PWA Racing: Is It Really Still Production?
The PWA slalom tour is strictly for production equipment only, providing a level playing field between the top pros and those making their first steps onto the international scene. But is this really the case? Or are some sailors and brands now customising their equipment in the hunt for glory?
It goes without saying that every sailor, whether it be racer, freestyler or recreational sailor, wants to get the most out of their equipment. Racers in particular will continuously be tuning and tweaking their race set-ups for optimum performance, but anything over and above this is strictly prohibited.
Previously this rule had been adhered to, however now we are led to believe that some sailors and brands are taking the next step and making physical changes to their equipment. Should this be allowed? Is it giving riders that are altering their equipment an unfair advantage? Where should the PWA draw the line? Where does careful tuning, become unfair adjustment?
Have adjustments been made to the bottom of Arnon’s board?
As new equipment is put into production and the top racers get their new quivers dialled in, many would like to change aspects of their boards and sails but who is actually doing it? As you can see below, it appears that Arnon Dagan has made adjustments to the bottom of his board – rumour has it that the double concaves used to plant the board on the water are in fact hindering the performance; riders are chosing to fill in and then sand the bottom of their boards to loosen it up and give it a slightly livelier feel.
Should this be allowed? What do you think? Answer our poll and share your thoughts in the comments below…
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What Does It Take to Win a PWA Title?
The PWA and its sailors are evolving. 2013 is set to be a year like no other; new names and new locations are already mixing up the tour, could this be the year we see the previous domination from certain riders disappear? A new generation of riders are ready to pounce and more willing than ever to do exactly what it takes to reach the top.
One event down on the PWA slalom tour and already we have a new face to watch out for: Point7’s Alberto Menegatti. We say new face, but is he really? Surely someone cannot come in and land straight at the top of the rankings? Of course not. Alberto is a very talented racer that has taken youth world titles and been in the top ten for over 10 years, so what has changed? How did 28 year old Alberto (or Bambi as he is, or maybe now was, known on tour) go from top 10 to leading from start to finish in Korea?
As you can see here it’s all about the winter training.
Like many other competitors Alberto is a natural on the water, always known for his incredible early planing and smart tactics, plus at 194cm tall he’s built to race. This alone maybe enough to win a race, but taking an event win is a whole other matter. Alberto obviously decided at the end of the 2012 season to re-evaluate his training and take an even more serious look at exactly what he needed to do to win. In came more dedicated off water training, whilst on the water El Medano bay became THE slalom training ground with bouys, starts and many, many races held in all manner of conditions.
This wasn’t just some equipment tuning with a training partner, this was day in, day out, fully focussed racing on the water complimented with a completely structured, functional training programme off the water.
In short, putting the hours into a structured, focussed training plan has clearly worked wonders.
This begs the question, if more racers adopted an increasingly serious attitude to all aspects of their training could we see some further new faces at the top of the rankings?
Alberto Menegatti
Alberto Menegatti
Antoine Questel
Julien Quentel
Bjorn Dunkerbeck
Antoine Albeau
Ben van der Steen
Just windsurfing isn’t enough anymore to win you need to be a true athlete, which obviously Alberto has come to realise. Who else could be at the top if they followed in his footsteps? Did the lighter winds of Korea play into Alberto’s hands, or was it a fluke win? Will Antoine and Bjorn reign supreme as the season continues?
Who do you think has the talent and determination to make it onto the podium in 2013?
And which riders have the potential but need to take a closer look at exactly how to make it to the top?
Share your views in the comments below!
Next time Boardseeker will take a look at how the 2013 PWA Wave tour is shaping up and how a whole host of new events could really shake things up at the top.
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PWA PODERSDORF 2013 SLO MO EDIT
PWA PODERSDORF 2013 SLO MO EDIT
A nice cut by the Hungarian SoulCreations crew of the recent PWA Surf World Cup Freestyle event in Austria.
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Windsurf Magazine
PWA Slalom Korea 2013 – Day 4+5
After three finished eliminations Alberto Menegatti from Italy and Karin Jaggi from Switzerland are leading the event.
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continentseven.com
PWA Slalom Korea 2013 – Picture Gallery
Check out some pictures from the PWA Slalom event in South Korea.
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continentseven.com
PWA Slalom Korea 2013 – Day 1
Today was the first day of the PWA World Cup at Jinha Beach, Korea. The onshore breeze with 6-9 knots was just not enough to start the first race.
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continentseven.com
PWA SURF WORLDCUP 2013 by JFK – Video
Jakub Kosmowski from JFK has released a nice slomo clip, which includes incredible freestyle tricks.
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continentseven.com
PWA Surf Worldcup Podersdorf 2013 – Best of action
We've had a short night and have put together a clip with some of the best action from the Double Elimination.
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continentseven.com
Davy Scheffers in the focus – Interview
Read a short interview with Davy Scheffers done by the PWA.
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continentseven.com
PWA Surf Worldcup Podersdorf 2013 – 1st action clip
This is a quick video edit, right after the start of the competition
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continentseven.com