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FUERTEVENTURA SLALOM X: DOES SIZE MATTER?

Does being bigger make you faster in Slalom X? In the brutal, high-wind battlefield of Fuerteventura, it’s certainly tempting to think so. After all, when the wind is howling and sailors are hanging on to their smallest sails, those extra kilos and leverage theoretically should be a handy advantage!

But before sailors start hitting the gym to bulk up for next year and loading up on pasta, it’s worth remembering that in racing, size is only one piece of the puzzle. The incredible skills, tuning wizardry and years of experience of the top guns like Matteo Iachino, Pierre Mortefon and Maciek Rutkowski are just as crucial when it comes to finding those extra tenths of a second than being a heavyweight that can just go fast in a straight line.

For a bit of fun, we took a closer look at the height and weight of the top twenty riders to see if the numbers reveal any interesting trends. Are the podium contenders all towering giants built for maximum horsepower, or can the lighter sailors still mix it with the big boys? From the tall heavyweights to the light and nimble racers, we’ve crunched the stats to see if there really is a winning formula… or if, as usual in windsurfing, the answer is a little more complicated and probably involves a lot more talent than simply eating more cake!

Photos: PWA/ CARTER

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QUICK STATS / TOP TWENTY BREAKDOWN!

Average height: 185 cm

Average weight: 94 kg

Tallest rider: Jordy Vonk – 193 cm

Shortest rider: Victor Delerue – 172 cm

Heaviest rider: Jordy Vonk – 103.6 kg

Lightest rider: Victor Delerue – 72.5 kg

So… The average Top 20 sailor in Fuerteventura stands around 185 cm tall and tips the scales on average at 94 kg…roughly the size of an international rugby back-row forward. Yet despite the apparent size advantage, riders such as Brendan Lorho (79.2 kg) and Victor Delerue (72.5 kg) prove that skill and technique can still outweigh brute strength.

But the top four were a seriously powerful group with an average height of 184.8 cm and weight around 98.4 kg. Coincidently the top two in the fleet height and weight were exactly the same…186cm and 99.3kg…maybe this is the magic number combined with all the other necessary skills needed to win?

Rider	Height	Weight
Matteo Iachino	186 cm	99.3 kg
Pierre Mortefon	186 cm	99.3 kg
Maciek Rutkowski	183 cm	97.0 kg
Amado Vrieswijk	184 cm	98.1 kg

However, height and weight have advantages…technique, fitness, gear tuning and experience still decides who wins. That said, there are some trends in the top twenty list of data!

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HEAVY SEEMS TO BE AN ADVANTAGE!

Among your Top 20:

10 riders weigh over 97 kg

6 riders weigh over 99 kg

Only two riders are under 80 kg (Brendan Lorho and Victor Delerue).

Height matters… to a point

The average height of the Top 20 is roughly 185 cm (6 ft 1 in).

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THE TALLEST

Jordy Vonk – 193 cm (11^th)

Tristan Algret (22nd) – 193 cm

Nico Prien – 190 cm (5^th)

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THE SHORTEST:

Victor Delerue – 172 cm (19^th)

Elton Frans – 176 cm (7^th)

Cedric Bordes – 177 cm (13^th)

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CONCLUSION

So, does size matter? The numbers certainly suggest that carrying a solid height and weight is an advantage, especially in Fuerteventura’s windy slalom conditions, with many of the sport’s big guns weighing in close to the 100 kg mark. But there are plenty of exceptions, proving there isn’t a one-size-fits-all formula for success. In the end, speed and winning comes from much more than what’s on the scales…it’s the perfect blend of talent, technique, fitness, gear tuning and the mental ability to deliver when you are out there on the race course under pressure!

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MEN’S TOP TWENTY IN FUERTEVENTURA FULL LIST

1: Matteo Iachino ITA-140: 186 cm | 99.3 kg

2: Pierre Mortefon F-14: 186 cm | 99.3 kg

3: Maciek Rutkowski POL-23: 183 cm | 97.0 kg

4: Amado Vrieswijk NB-20: 184 cm | 98.1 kg

5: Nico Prien GER-7: 190 cm | 100.1 kg

6: Jimmy Thieme FRA-888: 185 cm | 90.6 kg

7: Elton (Taty) Frans NB-9: 176 cm | 93.7 kg

8: Bruno Martini ITA-160: 187 cm | 102.6 kg

9: Benoit Merceur FRA-1159: 183 cm | 92.2 kg

10: Lohan Jules GPE-1052: 189 cm | 97.2 kg

11: Jordy Vonk NED-69: 193 cm | 103.6 kg

12: Brendan Lorho FRA-113: 187 cm | 79.2 kg

13: Cedric Bordes FRA-91: 177 cm | 98.4 kg

14: Pierre Macquaert FRA-945: 180 cm | 97.5 kg

15: Ingmar Daldorf NED-191: 192 cm | 99.3 kg

16: Sacha Fortune FRA-655: 185 cm | 85.4 kg

17: Scotty Stallman GBR-68: 183 cm | 95.4 kg

18: William Huppert FRA-330: 187 cm | 94.2 kg

19: Victor Delerue FRA-96: 172 cm | 72.5 kg

20: Alexis Mathis FRA-997: 186 cm | 86.0 kg