3 questions to Lucas Guiraud

26/05/2023

Lucas Guiraud went from 38th to 11th on the last day of the Torbole PWA World Cup in Italy, but a few days later he made a name for himself at the Défi Wind in Gruissan with a 13th place. A late arrival on the international scene, FRA-820 is nevertheless one to watch. Let's go back with him on 10 marathon days, animated by 2 major competitions...

Windsurfjournal.com : The PWA event in Torbole was your first real PWA event after a participation in Croatia, but without all the big names of the discipline... 11th place is a very encouraging result. Can you tell us about your week there?
Lucas Guiraud : I'm really happy to have (finally) participated in my first real PWA event, and I'm quite satisfied with my week. I spent the first 4 days at the bottom of the leaderboard after a really stupid fall in the 1/8 final when I was trying to avoid a competitor... I know my speed, I know that I just had to make sure and start high on the line to avoid this problem. I had a terrible week, telling myself that I would come back after only 150 metres of racing... Luckily, Sunday was a great day! We had the chance to do 3 eliminations in a row on the last day, and it was intense! I kept telling myself all day that I was the only one responsible for my results and that I just had to sail like I knew how. Get a good start, go fast on the first leg with the aim of jibing in the 3's to give myself the best chance in the qualification. That's exactly what I did and that's how I managed to win 2 finals and lose one, which I still have in my mind. In the semi-final of the final elimination, I was qualified until the last mark and was overtaken by Alexis Mathis, my teammate, who was also on fire on the final day. It was also his first PWA event, and he finished 15th at the age of 20. The top 10 came down to that, I lacked a bit of composure at the end of the day, but I'm still happy with what I did, it's a excellent sign for the future!

WJ: You went on to compete in a completely different event, the Défi Wind... 13th overall, 5th in foil, that's also a great performance when you see the international field?
LG: It's easy, I think everyone was there and once again my goal was to be in the top 10. It's crazy to see 1400 windsurfers taking the rabbit start and going up the ass of a boat launched at 40 knots piloted by Philippe Bru! There's a video of a start that's ultra hot and it's so good! I think it's really at the start of a Défi Wind race that I get the most adrenaline! Once again, the results are encouraging! I still lack the practice on the small gear to play at the front, and when I see those who are ahead, they have much more experience than I do, whether it be navigation, settings, adaptation... I've had a great time, both on the water and in the paddock; the Tabou/GA Sails/Lokéfoil equipment is fast, it's easy, and it's allowed me to place in every race. I need to sail a lot to get to know the boat 100%, and I am getting closer to that goal. To sum up, I can only be happy with these two weeks of racing and I know what I need to work on for the future. It was also the first time that my son Natale joined me at a race, and it was really great to see him after each race and spend some time with my family. A little thought for Damien Le Guen, who was injured in the first round but did everything he could to make it to the end of the event; hats off to him and to Julien Leclerc, who continued to smile at the Tabou/GA stand despite this complication!

WJ: In two weeks you have gone from a very elitist event in Torbole to a sporty but above all popular event, how do you see these two very different events?
LG: I think that if windsurfing is still alive, it's mainly due to the commitment of Philippe Bru's team to create an outstanding event. It proves that windsurfing can be practised everywhere, and above all I was delighted to see the number of young people present. Philippe Bru's goal is now to organise one Défi per continent, and I can guarantee you that I will put his races first. As for the PWA, it has been the elite of wave, slalom and freestyle windsurfing for 30 years. To be PWA World Champion is still one of the ultimate titles in windsurfing. And I'm dreaming of getting on the podium, even if it's only on one event. Even if it's not the same tour as before, there are still some big events like Fuerteventura and Sylt that I really want to do. The PWA still has its status, that's for sure. Now, if you look at the evolution of windsurfing, and you add another tour with bigger races, a tour that is more "representative" of the current windsurfing market, with long distances, courses with natural markings and, to crown it all, big prize money (like the Défi Wind Triple Super Stars that Philippe Bru is preparing in Saint-Tropez with 150,000 € in prize money), I think it will make a big dent in the ant hill. It is certain that the PWA riders will start to do something other than slalom and, conversely, I also hope that there will be some motivation in the iQFOil class. I don't have the hindsight to know what will happen, but in any case, races and events are what make a sport live. And the bigger the event, the more people it brings, the more professionals it brings and the more visibility it gives to the sport. In short, it's moving! And as long as I can do both and enjoy it, I will!