Pierre Mortefon has proved himself to be one of the PWA slalom tour’s most consistent podium placers, ranking in the top 3 for the last 5 years. In 2019 he has won the opening rounds of both the slalom and foil PWA tour. The fast Frenchman with eyes on the number one spot in slalom gives us an insight into his world.
OPENING VICTORY
It is amazing to have won the first event of the season in France after a very stressful event. It is always exciting to compete at the first event because you don’t know if your training has paid off. You also have no idea if your competitors will be stronger than you and there are a lot of questions to be answered. It was a very tricky event. Most of the week it was very gusty. It took us six days to grind out one round. I think one of my strong points during the week was that I was able to go into racing mode when I needed to and be fully focussed, but then when we were on hold I managed to relax. It was impossible to stay focussed all week. It was not the easiest event. But it was great to start the season on a positive note and have points in the bag. I would say to win the title you need luck to swing your way and take these victories. It is one step towards the title. I have been making the overall podium for many years, but to take the title you need to win events. That is my plan this year to achieve my goal of a world title.
AMBITION
I really want the world title. I was close a few years ago. In 2016 I was equal points with Antoine at the end of the season. Last year I was prepared and ready for it, but I had my first child, a boy, arrive 15 days before the start of the season and that changed my life quite a bit. This year I feel more ready. Albeau and Matteo are both tough to beat. Albeau has been fighting for 20 years and Matteo is also a great slalom racer and competitor. Matteo had a poor start but this can happen. This year especially there are so many guys that can win a race. In France the level was through the roof. The level really is super high once again.
Denne historien er fra Issue 387 - July 2019-utgaven av Windsurf.
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Denne historien er fra Issue 387 - July 2019-utgaven av Windsurf.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
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!
