That's it! That's for me!'"
Anastasia also rides a motor scooter and has a self-made trailer which she uses to transport her equipment. She's always ready for the next adventure, living life to the full.
Anastasia Gerolymatou
"I like all kinds of sports. I go wind surfing, I paddle … I like it very much when there is little wind, I enjoy it. I'm going over there. It is quite far, over 300 meters. I've done it in five minutes. Seven minutes there and back, and they didn't believe that I reached the island."
"You should start with a light breeze or no wind at all, so you learn to raise the sail, to balance, to stand on the board at sea."
"You must first learn how to turn around. And don't go too far! You have to begin by really learning how to turn around because you never know where there are stones, rocks ... and you may not be able to turn back. It's dangerous. That's why I recommend that everyone learns here first."
In June 2024, Anastasia made another of her dreams come true: breaking her own record, she surfed between Kefalonia and Zakynthos, a distance of 11 nautical miles.across the part of the Ionian Sea
Anastasia Gerolymatou
"This time I wanted the [Guinness Award] stamp to be put in after October 16, to do the last part when I turned 86, so that no one calls me 85 and a half."
Anastasia has one more wish: to find the man from whom she first rented out windsurfing equipment all those years ago, on the day her lifelong passion for this sport was born.
Anastasia Gerolymatou
"If he hears my message, I'm asking him to call me, to contact me, and I'll offer him a holiday on Kefalonia as a gift. I live near the airport of Kefalonia, just five minutes away. I'll pick him up at the airport if he tells me he's coming. I would be very happy, honestly."
Until then, Anastasia will continue to surf and live life on her own terms, inspiring many others with her philosophy that age is nothing but a number.