3 questions to Blanca Alabau

29/11/2023

At the forefront of slalom discipline this season on the PWA World Tour, Spain's Blanca Alabau has won her 1st World Champion title. Speaking to Windsurfjournal.com, she looks back on her fine season and her results...

Windsurfjournal.com: How would you sum up your 2023 season, from the 1st event in Torbole to the final in Japan and this 1st World Champion title?
Blanca Alabau: If I had to describe in one world it will be SOLID! I have been on the podium in all the events, with different girls on it. We had all kind of conditions, starting with light in Garda, with strong wings in the canaries and medium/strong in Japan. All the events had them tricky things but overall I was very consistent.

WJ: How would you sum up this fin/slalom mix at a time when the PWA World Tour seems to be moving towards better-identified disciplines in 2024 and stages dedicated to slalom?
BA: I really liked the mix! My best battle so fare was with Sara-Quita Offringa on fin and me on the foil. It gives the opportunity to see the speed of the fin and the performance of foil. At the same time makes the pro fin or pro foil spectators be more on it.

WJ: There are only 5 women to have taken part in all the PWA slalom events this year. What does this inspire you, and how can you remedy this lack of female competitors?
BA: I think the problem is actually more from the windsurfing industry and not from the riders! The industry keeps saying that we don’t generate the same profits or sales as the men do and that our racing is not “good enough to watch” but I think is only an excuse for reducing the budget. I got thousands of comments from windsurfing followers about the incredible performance we had, especially this summer. Not all of us have the opportunity to afford to attend all the events, and for some of them to come to Japan it would be a big expense, especially if they know their overall ranking wouldn’t change then it makes no sense to spend an extra €4000 coming here. Lucky now we have equal prize money, so the top girls can be professional, but we still have a lot to work for to reach true equality in our sport.