3 questions to Justine Lemeteyer

04/12/2023

For the 2nd year running, Justine Lemeteyer has won the PWA slalom runner-up title. And at just 21 years of age, she has established herself as the windsurfer to watch in the years to come. We take a look back at a busy 2023 season with her.

Windsurfjournal.com: How would you sum up your 2023 season, from your 1st place in Torbole to your 3rd in Japan and 2nd runner-up world title?
Justine Lemeteyer: The 2023 season was another busy one with lots of travelling. It's been a great season, World vice-champion, French champion, 2nd in the Wind Challenge... But there's nothing more than last year. I'm satisfied, but I want more! Torbole was obviously the highlight of the season. The equipment worked well, I was well set up, I made very few mistakes... A first World Cup victory, and in this way, I'm not about to forget it! As a side note, I had to hand in some work for the faculty at the same time, which was crucial for my degree. The day before the first day, I handed in my written work at midnight and the day after the event closed, I was doing my oral defence on a motorway service area between Torbole and Gruissan... The Canaries didn't smile on me. I hadn't gauged the right foil equipment to push on in strong winds, and 75% of the season was lost in these conditions... Despite that, these were the events where I had the most fun! The battles with the girls were super intense, and I've never enjoyed my sport as much as I did in the Canaries! I've come away from Japan and this 2023 season with a huge amount to learn and ideas for the work we'll be doing next season. I'm also leaving with enormous motivation, something I've never felt before. All I want to do is go back to training with the 2024 season in mind, but we're going to take the time we need to recover before getting back to work.

WJ: How would you assess the fin/slalom mix at a time when the PWA World Tour seems to be moving towards more clearly identified disciplines in 2024 and stages dedicated to slalom?
JL : The mix is less and less a mix... I wanted to play the mix to the full at Pozo where I hoped that the fin would have its chance in strong winds. As a result, after Pozo I pushed the foil all the way because the fin doesn't forgive any little mistakes when you have foils around. There were several of us who thought that versatility would be an asset, but being a specialist in one or the other also paid off well (Blanca Alabau in foil at Pozo and Sara-Quita Offringa with fin at Fuerte...). Switching from one to the other is complex, you change all your reference points from one round to the next, so it didn't work out too well for me. I like the format proposed for next year. I'm happy to know that we're going to be racing on the fin again without wondering whether we wouldn't be better off on foil. I enjoy foiling just as much, so it's going to be great to be able to push on both! I'm one of those who advocate the idea of an overall title, which would reward the most versatile foil/fin sailor. A champion in each discipline is cool, but I'd really like us to keep the principle of a super champion, THE best male and THE best female slalom racer!

WJ: There were only 5 women competing in all the PWA slalom events this year. How does that inspire you, and what can be done about the lack of female competitors?
JL: Obviously, we all dream of having more women on the circuit. When foiling arrived at the circuit, we lost a few athletes. The iQFOil has also absorbed some. Sara Wennekes is a prime example. She is a top slalom rider but is currently preparing for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Other girls (and boys) are currently following the same pattern and are therefore missing out on the PWA tour. Among the girls, there is also a lack of support from sponsors and equipment. Our performances are less recognised, and we are offered lower performance bonuses than the men. I'm not to be pitied in terms of partners compared to other female athletes. Some top 5 women you mentioned are still paying for their equipment... The girls who were on the PWA circuit in previous years have already done a great job with the circuit representatives to achieve the equal prize money we have today. We're moving in the right direction, but there's still work to be done to make our performances count.