When the going gets rough, what do you do with slalom stuff? The 2018 Ulsan PWA World Cup in Jinha Beach, South Korea tested PWA slalom sailors to their limits with high winds and choppy seas. So how do they adjust their tactics and equipment to handle the rough stuff and what did they think of some of the most extreme slalom racing to take place in years. A selection of the world’s best racers share their knowledge and experiences.
MATTEO IACHINO
Korea was proper slalom and very difficult sailing. I have never seen in my career so much chop and turbulence on the water. There was backwash from the island and waves coming from all directions. The first reach we were coming full speed down a battleground. We were getting the swell plus a cross-chop and then randomly a backwash coming the other direction. It was really hard-core. It was windy, but not offthe scale. The problem was more the sea state. Some heats were almost normal with the swell and chop, but others had a lot of backwash and very unpredictable conditions. It felt like a huge boat had passed by, sending in weird waves right before we gybed. In the end, it was the same for all the riders so it did not change my tactics. You go for more control in your setup. Some guys, like Julien Quentel, were going for maximum speed and he was full power, but I went for control. He did not look in control to me; I preferred to sail a bit easier and kind of relaxed and comfortable to avoid any crashes. In those conditions it was not just about making it to the first mark in front, it’s never like that when it’s windy. It’s more about staying as comfortable as possible on the board and making it round without crashing. If you are comfortable and you feel secure about your sailing then the race comes to you! If you just go for speed like you would in flat water then it can be tricky because you can lose control and go from first to last.
Esta historia es de la edición Issue 387 - August 2018 de Windsurf.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición Issue 387 - August 2018 de Windsurf.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
New School
Slingshot’s windsurfing brand manager, Wyatt Miller, has noticed that kids are drawn to playing with wings and puts forward an interesting case as to why he thinks this could help entice them and others into windsurfing.
Changes
Wave sailor Flo Jung reflects on our changed world during his lockdown in Germany.
THE LAST WAVE
Lockdown stirred the creative juices of reader Björn Alfthan, who peers into the future to present a fictional story set in the wild waves of Norway, five years from now.
STILL IN THE GAME
After a horrific fracture in his leg from a crashed aerial in 2018, Alessio Stillrich is back! John Carter talks to the highflyer from Gran Canaria about his move to the Simmer team, recovering from injury and how he learned to windsurf in Gran Canaria!
MOVE ON UP - GET ON THE FRONT FOOT
This month we look at how our front foot weighting can affect and improve different aspects of our main windsurfing moves.
SOUTH' KIPA
Nik tweaking it over home waters.
A NEW NORMAL
On a trip to La Tranche-sur-Mer in France last year, Tris Best estimated over 80% of the windsurfers were foiling. This summer in Portland Harbour, foiling activity has increased dramatically too he reports. With the market offering plenty of choice to recreational windfoilers, our test team check out some of the latest foil offerings.
TACKING – THE SEQUEL
Having given you time to practice, Harty concludes his tacking series by critiquing various tacking options, including the carve tack, as well as offering solutions to common slip-ups.
‘NO VAPOUR TRAILS TO SCAR THE SKY' *
Realising we may be about to enter an extraordinary period in our lives, Harty decided to keep a windsurf-centric lockdown diary. Here are some of his choice excerpts.
REDEMPTION DAY!
Renowned for its windsurfing and variety of spots to sail at, Kimmerdige Bay is a wave sailing jewel on the south coast of England. Timo Mullen gives a guide to its shores while reflecting on why a recent session there was a reminder that there is no place like home!
