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AMADO VRIESWIJK: ON THE GRID

We hit up Amado Vrieswijk during the first PWA event of the season to find out how he has adapted to his new Point 7 sails.

Photos: PWA / CARTER

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WS: Okay, first of all, you finished with Severne after many years and now you’re with a new brand…Point-7. How was that transition?

AMADO VRIESWIJK

“Yeah, I was with Severne for 13 years. It’s not that I wasn’t happy there anymore; I just wanted something new. A new challenge! The opportunity to sail for Point-7 came up, and I had already been talking with Taty, like, “That would be so cool to be on the same team.” Then this deal came along, and I took it with both hands.”

WS: How easy is it to adapt to a new set of sails?

AMADO VRIESWIJK

“Sailing-wise, it’s not too hard. But it’s the tuning stuff, that’s where it takes a bit more adapting. The sails are completely different, and they require different rigging, different settings… Obviously all the equipment is different, but I am already getting used to it. But honestly, it was fun to figure it all out. It really motivated me to get on the water and experiment.”

WS: You seem to enjoy the development side of windsurfing?

AMADO VRIESWIJK

“I love it. I love racing and all the little details you can tweak; I enjoy that kind of stuff a lot.”

WS: It also looks like you’ve lost some weight, what was the reason behind that?

AMADO VRIESWIJK

“I just wanted to get fitter. The new gear is more powerful, and I figured with less weight I could go smaller, and smaller gear is always faster. It was just something I wanted to try. But I’m stronger now, and fitter, so I feel better overall.”

WS: How much weight did you lose?

AMADO VRIESWIJK

“I was around 100 kilos, and now I’m around 93 or 94. So yeah, a decent chunk!”

 

WS: Wow…that’s quite a bit! Was it through diet?

AMADO VRIESWIJK

“Yeah, I spent two and a half months back home on a strict diet, training a lot…lots of hours on the water. Then I went to Tenerife and kept it going. And now, I feel stronger than ever!”

WS: How hard is it to keep that discipline?

AMADO VRIESWIJK

“That’s what I like. People call me crazy, but I love that part… the suffering, in a way. You push your body, but you see the results, and it motivates you to keep going. It’s not easy though; you’ve got holidays like Christmas, and I’m there with a bottle of water, no carbs, while everyone else is eating all this delicious food. But I enjoy it. You’ve got to be dedicated.”

WS: So how are you liking the new sails?

AMADO VRIESWIJK

“I love them. Like I said, they’re completely different, but they really suit my style of sailing. I’m really enjoying it and can’t wait to start the season.”

WS: What’s it like working with Andrea Cucchi?

AMADO VRIESWIJK

“He’s super motivated. It’s so easy, I can just call him anytime with any question, and he’ll answer. The way we can quickly change and improve things is incredible.”

WS: What are your goals for the season?

AMADO VRIESWIJK

“Well, I think you know the answer to that. I feel better than ever, the gear suits me more than in previous years, and everything just feels more comfortable and steadier. Now I just need to see if it’s fast enough. Time to get out on the racecourse and find out.”

After the event we went back to Amado for a recap…

WS: It’s the end of your first event of the season. Tell us how all the gear was working, how the racing went?

AMADO VRIESWIJK

“Yes. So, the positive is that I was really comfortable on the gear. I think the speed was good, the gybes were decent. In general, the racing itself was very good. I just made three costly mistakes in the finals.”

WS: What happened in the finals?

AMADO VRIESWIJK

“The first one, I was too powered up on that 9m, it was super windy. My front foot came out in the first gybe.

A gust came in out of nowhere, and I was trying to fight with Matteo and Pierre. They were on 8m’s, so it was already tough, but I guess I just over-pushed it. The second one, I was in an easy third, but I took it too easy in the gybe. I back-hooked in the jibe and crashed, which was stupid, but, well, it’s racing. And in the last one, I had seaweed from the start, so I couldn’t get off the line. All of this happened in the finals.”

WS: At least you made all the finals?

AMADO VRIESWIJK

“Yeah, I made all the finals. Considering everything, finishing fifth isn’t super bad, but it could have been way, way better.”

WS: So with a bit more luck, you could have definitely been up in the mix for the podium?

AMADO VRIESWIJK

“Exactly. That’s the positive; I know I have the level to be up there. It just needs to click a bit better, and then it should be fine.”

WS: How are did you find the Point7, F1 on the racecourse?

AMADO VRIESWIJK

“The Point 7 F1 SL more powerful. For me, it suits my style of sailing way better. I felt comfortable in all positions, starting below, on top, in the gybes. I had some good overtakes in the gybes, which was a bit harder last year. So, for now, it just feels like a positive that the gear is working. Now I just have to work on my racing. The ingredients are all there. I just have to connect everything and that’s it.”

POINT 7