46 JULY 2019
PIERRE MORTEFON
DUOTONE
It was easy to switch from North to Duotone. As a racer I am working with
exactly the same team as before, but now I am much more involved with
the development with Kai Hopff and Marco Lang. The racing team is very
strong and I think it was a good change. We are just continuing what we
did before. I have been in the team for nine years and during the last two or
three years I have been more involved with the design of the equipment. I
have proved that I can test the equipment well alongside others. I think my
relationship with Kai has matured and we are used to each other and have a
better understanding. Over the last two years we have progressed a lot and
improved the sails considerably.
PRESSURE
I don’t really feel the pressure too much. The season has started, so now it is
just part of the deal to go to events like Japan and Korea and do my job. I
take every event individually, show up, be prepared and do my best. There is
no special pressure, but obviously you have to go out and compete in all sorts
of tricky conditions at these places which is tough. I sometimes enjoy events
but Japan and Korea are never easy, they can be complicated, but that’s part
of the game. Experience helps a lot with this. Year after year, we have almost
the same tour, so you get to know the places. At first these new area events
are exciting to discover, but after a few years it is down to a routine. You
know the place, how to go there, and all the small tips like where to fly to,
stay and eat.
BEST AND WORST
Check-in! For me this is the worst part. Travelling with slalom gear is not
easy, especially because we always want to have the best equipment with us at
events. The freestyle and wave guys have much lighter and smaller equipment
than us. Equipment is a huge part of a racer’s performance so you need to
have all the right equipment for the right moments. That means bringing
everything as well as spares. It is the part of my life that I am not really in
love with. On the other hand the best part is that in racing when you pass the
finishing line the result is clear. You know your place. In freestyle or waves it
is a judgement call. You don’t really know how you are doing until after the
heat. In racing we have a start and finish line and it is easy to understand for
the public. When you cross the line in a final in first, you have won and that
is it. This point I really like. I also enjoy working on the equipment. You are
preparing your machine for battle.SPEED
The biggest parts of windsurfing I love are firstly the speed. We go so fast; it
is an amazing sensation. The feeling of flying over the water full speed is just
crazy, I love it. I love being alone driving my equipment full speed on the
water. Windsurfing like this is very individual. It is not like a team sport. You
are relying on yourself. If I make a mistake it is my fault or if I win a race it
is down to me. I like this aspect of racing. I am doing it for myself. It is great
to sail with friends on the water, but sometimes I go out alone and fly, it is a
great feeling of freedom flying with the wind out on your own on the water.“FLYING OVER THE WATER FULL SPEED IS JUST CRAZY, I LOVE IT.”
Pierre at full tilt.
PHOTO Jean Souville/pwaworldtour.com