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“YOU CAN’T RACE SAFE!” – MATTEO IACHINO’S WINNING FORMULA

After an incredible week of high-wind Slalom X action in Fuerteventura, Matteo Iachino emerged victorious following one of the most intense title battles ever seen on the PWA. From the mental challenge of protecting a lead to trusting his new equipment and racing flat-out when it mattered most, the Italian opens up about the highs, lows and emotions behind his latest PWA victory.

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WINDSURF: On the last day of racing, it looked like you had the event in the bag, but suddenly Pierre Mortefon was charging back. Talk us through that final day…

MATTEO: “The point is I’d never experienced having such a big advantage before. Going into the second-to-last day I knew that a sixth place would probably be enough to secure the title because it was unlikely we’d complete more than 12 eliminations.

After finishing second in the first elimination, I felt like sixth place was basically enough, so I started thinking, “Just take it easy and don’t push too much.” Up until then I’d only had wins and second places, so I thought I just needed to bring it home.

That was actually my mistake. The level is so high that as soon as you stop pushing 100 percent, you start making mistakes. The other guys aren’t backing of…they’re giving everything.

On the final day I realised I had to change my mindset. In the last elimination I went full gas all the way through the quarter-finals and semi-finals. Only on the very last reach after the final gybe did I back off slightly because I knew I didn’t need to take any unnecessary risks.”

WINDSURF: Did the inflatable obstacle (‘the sausage’) in the final add extra pressure?

MATTEO: “It’s always stressful because it’s another obstacle. You never know whether you’re going to hit a wave at the wrong moment or end up in the worst possible place.

But I train a lot for every possible scenario. I try to prepare for every X-factor, even the ones we don’t always use on tour, so I felt confident.”

WINDSURF: Was battling Pierre for the title fun or stressful?

MATTEO: “Both. Pierre is an amazing competitor and I know he never gives up because I’m exactly the same.

There are so many good sailors now and the level is incredibly high, but in these kinds of conditions Pierre and I usually have a slight edge. I knew I had to be careful.

It was stressful, but winning after a battle like that gives you a completely different feeling.”

WINDSURF: How did it feel coming down the final reach knowing you’d done enough to win?

MATTEO: “It felt amazing. After that last gybe, knowing I’d secured the world title, it was an unbelievable feeling.

It’s difficult to describe because all the hours in the gym, on the water, testing equipment and travelling all come down to one single moment. It’s a mixture of fulfilment, relief, adrenaline and pure happiness!”

WINDSURF: What made this event so special?

MATTEO: “I think it’s probably the best event we’ve ever had.

I’ve never competed in such consistently windy conditions before. Until now my favourite event was Portugal in 2018, but this one beats it.

It was windy every day, there were waves coming and going with the tides and Slalom X in those conditions is just incredible. It’s so much fun, so much adrenaline and incredibly demanding physically.”

WINDSURF: How happy were you with your equipment?

MATTEO: “I’m really pleased with how the gear worked.

I’ve been with Starboard for ten years so I knew what to expect from the boards..they’re amazing. Racing with the combination of Starboard boards and NeilPryde sails has always been a dream.

I knew I’d prepared well and felt fast, but until the racing starts you never really know. I definitely felt faster than in previous seasons and that makes everything easier.

The whole package worked perfectly and I’m really happy with my sponsors and my equipment.”

WINDSURF: How tough was the event physically, especially carrying all the gear up and down the hill?

MATTEO: “It was incredibly demanding. There wasn’t a single easy day. Every race was hard, rough and intense.

I used the 5.6m almost all week, apart from one elimination where I switched to the 6.5m Even in the final I probably should have been on the smaller sail.

I train really hard and every year I try to improve the quality of my training, so I felt ready. I’m still tired now, four days later. Luckily my friend Sebastian was with me helping carry the gear up and down the hill, which made a huge difference.”

WINDSURF: Do you have any speed or heart-rate statistics from the event?

MATTEO: “No. I actually take my watch off before racing because I often hit whatever I’m wearing on my wrist during close racing.

I wear it during training, but not during competition. I also don’t want to be distracted by data while I’m racing. I collect data all year round. I sail around 90 percent of the days and train in the gym four times a week, so I already know what to expect from my body.”

WINDSURF: What were the high and low points of the event?

MATTEO: “The turning point was definitely the third day.

After winning both long-distance races back-to-back I knew I had a really good chance of winning the event. They were incredibly fun…long enough to be challenging but still exciting, with rough water and great starts. I’m not normally a huge fan of long-distance racing, but I really enjoyed those.

The lowest point came on the final morning when I failed to qualify for the winners’ final. I had a poor start and made mistakes in the gybes because mentally I was trying to race safely. You can’t race safely at this level. I had to stop, reset my mind and remind myself to attack again. Even after all these years that’s never easy!”

WINDSURF: Was this the kind of racing you live for?

MATTEO: “Absolutely!

This is exactly why I race. You couldn’t ask for better conditions…howling wind every day, loads of eliminations, the obstacle, the long-distance races, the double gybes… it was insane.

Winning an event like this is another dream come true.

Whenever I’m training or suffering in the gym, this is exactly what I’m imagining. These are the conditions I want to compete in, and to win in them makes it even more special!”