3 questions to Pierre Mortefon

30/06/2022

5th in the 20th edition of the Défi Wind this year, a competition he has already won twice in 2010 and 2105, Pierre Mortefon is logically disappointed with his performance. Before taking part in the PWA slalom event in Bol, Croatia, at the end of this week, he talks to Windsurfjournal.com about the event in Gruissan and the new race rules that will come into force on the PWA World Tour from 2024.

Windsurfjournal.com: 5th in this 20th edition of the Défi Wind, we imagine that it's rather a disappointment for you who won this event twice?
Pierre Mortefon : Yes, I'm not going to beat around the bush, I came for a better result, at least a place on the podium, but I'm still happy with my week for several reasons. It's good to be on a big event with a big organisation and a lot of people! I came out tired from the whole week, because even if there were only 4 days of racing, there was wind and people all week. All this is of course because of the sailing (almost 600km over the week) but also because of the interaction with all the people I met and talked to during the event. Everyone was happy to meet up, talk and be there to ride. It was really cool to see the fervour around the sport. The organization was really good and the new design of the village facilitated the exchanges, and as usual, the machine worked. After the result, I made 2 small mistakes during the event on the choice of gear, but it was not obvious, it's my fault and it's not easy to start for 40km when you know you did not necessarily make the right choice. The Challenge is special, even if you have all the equipment ready, it's complicated to come back to the edge. In the end, as we approached the start, the wind only dropped in the launch area as the weight arrived. Afterwards the level was very high too, there was all the top guys and the battles were very strong on each race.

WJ: How did you manage the 5 races and especially the choice between the foil and the fin before each start?
PM: The first two days, it was pretty simple for me, direct fin without really having to ask myself any questions. For me, in these conditions, I was faster with fin, it was clear. After that, it was on Saturday that things changed, I started with fin in the morning race, I was 30 minutes before on the water and the wind dropped 10 minutes before the start, I should have changed, I hesitated and finally I didn't have the time... It was a very hard race and physically very demanding, being under-canopied, I should have gone with foil, it's clear. So, the choice was made for the last race and I went for the foil with a nice 4. I should have trusted myself more in the morning, because I can still fly! So to come back to the choice of equipment, the foil has taken another step forward. It goes further than before, that's clear, but I think the phenomenon is accentuated by the Défi itself. It's been a long time since we've been 1300 on the water and, in fact, with fin you have free run on the first tack and then you're in a pot. Of course it's annoying in foil too, unstable in the sail, you have to be even more careful when crossing but your board flies over the minefield. At the start, there is no photo, the foils go straight away faster and stronger and at the buoys, it's the same with the clearing buoy where the boat turned with super wide jibes. Physically, it's also different, on the last race I could do 2 more laps without any problem, after that it's the head that heats up because it still requires concentration! In short, in the future we'll do more races with foils, but we mustn't forget that 90% of the fleet was on the fin, so it still has its place!

WJ: The PWA World Tour recently announced new rules for slalom racing from 2024 with a quiver that will go to 4 sails and 2 boards... What does this mean to you and how will you prepare for it?
PM: This is in line with what I said earlier, the foil will continue to grow! After this limitation will perhaps, and surely, lead to a new separation of the two supports. There is of course the performance and the support that will go the fastest on such and such a format, but there is also simply what people want to do, whether it is for leisure or for professional use! Of course, we all want to go as fast as possible, but there are things and actions that we can't do in foil that we can do in fin and vice versa. For the World Cup, what matters most to me today is to have as many events as possible because that is the most important thing! It boosts the market whatever the medium, it boosts people's motivation to go out on the water whatever their age and practice. I think people want to see battles like we had in 2019 and the years before and we racers want to have battles!