Sailor in Focus
Steve Allen (Starboard / Severne) has a wealth of experience to his name both in and out of a competition environment. He started windsurfing at the age of ten and joined the PWA world tour ten years later, and since then he has achieved a huge amount. Allen has consistently finished the slalom tour at the top of the pack and this season he was able to finish in an amazing 11th place, despite having missed Costa Brava and part of the Aruba competition. We caught up with Allen to find out a little more.
PWA: Firstly, what are your thoughts on the 2011 season and how would you rate your result?
Allen: “I had some bad luck, with having to miss Costa Brava from having a FW event on at the same time and then the next event in Aruba my gear arrived after two days of competition dropping me from 3rd in the ranking after the first two events to very deep in the pack.”
PWA: How long have you been windsurfing?
Allen: “28 years.”
PWA: Who has been you biggest influence on your sailing?
Allen: “My Father, as he taught me to windsurf”.
PWA: What would you be doing if you weren’t windsurfing?
Allen: “I would be a plumber or into renovations for older houses and flats.”
PWA: Where is your favorite place to windsurf and why?
Allen: “I don’t have one best spot, I love to travel the world and sail all the good locations.”
PWA: What is your favorite move and why?
Allen: “I guess the table top forward as I was one of the first to perfect it for competition.”
PWA: What move did you find the hardest to learn and why?
Allen: “Probably the back loop as the timing for the landing is one of the most critical from all the jumps.”
PWA: What new moves are you currently learning?
Allen: “I am not pushing too much on new moves not to get injured as my main focus is the racing.”
PWA: How do you learn your moves? Videos? Watching others?
Allen: “Bit of everything and asking the guys, unless you invent the move then you have the idea in your head and just go out and go for it.”
PWA: Where is your favorite spot on the PWA tour and why?
Allen: “Maybe Costa Brava as we all stay right on the beach at the event site making it social and easy to see when it is windy.”
PWA: How does competition make you feel? And how to do prepare for your heats?
Allen: “A lot of anxious feelings, between heats I try to keep my food intake regular to keep my energy up, stay focused and out of the sun as much as possible.”
PWA: What do you do when you’re not windsurfing?
Allen: “Spending as much time as possible with my kids, and Surfing, SUP, other sports and gym work etc.”
What are your goals for 2012?
Allen: “Get my weight up to give a stronger fight for a top podium finish in Slalom and FW.”
PWA: Thanks for your time Steve; we look forward to seeing you on the water in 2012.