PIERRE MORTEFON
“This image was from one of the super nice sessions we had last spring in Maui preparing for the PWA season with the ‘Boards and More Team’. I am clearly pushing the limits alongside fellow Fanatic and North teammate Marco Lang! The conditions in Maui can be super technical with the chop so the concentration has to be ‘full on!’ From my side, I am looking as far as I can in front to check how the swell and the chop will be and anticipate it and be ready to react. I know I have Marco on top of me, pushing, pushing, pushing, and I remember hearing the noise of his board eating into the sea. If I make any mistake he is going to pass but I also know he can make a mistake too, so I try to stay focussed on my sailing. Even when I am this flat out in racing mode, I try to stay relaxed to keep my energy.
During this session I was using the new Falcon and Warp 2017 114 and 7.7m. I had not ridden this combination before but I had a really positive feeling for a first run. It was pretty fast as we were sailing in the Hawaiian swell which can give you some serious runs, probably up to 30 knots.
I was riding around a 37cm fin to combine solid speed but also a good grip to keep the pressure on through the chop. I always use the vario harness lines, which are 26-32cm. They let me modify and change my position according to the conditions. Here it was choppy and wavy, so I think I was around 30cm to keep control.”
MARCO LANG
“When I see this photograph I remember lots of special moments and the awesome time I had on Maui. The photo was taken on a sunny but very windy day from the helicopter at the bay of Kihei on the south side of the island. I was riding my new North Sails Warp 7.7 2017 in combination with the new Fanatic Falcon 99 2017. Windsurfing is a rough sport so you have to concentrate on what you are doing, otherwise it will most likely end up with a huge catapult! To be as fast as possible it is necessary to keep all muscles working. As pro racers we need lots of training in the gym to be able to keep this muscle tension for long periods of time. On my 99 Falcon I prefer a wide stance, so it is easier to keep control when it is choppy. I try to bring my body more to the back to keep the board flying. You can see in the picture that just the fin and about a quarter of the board is touching the water. If you ever achieve this position, it’s an unbelievable feeling! I reckon you cannot compare this feeling flying at full speed with anything else. It is a cross between freedom and speed. I am so addicted to this feeling! For me it is just happiness!”