Matteo Iachino, the interview

16/02/2026

Like his main rival in recent years, Frenchman Pierre Mortefon, Matteo Iachino is embarking on a new chapter in his career at the start of 2026 and changing sailboats. After eight years with Severne, the Italian slalom sailor will now be sailing under the NeilPryde banner. Interview.

Windsurfjournal.com: Can you explain the main reasons that led you to end your eight-year collaboration with Severne?
Matteo Iachino: It was a great journey together with Severne. I learned a lot; we won a lot together. Last year I had a great season, and we were happy, but I felt we were not going in the same direction. They wanted to focus more on the brand, events, and stuff like that, which is, of course, comprehensible, whereas I feel like a rookie; I just want to train and win. Obviously I know there is more to do and I try to do my best in and out of the water, media-wise, etc… But in the end what I like and what I want is to train on the water as much as I can and perform the best I can. The fact that this was not as important as before for the brand made me think about it.

WJ: How would you assess your career with Severne, particularly the two PWA World Champion titles and the competition experiences you shared?
MI: I won 2 PWA titles and the speed world title In 2024 too, so 3 out of 4 titles with Severne. I had an amazing experience with them, with the team, with Ben Severne himself. I learned a lot working with Gonzalo Costa Hoevel back at the beginning of my years with the Severne team, and lately I have worked really well together with Cédric Bordes in the last few years. 8 years, 3 titles, and 5 vice world titles mean a lot, and I will always be grateful to the whole Severne family for that.

WJ: What do you think sets NeilPryde equipment apart from what you used previously?
MI: I think now I have the chance to just focus on training and be the best racer I can be. Working together with Robert Stroj is something amazing, as NeilPryde has been the leading racing brand for so many years, and being a pro racing athlete with this brand is just next level. Robert Stroj works day and night to have the best racing machines; he is obsessed with it, and I am obsessed with performance too.

WJ: What role do you hope to play in development or technical feedback at NeilPryde?
MI: I will help in the R&D. I keep saying that we riders just bring ideas and feedback; the sail designer is the real mind behind everything. We just say what goes better and why we think so. This is what I've already started doing these days, testing with Maciek Rutkowski.

WJ: How do you see your sporting goal for the 2026 PWA season with NeilPryde, compared to your ambitions in previous years?
MI: The goal is always the same: try to win, be it speed, slalom fin or slalom foil. This was like this and didn’t change at all.

WJ: Does your change of sponsor influence your approach to race strategies or preparation for upcoming events?
MI: No, it doesn’t. I learned how to prepare myself and my gear through the many years I competed, and I will do the same trying to be the best version of myself riding the best gear on the market.

WJ: To conclude, what message would you like to send to your former sponsors, your new partners at NeilPryde, and the fans who have been following you for years?
MI: I want to thank again Severne for the great journey and all the goals we reached together and for believing in me for all these years. I am incredibly happy to be in the NeilPryde team, and to them and to my followers, I can only say I am more motivated than ever to give it all this coming season.

Source: Matteo Iachino
Photos: @rafasoulart