PIERRE MORTEFON
Finally, I got the title after such an emotional week and season. It was a long week in Noumea, we had amazing conditions, using sails from 7.0 to 8.6. I think we had ten or eleven rounds of slalom, I can’t even think straight right now. I am so happy. I worked really hard for this moment, with the team and my family supporting me a lot. I was pushing so hard this year, with so much training and travelling. After all these years, every bit of hard work has paid off. I am happy for myself and all the people around me who helped and believed in me. The beginning of this week was not easy. I started with a disqualification after crashing into Ross Williams which meant counting a last place. This was not the best way to start the event! Then I came straight back with a bullet. I think that helped me start my campaign from scratch again. Then for the title it was yes, no, yes, no, depending on the day and the battle with Matteo. It was a real see-saw battle with Matteo Iachino; at one point it looked like he had it wrapped up with three bullets, but then I would fight back and it could have gone either way.
On the last morning of the competition I started with a win when Matteo did not make the final. I was thinking yes, I have one foot on the title right now. Then in the penultimate race I had a bad semi-final and went into the losers final while Matteo made it to the final and took second. It was all down to the very last race of the season with only two or three points separating us. I had to beat Matteo and the title was mine. It was not easy to deal with mentally but it worked out for me. I tried to stay focussed all day, just doing what I had to do and keeping my head straight. I know how to go fast, I know how to race and how to start. That part was easy. I just had to do it all at the right moment.
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