Cédric Bordes, the interview
One of France's and the world's top slalom racers, Cédric Bordes was instrumental in bringing Antoine Albeau to the Severne international team. Competitor, developer and tuner, he talks about his role in the transfer and his vision of the sport and the market...
Windsurfjournal.com: Could you first tell us about your role at Severne since you joined the Australian brand in March 2022?
Cédric Bordes: I came to Severne just as a racer, because after some great years with my former sponsor, where I was doing a lot of things, I wanted to have a bit more time for myself and finish some personal projects. In the end, in 2022, we didn't have many races on the PWA tour and Severne sent me some sails to test. They were happy with the feedback, so they offered me the job of researching and developing the sails and boards from then on. I never thought I'd dive back in, but in the end, it's something that's not always easy, but it's exhilarating when the pieces of the puzzle come together to produce a final product that works.
WJ: It's easy to imagine that you're no stranger to the arrival of Antoine Albeau at Severne.
CB: Antoine is a long-standing friend, having helped us at the start of our career with Julien Quentel, so I'm trying to do the same for him at the end of his career! Joking aside, Antoine Albeau is still around, he's a force of nature and even though he's no longer doing the PWA World Cup, he's got windsurfing in his blood and still pulls hard on the boom! I think it's great that, along with Robby Naish and Björn Dunkerbeck, the three of them have won the most and continue to promote the sport the most! At Severne, there's a real desire to push certain projects to the limit, and we've got a new range of slalom boards on the way, so Antoine is a perfect relay. And then there's his incredible quest for records. When I mentioned the idea internally, everyone was immediately on board. Even the factory manager was excited!
WJ: What role will Antoine Albeau play at Severne alongside you and Matteo Iachino?
CB: We'll continue to work as before with Matteo, we get on well. Matteo always pushes because he wants to win. After that, there are questions of deadlines and costs to be respected, so you also have to know how to do things at the right time. Antoine will help us because he can bring a different vision too. There's also Elliot Joly, who's a bit lighter, and who's been helping out more and more lately with testing too. It's good to have several profiles to bring out common points in the equipment.
WJ: You've known Antoine Albeau for a long time. What do you think are his main qualities, and what can he bring to Severne?
BC: Both Antoine and Matteo want to win, so they want the best. They're both not going to count the hours on the water and that's super valuable. Development work, when you know what it's really like, isn't always fun, because you have to chase the wind and the weather, and double-check details again and again. So you need motivated riders. In the past, we haven't necessarily always agreed on everything with Antoine in terms of production rules, distribution, or the evolution of the sport, but over time, our respective opinions have come closer together.
WJ: Can you tell us about the Prince of Speed - ISWC World Championship in which you recently took part, with your 9th place in fin racing and especially your fine 4th place in foil racing?
CB: It's a great race that puts speed first. We're still waiting for the right conditions to race in. My final gross result is average, but with Matteo Iachino, we missed a round in foil and also in fin because we were on the PWA event in Guadeloupe. I'm happy, though, because I was closer to the top speed riders Antoine, Hans Kreisel and Vincent Valkenaers than in previous years. I did 4/13/3, so it was a round that put me down, but that's the game. In foil, it was really fun, and I did really well at the end, with two wins in 5.0 and a better run. You have to be able to push and glide at the same time, so it's quite different from the fin in the end.
WJ: At the age of 40, you're still very involved in the sport, both in terms of development and competition... How do you view the evolution of windsurfing over the last ten years, and in particular the arrival of the foil?
CB: I think windsurfing is an extraordinary and unique sport, really. Of course, we have our own problems, such as the need to practice in certain specific places, dependence on the weather, and the cost of equipment, which other sports perhaps have less of. But the sensations are magical when everything works. However, with all the mistakes we've all made in the business, we could have died ten times in 15 years! So windsurfing will always go on, and that's the big positive. Having said that, it's true that, often, it would be nice to do things with perhaps a little more rigor and true understanding of the players for each other (brands/riders/distribution/media and even event organizers) rather than rushing headlong with passion, reacting rather than anticipating. Being passionate when you have responsibilities is great, but it can also push you in extreme directions that may not be sustainable in the long term. Foil is an incredible medium, it's fun, modern, and you can sail in many conditions, but it's still very exclusive. I think we should seriously consider blocking the registration of new equipment every two years, for example. This would allow the market to stabilize, reduce the number of equipment, and take its time to let the products speak for themselves. And, ultimately, I'm thinking of making even more marked evolutions with each new vintage, as we could have more time without rushes to develop. Reducing the number of sail surfaces in PWA first is another possibility, perhaps for certain ranges in the market, for reasons of stock and logistics for all the shops who do a great job. This would also make it possible to see which brand has the best mini/maxi range of use each time, really. There are possibilities for change that are fairly simple to implement if everyone takes a step back and looks at the 3/5 year horizon rather than the short term, as is the case in many sectors outside windsurfing. The main problem in our micro business is that over 50 to 60% of companies, large and small, are loss-making, and have been for over 10/15 years, or even since they were founded! This creates a form of dumping which is normally untenable and not necessarily authorized, as a lot of time and energy is spent on peripheral rather than central issues, normally inherent in any company wishing to survive. But one way or another, they manage to refinance themselves through external aid and/or other means, and so continue to grow without basing themselves on the real market and not the one imagined and dreamed of. Of course, everyone has the right to want to make a place for themselves, but you have to avoid taking too many shortcuts, otherwise the balance won't hold. And everyone cries wolf without knowing why in the end! But I'm convinced that windsurfing will always be a sport that endures, because it's unique and magical!
WJ: What's on your agenda for 2025, and what can we wish you for the future?
CB: I'm going to continue to do the PWA tour in foil and fin and a lot of national events, because every day is an opportunity to learn more. I hope I don't get injured, as the second-youngest PWA rider is now 5 years younger than me. And lately, I've been on the verge of correction with 2/3 big buffers, but, for the moment, all's well!
Source : Cédric Bordes
Photos : Raphaël Bauer - Videociel
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