Pons’ potential to challenge for the overall top 10 caught the eye of both I-99 and Point-7 and for 2019 he will sail under their flags after parting ways with Simmer Style.

Although he may have only recently changed equipment, it looks as though he is already completely comfortable on his new gear from the looks of his latest video, which is a quick fire, action packed 60 second clip of Pons soaring over Pozo Izquierdo.

You can see Josep Pons latest edit @ vimeo.com/318082758

You can read more about Josep Pons transfer to Point-7 via their website @ https://point-7.com/blog/pons-training-determination-brings-josep-pons-black-team/

The German has just released a separate video from that trip, which he classes as windsurfing heaven. Get ready for 5 minutes of pure, radical wave riding.

You can see Leon Jamaer’s latest edit @ youtu.be/q7pEG4ztFXI

1. Why are you so passionate about windsurfing?

I started windsurfing with my dad when I was 6-7 years old, and it’s so nice because this sport is so technical with all the tuning, testing, racing… There is always something to improve, which keeps you motivated!

2. What quality do you like most in other people?

I like people who want to have fun and enjoy every day! 

3. What annoys or frustrates you the most?

The waiting game during an event, most of us windsurfers know what I’m saying …

4. What do you most like in yourself?

In my self ahaha I don’t know. 

5. What do you dislike in yourself?

I don’t like when I miss an event or a race because I didn’t have enough focus.

6. What has been your best moment on tour?

My best moment on the PWA was my first event in Costa Brava in 2017 I think. I managed to make 3 consecutive winner's finals and scored 2nd, 4th and a 5th places when I was 18 years old.

7. What has been your worst moment on tour?

When I won my 2 PWA Youth World Titles

8. Knowing what you know now, what advice would you have given yourself when your career started?

I think I could have said to myself, man stop going out during an event… ahaha. I miss so many good results because of that as I was perhaps a bit young to understand that I need to be 100% focused to reach my goals. But now, I know it.

But on the other side, we had some really good moments, so it’s not something that I want to forget !

9. What is the best advice you have ever been given?

I think to never miss or give up during a race. I remember my first IFCA Youth World Championship in Italy. I broke my mast 10 minutes before my first heat. The time it took me to come back to the beach on a boat and to change the mast my heat had already started. But my coach pushed me to go out with 7,8 and big board (as my 8,6 mast was broke), I arrived on the starting line 1min after the start, and I managed to finish 5th and only top 4 advanced, but luckily somebody went over early and I managed to advance until the final and then went on to win it.

10. What would be your perfect day?

My perfect day, at home of course would be: morning surf sesh, Sashimi on a small island after surfing. then sick freestyle session there.

11. Which living person do you most admire?

I do not really have one person, but let’s say for windsurfing I admire people who performing across all the disciplines at a high level.

12. What is your greatest fear? 

To get injured during an event and to miss a complete season… I saw many guys doing it and I know that it’s super hard to come back.. Congrats to Ethan [Westera] and Taty [Frans] for that.

13. What is your most treasured possession?

All my friends around the world ;)

14. If you weren’t a professional windsurfer, what would you like to be?

A sports teacher, that’s what I’m studying now.

15. Where is the best place you’ve been?

Too many places to choose from, maybe New Caledonia and Portugal.

16. Where would you most like to go to that you haven’t been to yet?

Maui

17. Who would you most like to have as a dinner guest, dead or alive?

Rocky

18. First App you open in the morning?

Instagram

19. Most visited website?

PWA livestream

20. A phrase you live by?

Let’s go for it !

Thanks Basile. You can keep up to date with all of Basile Jacquin’s latest news and adventures via his Social Media Channels:

- Facebook: @Basile Jacquin Fra-498 
- Instagram: @basilejacquin 

Hey Sebastian, how’s it going?

All good mate, enjoying life in Tarifa at the moment. It’s reasonably warm, windy and we get some good swells from time to time. That’s all I need for a good winter!

Last season you finished as the Foil vice-world champion - how happy were you to make the podium in the first official year?

Well, I was pretty stoked! Holding one of those trophies in my hands was a childhood dream of mine. Receiving it in front of a German crowd in Sylt was even better. It was a super tight season with ups and downs. I remember giving a quite emotional interview right after it was clear that I made the vice world title. If anyone wants to see that it can be found on my Instagram channel(www.instagram.com/sebastian.koerdel). I think that little video shows how I was feeling in this moment. Right now, the trophy has found it’s place right next to my couch in my apartment and it motivates me every day to keep pushing. 

You obviously have a very strong Formula background - do you think that gives you an advantage in foiling as there are obviously a lot of race tactics involved…

It helped me a lot that I know how to find my way around the race course. I love the fact that you have that tactical component in Foil racing, and that you can give yourself quite an advantage with quick and correct decisions. It just makes the whole racing thing much more complete as it not only challenges your body but also your mind. 

What was your highlight of the 2018 season?

That was my first ever victory in a PWA race at Costa Brava. We were racing all week and I was close to winning many times but lost it in the last moment. I once was even leading comfortably with only a few hundred meters to go. However, the sun was low which made it hard to see and I mistook the start boat for the finish boat. I literary had that victory in my hand and threw it away by going the wrong way. That one messed me up a bit. I was wondering what it would be like throwing this victory away if I would never win a race again in my life. As you can imagine I did not sleep well that night. Fortunately I was able to win a race the next day and all that pressure and anxiousness fell off my shoulders. I just felt on top of the world in that moment.

Now, on the flip side in 2017 you finished in the overall top 10 for Slalom for the first time in your career, but last year you finished 23rd in contrast. How disappointed were you with that result and do you think that also having Foiling to concentrate on affected your performance on the race course, or what would you put it down to?

I did some mistakes in winter training but I would not say that the foiling impeded my slalom performance too much. All year I struggled a lot to find the right setup in my gear and that held me back. Without the right setup you can’t do anything in Slalom. However, I know what went wrong last year and I will not make mistakes like that again. I look forward to come back strong in the Slalom discipline. 

Foiling is gaining popularity - do you now focus more on training Foil or do you still try to split it with training Slalom?

I’m still in love with both forms of racing on a windsurf board so I try to split my training evenly.

You finished the season tied on points with eventual champion - Gonzalo Costa Hoevel - what are your goals for the coming year?

I don’t have any hard feelings on that tied points situation. Gonzalo helped me a lot with introducing me to the Starboard Foil Team and actually taught me the basics of foiling. The guy is a legend and I’m happy for him. We train together and I think there is nothing better for a training team than finishing number 1 and 2 in the world. With that said I will not hold back next year. For sure my goal is to have a title for myself! That is the logical next step. But let’s wait and see, the foiling world is developing so fast that no one knows what will happen after the winter break. There are a few separate training groups and we will only know how fast everybody is at the first event. It will be exciting to see how high the bar was raised over the winter.

Thanks Sebastian. Good luck with the rest of your winter training and see you at the first racing event of the year in France (17th-22nd April).

Marc Paré: “Not much to say. This place has completely blown my mind. See you soon, I had the best time ever and I hope to be back soon!”

You can see the 20-year-olds pure wave riding video @ vimeo.com/315121399

Latest edit: ‘Thomas Traversa, our Windsurf world champion returns at the beginning of this year and takes advantage of the beautiful mistral to surf between our Provence and Côte d’Azur. There are no waves in the Mediterranean?”

Thomas Traversa: “Very proud of this little edit we did for KparK !! It is not often that I film and show my homespots in France, so it was nice to have Jamie Hancock coming for a day and half of good conditions - more to come.”

You can see Thomas Traversa’s latest video @ youtu.be/Sd5llcGg2iw

The Frenchman, who enjoyed his best season yet in 2018, teamed up with Adam Sims (Patrik / Sailloft Hamburg) to film his latest edit and the results are pretty impressive with Bosson exploding through monster air moves in the waves with the Mother City as a stunning backdrop.

Bosson only just missed out on a maiden world title last year and based on his latest video the 27-year-old will be in contention again. 

You can see Adrien Bosson’s latest edit here.

I grew up loving all sorts of balance sports. When I first really experienced windsurfing, and fully planed along it felt like the ultimate sport to me. Total freedom on the ocean like sailing, tricks like skateboarding, jumping like skiing/snowboarding and later on I learnt you could ride waves like a surfer. 

2. What quality do you like most in other people?

I think honesty and trust. 

3. What annoys or frustrates you the most?

Injustice always really infuriates me. 

4. What do you like most in yourself?

I try to always be honest and always try to do the right thing with everyone. Basically try to be nice to people. (except constant ‘English' style taking the piss!)

5. What do you dislike in yourself?

I wish I could be more of an arsehole sometimes. Especially in contests I wish I had a bit more of a ruthless streak. Maybe I could have got a few more good results like that.

6. What was your best moment on tour?

After 15 years on the tour it's really hard to pick 1 moment. For sure my only PWA podium in Fuerte is up there near the top. Meeting my wife Nayra [Alonso] in Sylt and also when she won in Sylt was pretty special too. Probably the best competition feeling I ever had was on my first proper full year on tour. I just went along to see how I would do, and after the first 2 events I was lying 2nd overall in freestyle. It was so miles above my expectations I was totally blown away by it. I remember walking through London, seeing all the people around and thinking to myself that according to the ranking there is only 1 person better than me in the whole world right now! It didn’t last long unfortunately as I came crashing down after the next event, but that month was pretty amazing and it pretty much set me up with sponsors and everything for the rest of my career!

7. What was the worst moment on tour?

I think all the close losses. You never remember when you win a heat by 0.1pts, but you remember every time you lose by 0.1. There were a couple that really didn’t seem fair at the time and they still haunt me today. Often if 1 or 2 of those close decisions go your way it can really make a huge difference between an average year and an incredible one.

8. Knowing what you know now, what advice would you have given yourself when your career started?

To reset my goals, keep pushing upwards and fight a bit more. It was always my dream to become a ‘pro’. I worked super hard to make it, and constantly set myself goals to strive for. Then when I made it as a pro and was living the dream, I wish I had reset the goal and aimed it a bit higher. I don't think I ever would have been world champ, but I know I could have got a lot closer than I did.

9. What is the best advice you have ever been given?

That is a very hard question. In the end your experience and knowledge comes from listening to people, watching them, filtering the information and applying that knowledge to your own ways. So pretty much every tiny piece of advice (good and bad) all adds up. However I do remember Nik Baker giving me a few gear set up tips when I first started that really made a big difference. 

10. What would be your perfect day?

I think an early morning surf. Some quality time with my family. Then probably a session in Ho’okipa, or somewhere like Punta Preta. Actually the 1st year we went to Cape Verde it was pretty much a perfect day everyday. Surfed every morning in amazing conditions. Ate like a king in an all inclusive 5 star hotel and sailed the best conditions I ever sailed pretty much everyday for 2 weeks! And all with good friends.

11. Do you have any superstitions?

Not really. I guess the only thing is that I have to have my footstraps the right way around. I don’t like it if the label/logo is facing the wrong way.

12. Which living person do you most admire?

Hopefully he won’t read this but probably Dave White. No matter how hard life hits him he somehow bounces back up, stays positive through it all and comes out smiling. That is an unbelievable attribute.

13.  What is your greatest fear?

Snakes and heights…. So being trapped in a cable car with a snake would pretty much be the worst!

14. What is your most treasure possession?

My kids definitely, but they are not really possessions. 

15. If you weren’t a professional windsurfer, what would you like to be?

A sail designer! hahaha. Outside of windsurfing I think I would have enjoyed programming. I actually enrolled in a computing course at Uni, but quickly changed to Yacht Design as it was more ‘windsurf’ related.

16. Where is the best place you’ve been?

Probably Maui. Obviously I love the sailing there, but also the life around it is a really nice balance. I always feel healthy there and probably it’s the place I miss the most now I am a bit more settled.

17. Where would you most like to go that you haven’t been to yet? 

I have been lucky to travel quite a bit, but the 2 places left on my bucket list are San Carlos, Baja, and also Capo Mannu, Sardinia.

18. Who would you most like to have as a dinner guest, dead or alive?

Andy Funnell

19. First App you open in the morning?

Sad to say but Mail. I have a small window in the morning to talk to China, so I always make a quick check to see if there is anything important to deal with. After that probably BBC Sport is what I will check whilst eating my breakfast. 

20. Most visited website?

Windguru/magic seaweed,

21. A phase you live by?

That is actually 21 questions…. but…

You can do anything if you work hard at it, but make sure you enjoy it along the way.

Thanks, John!

You can stay up to date with all of John Skye's latest news and adventures via his Social Media Channels:

- Facebook: @Johnskyek57
- Instagram: @john_skye57 

By the sounds of it the trade winds weren’t as regular as normal, but when it was windy the conditions look pretty epic. You can watch Lewis producing trademark gouges and frontside 3s on Chile’s world class waves.

Adam Lewis: “Short Clip from my time in Chile, was pretty sporadic but when it was windy it was windy!”

You can see Adam Lewis’s Chile experience @ vimeo.com/315444331

Lena Erdil on her latest setback: “Planning, organising, rescheduling... when life gives you Lemons... I had to cancel all my Tenerife training plans and am heading back to Istanbul for another operation and yet again more rehab. Sorry guys no action and yet more rehab posts will be in the cards for the next couple of month.

Thank you all for the nice messages. I am well! Just to clarify nothing “new” happened it’s just that after seeing a few more doctors i realised i wasn’t going to be able to compete and push myself properly with the screws still in my foot. So I have decided to have surgery asap to get the screws removed. It has been a hard decision because it will probably mean that I will miss the first event of the 2019 season by the time I have properly rehabbed my foot again... But lets see what the next couple of months bring, my focus will be on healing everything properly before I restart sailing and competing! Thanks to all my sponsors for your continued support, it’s so nice to know you’re behind me with this decision.”

Everyone from the PWA would like to wish Lena all the best with her recovery and hope to see her back on the water soon.

You can stay up to date with all of Lena Erdil’s latest news and adventures via her Social Media Channels:

- Facebook: @lenaerdilwindsurf 
- Instagram: @lenaerdil 

However this time I chose to make the trip to South of France by train with my sails because driving such a long distance from Paris with my old car "only" for windsurfing is becoming more and more problematic for my conscience after all. I drive a lot all year round to chase after the waves of the English Channel and further away, I take the plane much more often since I began the PWA Wave Tour in 2017, and even though I carpool with other Parisian windsurfers and use public transports as much as I can, I decided to try a different means of transportation to get to the seaside this year when I could.

The railway part was relatively easy and cheap thanks to Ouigo, a special low cost train company and I rented a car at Aix en Provence. The real issue was to find a board on site since mine wouldn't fit in without the ticket inspector nagging me. I was lucky enough to be able to count on: a high schooler I had never met before, my friends, friends of my friends and friends of my boyfriend. They all saved me when the local shop refused to rent me a board under the pretense that the conditions were "too dangerous" and that I might "lose the board" on the first day, with the mistral being rather northerly (cross-offshore) instead of blowing from the usual NW direction. I didn't try to argue since I know how you feel when you see a customer calling himself ‘a catamaran veteran’ coming back to the beach with a hole in the hull or a ripped spinnaker but I was fairly disappointed.

It was really interesting to ride their boards from different shapes eras: a Starboard Acid (2006), a Tabou DaCurve (2009) and a Quatro Pyramid (2017). Let me tell you that beginning wave riding in 2012 was the right time ^^

Apart from this setback, I had a blast and scored perfect Carro conditions for three days. I had expected to sail on my 3.7 or 3.3 but instead was wobbling on 4.2 most of the time; the light winds enabled the unscathed swell to disclose the spot's full potential. I had never witnessed nor even imagined Carro like that before! "Session of the year", told me the local devil Thomas Traversa (Tabou / GA Sails)!

A generous Mediterranean Sea and generous people made this weekend truly special. I'm so grateful to all of them!

(I hope your are still reading because I'm about to get at the heart of the topic)

You will find the video here: https://youtu.be/1kSYhC4zkX4

Those who would like to practice their French can read the whole article on my blog: https://windsurfeuseinparis.com/2019/01/29/sur-les-rails-paris-marseille/

Thank you very much for sharing this amazing memory!

Marine F-181”

If you missed the earlier link here it is again @ https://youtu.be/1kSYhC4zkX4

Maciek Rutkowski introduces his new VLOG idea: “I decided to start a vlog/documentary series about the behind the scenes stuff of a life as a pro windsurfer. Episodes will be about things like physical preparation, mental preparation, gear war, how to cheat on the airports with 219390kg, negotiating sponsor contracts etc but also simply some stuff that has happened to me like my first episode which is gonna be about the Jaws experience. The whole thing will be generally more focused on everything that goes into this life, rather than simply action. Although I am trying my hardest on the latter as well, but as I grow older I start to enjoy things like that more rather then just the action no matter how sick. Maybe its just me, let’s see! :)  Premieres March 1 and hopefully will run every week at least up until the season. 7 episodes are filmed and i don’t plan on stopping filming. 

Here’s a little teaser:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzIp5oy9Rx4"

1. Why are you so passionate about windsurfing?

Because it is a different type of sport, it is the sport that gives me the most adrenaline, and you are always connected with nature and that gives you a unique lifestyle to follow.

2. What quality do you like most in other people?

The constancy and perseverance, for me Braw [Marcilio Browne] is the most clear example of these two attributes. 

3. What annoys or frustrates you the most?

Not achieving my goals by a scheduled date.

4. What do you most like in yourself?

The obsession of making everything, it gives me security and tranquility.

5. What do you dislike in yourself?

Sometimes I think I have too little patience.

6. What has been your best moment on tour?

When they told me that I was Youth World champ.

7. What has been your worst moment on tour?

I haven't had a bad moment on tour, I have enjoyed every moment on tour because this is my passion.

8. Knowing what you know now, what advice would you have given yourself when your career started?

Don ́t be anxious and everything will arrive eventually.

9. What is the best advice you have ever been given?

Never change your way of being.

10. What would be your perfect day?

Big waves and wind for 3.4m in pozo!!!!!

11. Which living person do you most admire?

I don ́t really have one in particular, Braw has been a really good person with me giving a lot of tips, Ricardo [Campello] has also helped me a lot when I was smaller and he always makes it fun in and out of the water, also I think Victor [Fernandez] is one of the most constant and stylish out there, and I admire how Philip [Köster] has won all these titles at such a young age.

12. What is your greatest fear?

Getting injured and not being able to sail anymore.

13. What is your most treasured possession?

My family for sure they are always helping and supporting me.

14. If you weren’t a professional windsurfer, what would you like to be?

I don ́t really think about this, since I was small I’ve been thinking about being a professional windsurfer, but It would be something to do with sport.

15. Where is the best place you’ve been?

In the places that I have been for me right now is my home spot Pozo Izquierdo.

16. Where would you most like to go to that you haven’t been to yet?

Ufff there are a lot of places like South Africa, Australia, Peru, Chile etc.

17. Who would you most like to have as a dinner guest, dead or alive?

For sure Kai Lenny, he is one of my idols

18. First App you open in the morning?

From Monday to Friday instagram but on Saturday and Sunday windguru, to see where I can sail!!

19. Most visited website?

Windsurfing TV - I ́m always watching windsurf videos

20. A phrase you live by?

Go big or go home, hahaha I always try to go big!!!

Thanks, Marino. 

You can stay up to date with all of Marino Gil’s latest news and adventures via his Social Media Channels:

- Facebook: @marino959 
- Instagram: @marinito111  

The Russian has already been to Maui and Western Australia this winter, but is currently in Dahab, Egypt, which used to be a Mecca for Freestyle windsurfers.

Intro: “Russian freestyle windsurfer Yegor Popretinskiy presents some of his favourite freestyle windsurfing moves in slow motion: Willy Skippers, Culos, Konos, Shakas, Ponches… The action is filmed in choppy conditions and higher wind waves of Dahab, Egypt, where Yegor spends a lot of time together with his family over the year. Watch and learn from Yegor, who got a lot of experience in teaching as he runs lessons and camps. He lands the moves ankle dry!”

You can see Yegor Popretinskiy going through the gears @ youtu.be/s1HfyuoXEFk

The competition season will be kicked off in style - freestyle - as the contortionists of the windsurfing world take the honour of raising the curtains on the 2019 PWA World Tour, on the pristine beaches of Lac Bay, Bonaire, which has produced some of the biggest freestyle names on the planet. It will be the first time back to the Dutch Antilles since 2014 and an event not to be missed.

Meanwhile, the PWA is delighted to announce a brand new contest on the calendar in Marignane, France, which will stage the first Men’s and Women’s Slalom skirmish of the year in April, with foil expected to be included in the event also. With such a strong racing pedigree, France’s own slalom superstars will be hard to beat in this showdown of pure racing, at this much anticipated event.

Bonaire is not the only event set to return to the tour after absence, and we are delighted to be able to announce that the hugely popular Klitmøller Cold Hawaii Wave, and Hvide Sande Slalom World Cups will be back on the itinerary for September 2019. The big news of the wave season is that the Aloha Classic is also expected to return to the PWA Calendar, in conjunction with the International Windsurfing Tour (IWT), to round off an enhanced wave tour.

Last year the Moreno twins made history by becoming the first ever PWA event to offer equal prize money for both Men and Women, and the 2019 Gran Canaria Wind & Waves Festival will continue to set the precedent with equal prize money on offer once again. Something that stands as a tribute to the hard work and dedication of Daida, Iballa and all of their team.

The first edition of the Viana PWA World Cup in Portugal last year proved to be a huge success, so we are not only delighted to be able to announce that we will be returning to Viana do Castelo, but also that the event is going from strength-to-strength. 2019 is expected to include Slalom, Freestyle as well as the first Portuguese PWA Men’s foil event. The additional disciplines will catapult Portugal to second in the ranks of the biggest events of the year.

It’s always great to announce new additions to the tour, but we are also extremely happy to be able to continue our successful association with Japan, South Korea, Costa Brava, Fuerteventura and Tenerife, as well as the regular biennial voyage to the tropical waters of New Caledonia. And no calendar announcement would be complete without touching on the mammoth Super Grand Slam that is the Mercedes-Benz World Cup Sylt, which will continue to draw the biggest crowds, with the biggest overall prize purse of every event on tour.

We look forward to bringing you more world class windsurfing than ever, from all corners of the globe, during an exciting 2019 season.

Provisional Calendar 2019

-              Bonaire - (9th-13th April) Freestyle
-              France - (17th-22nd April) Slalom (Foil TBC)
-              Japan - (10th-15th May) Slalom and Foil
-              Korea - (18th-23rd May) Slalom (Foil TBC)
-              Costa Brava - (28th May - 2nd June) Foil
-              Portugal (15th-22nd June) Slalom, Freestyle, Foil
-              Gran Canaria (14th-20th July) Wave
-              Fuerteventura (25th July - 3rd August) Freestyle, Slalom
-              Tenerife (5th-11th August) Wave
-              Hvide Sande (9th-14th September) Slalom
-              Klitmøller (17th-23rd September) Wave men
-              Sylt (27th September - 6th October) Wave, Slalom, Freestyle
-              Maui - (27th October - 9th November) Wave
-              New Caledonia (19th-24th November) Slalom and Foil

Together with Antoine Albeau (RRD / NeilPryde) and Matteo Iachino (Starboard / Severne / Shamal Sunglasses) they make up the formidable ‘Big Top 3’ with Mortefon himself not finishing outside the overall top 3 since 2014 and finishing as the vice-world champion on a couple of occasions. 

Last season Mortefon placed on the podium in all but one event, and after returning to winning ways at the final event of the year in Sylt the Frenchman has his eyes firmly set on the biggest prize for 2019 as he hopes to carry that event winning momentum into the new season. You can read our latest interview with Pierre below: 

Hey Pierre, Happy New Year, how are you?

Hi Chris, everything is ok I started the year really well at home with great conditions, some cold temperatures but great wind. 

You produced another extremely consistent performance last season - winning the final event of the year in Sylt, and only missing out on the podium once… how happy were you with your sailing over the last year?

I am super happy about my 2018 season, like you said I was pretty consistent with a lot of podiums and finally this victory in Sylt. Finally I would say that I was in the running for it all the year. It was not easy as I experienced an incredible moment 15 days before the season with the birth of my son Léon. So with all those emotions, I am super happy about my result. 

Everyone remembers that crash between you and Taty in July 2017 - do you think that affected your racing approach at all this season? And  did that make returning to winning ways in Sylt sweeter?

For sure it affects but it was more end of 2017 season, maybe the beginning of 2018 . For sure I still have it on my memory when I start the first final this year in Fuerte but now it’s definitely over. Sylt is making no changes about this remember, it just permits me to end the season the best ways possible.

Over the last 5 seasons you haven’t finished outside the overall top 3… what do you think the key to your success and unbelievable consistency is? 

This is really nice and I am proud of it, especially with all those changes. The key is maybe to maintain a certain level of training and organisation of the way I am preparing and living the season. But I also really like what I am doing for my living and I really enjoy being on the line and fighting for it! 

Aside from obviously tweaking, tuning and spending hours on the water testing - do you also train off the water and what would a typical workout for you to consist of? Do you have a personal trainer?

For sure I also spend lot of time out of the water preparing myself. I try to be really professional on this aspect, firstly to avoid injury and to be fit from the 1st to the last day of the event/season. Yes I have a personal trainer at home who is also a windsurfer, so he understands easily, and exactly, what I need to focus on and also my form before and during the season.

Do you have a strict diet that you follow? If so, what?

Nothing really special, I try to have a complete diet, eating everything to be able to stay in shape, keep my weight and the power on the water. As a Frenchman I really like the gastronomy and I am often happy to share a good glass of wine.

Foil is obviously gaining popularity at the moment… as one of the top Slalom sailors how do you feel about Foiling?

For sure now we have to deal with it and it’s not as easy as before when we only had one discipline to focus on and now I will have to focus on 2. Foiling is good for the sport because it helps to windsurf in new conditions and it can help to attract new people on the water. But I am also really afraid by the way it’s sometimes going. Few people simply want to replace slalom with foil, I think it’s definitely not smart because slalom/freeride is the base of windsurfing ! At the beginning, it should have been an addition to the sport, helping to have more events, better numbers and even more sponsors but at the moment I am not sure the benefit is huge for the fleet. I hope I am wrong and foil will find its place on tour without having any influence on slalom. 

At some events last season you guys were asked to compete in both Foil and Slalom on the same day… and there was definitely some feedback from some sailors that it’s very difficult to switch between the two disciplines as the techniques vary so much, do you agree with that?

Yes, I think it’s not easy because it’s clearly 2 different disciplines. For me, you can compare it to Freestyle and Wave. We had some really hard days on the water like in Sylt or in Costa Brava switching from one discipline to the other in a really short space of time. You need to change your mind, your skills, your equipment without forgetting that maybe you will be changing back soon to the other discipline. It’s also really tricky just getting to the event now that we have to carry lot of gear. We will see in 2019 if the overall will be important or if we will have specialists in both discipline. 

How will you be spending the rest of the off season?

After Sylt I had 10 days at home where I was simply enjoying life and doing nothing in relation to windsurfing. Then I flew for 3 weeks in Maui to work with Marco Lang and Kai Hopf on the 2020 sail. It was really nice, we sailed everyday, I learned a lot and we find some really good sails. I also had the time to enjoy some waves and hit some rocks ;) After that I was home, I start my physical preparation early to be able to enjoy Christmas to the max then 2019 was ON already! Now I am in Tenerife, I will make a break in February then I will come back here on the TWS Centre to train with the guys. Then in March if the conditions are great I will try to enjoy sailing in the south of France to prepare for possibly the 1st World Cup of the year there! 

And finally, what are you goals for 2019?

Finally getting my hands on the biggest trophy!!!

Thanks, Pierre. Good luck with the training in Tenerife and see you on the tour soon!

You can stay up to date with all of Pierre Mortefon's latest news and adventures via his Social Media Channels:

- Facebook:@pierremortefon
- Instagram: @pierremortefon

Jamaer spent a few weeks in Cape Town earlier this winter and has released a sick new edit packed with radical wave action from around the Cape. 

You can see Leon Jamaer’s Cape Sessions @ youtu.be/bShlcAm-ssQ

Episode 1: youtu.be/jyvAa8PIv2E
Episode 2: youtu.be/mvGzd4WHduU

Watch a session of the two World Cup freestyle windsurfers Sarah-Quita Offringa and Oda Johanne Stokstad Brødholt @ youtu.be/PTHpFQ3STEk

Cloarec is currently in Cape Town, South Africa, studying and sailing and the other day he scored some epic, if a little daunting conditions at Platboom. Luckily, Tom Deburchgrave was on hand to capture some of the best of the action and it’s well worth a watch.

You can see Baptiste Cloarec at Platboom @ vimeo.com/311105254

Albert’s latest video is filmed 100% in slow motion and while it is packed with great moves do you think there can be such thing as too much? What are your thoughts on slow motion? Let us know in the comments.

You can see ‘The River’ @ vimeo.com/311030879

For a full recap of how the event unfolded you can click here, while you can now see the full video highlights @ vimeo.com/310986405

Intro: “On November 26th 2018 The WSL Canceled the "Peahi Challenge" (Big Wave surf contest at Jaws, Maui , Hawaii) due to too much wind, Camille Juban, Kai Katchadourian & Rudy Castorina seize the opportunity to windsurf one of the biggest day ever ridden at the world famous big wave break: JAWS.”

Filmed by: Jace Panebianco, Si Crowther, Aerial Video Maui.

Music by: Sleep 

Track: From Beyond

Album: Holy Mountain”

Photos: Lyle Krannichfeld

One of the latest destinations fo the young Italian was a return to Chile and in his latest video Morisio explains why he loves the South American country so much…

Federico Morisio: “I’m crazy excited and happy to share with you this new video about my latest trips to Chile! I seriously fell in love with this place, as I explain in the video, because of the incredible conditions and the awesome lifestyle that it provides! 

Hopefully it will bring you some real value convincing you why Chile is so great, why you should go and how to enjoy it the best once you're there! 

Enjoy it and please let me know your thoughts in the comments and subscribe on my channel for many more videos to come! ;)

Follow me for daily photos and videos on:

- Instagram: @federicomorisio 
- Facebook: @federicomorisio 

You can see Federico Morisio’s ‘Why I Love Chile’ by visiting @ youtu.be/ml-BA7VEfNk

9 heats of slalom were completed during an intense day with east winds (Levante) on the second day of competition. On the last day another two races were completed, this time with west winds (Poniente). The conditions were not good enough during the competition period to run waves.

The event marks its second successful edition, proving that the spot Almerimar is a suitable location for many windsurfers. The young riders have shared an incredible week of windsurfing and participating in other activities in the Spanish town of Almerimar.

The junior fleet was divided into four categories. 

Benoit Merceur from France (S2Maui) was able to take the win in the category U20  and the Spanish champion  Regina Villegas (Duotone) in the women's category. The Frenchman Armand Genevais has been unbeatable in the U17 category, he won all eleven races.  Mar De Arce (Loftsails) took the win in the women's division and ocal rider Noelia Fuentes stood out in the female U15 category. The winner in the youngest category, U13, was the local rider Miguel Mirón. 

Victor Fernandez: "The 2nd edition of the Víctor Fernández PWA Youth World Cup Almerimar has exceeded all my expectations. We were able to improve our organisation compared to last year. We had incredible food, fun no wind activities and a very good infrastructure in general. We have the help of a lot of local volunteers and we were able to build a good relationship with our sponsors. That’s why I am already able to announce the third edition of the Victor Fernandez Windsurf Festival, which will be held from 27th to 30th December 2019 with the Spanish Championship followed by the PWA Youth World Cup from the 2nd until the 6th of January 2020."

The Victor Fernandez PWA Youth World Cup was the first stop of the 2019 PWA Windsurfing World Tour, which will continue in Japan, Gran Canaria, Tenerife and Hawaii in the disciplines of wave and slalom events have to be confirmed.

You can see a quick highlights video @ vimeo.com/309865379

Result U20 Boy’s Slalom - Víctor Fernández PWA Youth World Cup Almerimar 2019 

1st Benoit Merceur (S2Maui)

2nd Jose Casanova (Fanatic / Duotone)

3rd Marino Gil (Goya Windsurfing)

Result U20 Girls’s Slalom - Víctor Fernández PWA Youth World Cup Almerimar 2019 

1st Regina Villegas (Duotone)

2nd Elena Canton 

Result U17 Boy’s Slalom - Víctor Fernández PWA Youth World Cup Almerimar 2019

1st Armand Genevais (S2Maui)

2nd Lennart Neubauer (Starboard / Severne / Maui Ultra Fins)

3rd Nicolo Spanu 

Result U17 Girls’s Slalom - Víctor Fernández PWA Youth World Cup Almerimar 2019

1st Mar de Arce (Loftsails)

Result U15 Girl’s Slalom - Víctor Fernández PWA Youth World Cup Almerimar 2019

1st Noelia Fuentes

Result U13 Boy’s Slalom - Víctor Fernández PWA Youth World Cup Almerimar 2019

1st Miguel Miron

2nd Ancor Sosa (Point-7)

3rd Javier Quinta