New racing discipline in the World Cup: "Slalom X - that's the new cool thing!"
reemedia
· 25.05.2024
"For what Fin can do, it's a great new challenge!" Nico Prien sums it up. The fin is back! With the new "Slalom-X discipline", a racing format is being introduced for the new season that is tailored to the fin, presents the pros with new exciting tasks and promises spectators even more action and excitement - that much is already clear before the first World Cup. We were there live at the very first Slalom-X training session for the pros in Tenerife, where we were able to watch spectacular scenes and talk to the pros.
Michele, we didn't see you on the water yesterday at the very first Slalom X training session, which celebrated its premiere as part of the TWS training programme.
Michele Becker: That's right, because I'm not going to take part in this!
You're so keen to match yourself with others. Why not?
Michele Becker: Two years ago, I started to concentrate on foil because I saw the future in it and because I realised that I couldn't manage doing two things at a high level, neither physically nor in terms of equipment. That's why I'm concentrating on foil. I have talent here and it's great fun!
Last year you took your fin set-ups with you to the World Cups.
Michele Becker: But I didn't use them at all and didn't even have them in my luggage for the final event in Japan. And the logical conclusion is that I won't be racing the finals. My potential there isn't that great either, because even with preparation I would only maybe make the top 15. But up to this point, my level on the fin is not competitive. But if I can get into the top 5 in foil, then I won't be able to get both to the same level.
Nico Prien: It's a double burden, you have to say that, like over six days on Fuerte, for example. If we race Slalom-X on the first two days, then you already have two days of Slalom-X in your bones and Michele is fresh for the foil discipline and then has an advantage. That's the trade-off you make.
Michele Becker: I also have to take one or two fewer bags with me to the events, I'm more focussed and physically less stressed.
You are super-specialising within the slalom disciplines, so to speak.
Michele Becker: Well, I think that foil and fin are just as far apart as freestyle and wave. And hardly anyone goes on the wave and freestyle tour. They are two completely different things.
I think that foil and fin are just as far apart as freestyle and wave." (Michele Becker)
Nico Prien: I weighed it up in the same way. For me, the motivation was so great, I really wanted to do it and that's why I accept the fact that I have a double burden, but also double the opportunities. For what Fin can do, it's a great new challenge!
The first Slalom-X training session took place here in El Medano yesterday. The TWS (Tenerife Windsurf Solution) had laid out a barrier that you had to jump over. There were some really spectacular scenes in the first hour, with a few crashes!
Nico Prien: Yes, it was great from the very first second, we immediately had a big grin on our faces! It was a great thrill to ride towards the obstacle with three people. In Formula 1, the drivers enter the bend in quick succession and we jumped over the obstacle in exactly the same way. Sometimes we jumped at the same time. That will also be risk management.
Michele Becker: And training this once will make you 50 per cent better.
Slalom-X was great from the very first second, we immediately had a big grin on our faces!" (Nico Prien)
There were big swells here in Cabezo during training and it's not easy to jump with precision. And there were more crashes from the riders with less well-known sail numbers.
Nico Prien: Exactly! We often looked at each other afterwards and asked ourselves, how did I come across?
It's much easier with a small, short chop wave on Lake Garda, isn't it?
Nico Prien: Yes, you also have to make a high jump here because otherwise you wouldn't make it over the obstacle. That's really exciting.
Furthermore, so-called harassment is planned. What is meant by this?
Nico Prien: These are two buoys that are so close together that you make a jibe and perhaps don't shift at all until the second buoy. And depending on the location, a beach start, a beach finish or a deep, rough course can be incorporated.
Why will Slalom-X be a success, while the old, at least related discipline Super X was rather ridiculed by many and ultimately failed to establish itself?
Nico Prien: Because it has little to do with Super-X. You always had to do a jump and tricks back then. There were no slalom boards and no purebred slalom sails, and now we sail purebred slalom boards and sails. These differences have sometimes not been correctly portrayed by the media in recent months. Now it's getting more technical and it's a different discipline to Super-X!
Some people didn't really take it seriously back then, is it different for you now?
Nico Prien: Of course, it's the new cool thing and we all want the world title.
What active and former riders say about Slalom-X
Jordy Vonk
Netherlands, eleventh place 2023 PWA Slalom
"We had lots and lots of fun yesterday at the TWS slalom training for our very first slalom X session. The guys from TWS laid out a long obstacle that we had to jump over. In the first few hours, every rider was still a bit cautious and had the odd crash!
The difference to the old Super-X discipline is that we now use our normal slalom equipment, speed is much more important and only a few "tasks" are set for us. That's why this new discipline is correctly called Slalom-X, i.e. a conventional slalom on fins with the X-factor, i.e. one or two tasks for the riders."
Bernd Flessner
"The biggest challenge is to have or find the optimal material. In other words, speed and handling are very important at the same time, as Slalom-X is not just about top speed, but also about jumping and manoeuvring around the buoys (duckjibe in those days). You need a perfect mix, because it is of little use if you are the fastest but fail when jumping over the obstacles or manoeuvring around the buoys.
It was the same back then as with freestyle. In the 90s, all 64 riders competed in wave, slalom and course racing and went for the overall ranking. With slalom and course racing, the racers naturally had an advantage with two disciplines. In addition, there were some events where we had good wind, but the waves were not sufficient for wave. In order to give the pure wave riders a second discipline and still have good action on the water in poor wave conditions, freestyle was launched.
It was similar with Super X! Here, the small, light riders suddenly had a chance against the big, heavy riders. The speed advantage that the heavier riders have in the slalom was offset by the jumping and manoeuvres."
